Chapter 4 Episode Four

Maria Li stopped singing and featured her hand forward for me to continue with the song and I smiled and raised the microphone up to my mouth and was about to sing buy couldn't find my voice.

My voice shook and made a cracking sound, the whole audience starts to laugh.

Maria Li gave me a disappointed look. And then I started to cry cause I failed, I failed Maria Li and everyone who wanted to listen to me, my cheeks became really wet from crying and...

I woke up.

I touched my cheek knowing it was wet and I cringed when I felt it was something else on cheek instead of tears, it was slimy and sticky and I turned to my side to see Ella beside me, her mouth opened and saliva dropping from it.

"you licked my face didn't you?" I said to the dog who had no idea of what I was talking about but happily wagged her tail and walked out of my room, I walked out of my bed but into the bathroom to wash my face.

I dried my face and Walked out of my bedroom and into the living room and the sweet smell of different delicacies made me stop on my tracks.

I paused seeing my grandma, Erick and Auggie around the table about to eat dinner.

"oh good you're awake" my grandma smiled.

"who let Ella into my room?" I asked.

"I wanted to come wake you up but Erick said it would be better if I start eating and let Ella wake you up" Auggie explained and I rolled my eyes.

"And she did a pretty good job, nice one Ella" Erick smiled at his dog.

I sighed and sat beside my grandma..

"Grandma you didn't have to make dinner all by yourself you could have wake me up to prepare it" I said calmly

"I didn't cook dinner, Erick did" my Grandma stated with a grin pulling Erick's cheek.

"I used to be a chef, don't look down on me" Erick added and I rolled my eyes.

I grabbed my spoon and had a taste of the meal and oh my god it tasted so great.

"how's it? Is it delicious?" Erick asked.

"don't ask me stu--

My grandma glared at me before I could give him a reply and I sighed.

"It's tates perfect!" I said and he smiled.

"I am such a good cook" he boasted.

Such ego!

My grandma smiled "you sure are!" she tapped his shoulder.

After dinner, I decided to wash the dishes, like I always do but Erick said he would do it cause he was the chef of the day and he was like 'A chef never leaves his dishes dirty blah blah blah'.

I didn't say much I just let him do his stuff.

I was sitting alone the living with my phone when my grandma walked in.

"what are you doing?" she asked.

"nothing". I shrugged, confused.

"where's Erick?" she asked.

"He's doing the dishes". I answered

"what? Alone? Aren't you supposed to help him out?" she added and I scoffed.

"Help him? He was the one who decided to do it alone and by himself so he doesn't need my help" I stated and my grandma glared at me.

"You're a girl June, and he's a boy, that's not what boys do, that's what girls do instead. And he's a tenant for crying out loud, now instead of doing nothing here, go help him out" my grandma insisted.

I groaned and dropped my phone on the table before standing up and walking to the kitchen.

"what.. Do you.. Wa--

"I'm here to help" I interrupted Erick before he would speak and he smiled

"Really?" .

"Don't get too excited, I was forced" I glowered at him.

"well too bad, I'm done" he smirked wiggling his fingers around the neat dishes, I scoffed before walking out of the kitchen.

Can he be less extra.?

"Why are you back here?" my grandma asked.

I don't understand why she, is being so extra today!

"I told you he doesn't need my help and he's already through with it" I said grabbing my phone.

Erick walked into the living room with his annoying smile.

"Grandma I'm done with the dishes" he announced.

"you're so blessed Erick" my Grandma smiled.

Seeinh their weird, "No you're the blesed one grandma, no you're the best one Erick" I got up and went back to my room so they could have their little, 'mother and son moment''.

I got on my bed and again, I started to play Maria Li's song, I recalled my dream and pondered on what it really could mean, you never know some dreams do come true.

I recalled school today and the part to the part where, Annie, joy, Julia and Phoebe sang the nation's Daniel Anderson's song and apart from Maria Li's song, I think it was the first song I'll ever like from another artist after hearing it just once.

After hours of singing and dancing to Maria Li's song i didn't know it was nighttime until Auggie came in saying he was sleepy.

And I was surprised to see it was 8:45pm. Wow Maria Li' really got me.

"Stressed from playing too much with Ella?" I asked Auggie as he got on his bed.

"Yes I was in Erick's room I was playing with Ella" he said lying down but suddenly got up.

"June!" he called.

"yes?" I turned to him

"Erick's room is beautiful, his bed is wide and blue, he had beautiful curtains and the flour is super shiny and slippery and he has a small fridge and a big Tv, but he didn't let me watch TV, he just said I should play with Ella, I wish our room could be like his" Auggie pouted.

"August." I called him by his full name and he looked up at me.

"You and I are not from the world of Erick, he's a rich kid okay, so just don't feel suppressed with what you saw in his room okay!" I said and fanned my face with my hand, all that dancing has made me hot.

"wanna go outside?" I asked, seeing that I've ruined Auggie's happy mood and made him less sleepy.

He nods and I smiled and took his hand and we both walked outside.

we got on our star-gazing table, the one Erick and I sat on yesterday and as usual we laid there and we started to stare at the stars. Auggie was quiet so I had to say something to make his gloomy mood disappear.

"Don't worry Auggie, one day, we'll be so rich that you're going to own ten TV's, thousands of fridge and a bigger bed and you'll also eat till your tummy drop" I stated and he giggled.

"And I'll also have ice-cream sundaes?" he asked.

"Yeah," I beamed.

"Want to listen to a story?" I asked.

"Yes..." he said happily.

"Okay, so there was a once a little boy..

"start with once upon a time" Auggie interrupted me.

"why?" I smiled.

"cause every story that starts with once upon a time always have a happy ending!" he replied and I laughed.

"Well okay, once upon a time there was a young boy who hard a small farm, and in that farm, he grew corns, beans, peanuts and tomatoes, but then one day something horrible happened".

"what happened?" he asked inquisitively.

I continued to tell Auggie the story and he was really interested in it, and after some minutes I realised I was talking to myself because Auggie was fast asleep.

I sighed and stopped talking.

"continue the story it's interesting" I heard Erick's voice behind me and I flinched.

Sitting up, I asked. "What..? how did you get here?, how long have you been here?"

"A very long time ago, or should I say, once upon a time" he chuckled.

"I forgot I'm talking to a psycho" i mumbled to myself and looked away.

"You want me to help you take Auggie inside?" he asked.

"No thanks" I huffed and he shrugged and sat beside me.

"Move" I barked

"Geez, try to be cool girl! It's not like I'm trying to bite you or anything" he said and I moved a little to get away from him.

"Okay seriously, why do you hate me so much?" he asked.

"Like I told you I don't hate you" I said and folded my arms In front of my chest.

"It's my second day here and yet you're still acting a bit grumpy towards me" he said and I kept quiet and looked away...

I don't hate him.

"I don't hate you" I mumbled.

"Then why does it feels like you do?" he asked huffed rubbing his templates.

"well.. It's just that,... I'm angry" I blurted out hesitantly.

"Angry with me? What? did I do something wrong? Is it about Ella waking you up? If it's about her, I'm sorr--

"it's not about her..." I sighed cutting him off.

Gosh it's so hard to say this.

"then what is it about?" he asked.

"It's embarrassing!" I breathed out.

"What is?" Erick tilted his head.

"It's awkward okay! With you, living here, it's been me, my grandma and August all my life and you being here is really embarrassing for me. I don't know why you left home and why you rented out a place like this, because with you living with us, you get to see us live a life like this, a life where we barely eat for a day, I mean being this Rich kid you see us as this poor unfortunate people, and I just feel awkward around you, that's it! " I shrugged.

"Oh..." Erick Stated, he was speechless

"I'm sorry if I've been rude, I hope you understand me now" I said covering my face with my palm.

"I don't see a reason for you to be embarrassed cause I'm not those kind of people who judge like a psycho and I think you're living the best life ever" Erick said and I looked at him.

"what do you mean?" I asked.

"even though you guys live like this, even though you barely eat for a day, like you said, but then that one time that you all eat, you're all gathered around the dinner table eating as a whole, as a family, you're all happy because you all get to eat together, now that's one things I don't see for myself. And no I don't see you guys as unfortunates, no, your grandma is the nicest person I have ever met, Auggie is super sweet and you're just... Okay, I guess" Erick shrugged.

He doesn't want to hurt my feelings.

"I get it" I smiled.

"Look, I get to eat with people around a dinner table tonight and it just made my day, I always eat alone, in case you're wondering!" Erick gave a slight shrug.

"And once again, I'm sorry for being mean, I guess I shouldn't judge and discard people before I get to know them" I added and Erick nodded.

"You shouldn't! I was just trying to make you happy or maybe like me." He smiled.

"Sorry!" I muttered slowly.

I paused. "Wait! So what you're trying to tell me is that, you haven't had dinner with your parents before?" I shook my head.

"Well, maybe when I was younger but for the past six years, I haven't. My parents are too focused on their jobs they barely come home, so I got sick of the place!"

"so you ran away from home, because your parents weren't there?" I asked with my eyes almost popping out and he laughed.

"No... I used to work for my father but I became tired ever since he tried to make me into something I wasn't read to be. He got really angry with me and we both had this hefty arguments and out of anger, I just left home and stopped walking for me, and I'm just carelessly spending the money I earned for the past months I earned from my dad" Erick laughed.

"So you have a father, who's insanely Rich and has a company you used to work for and a home which I believe will be covered in wealth, and you left it, to live here! What Is wrong with you rich people.!" I scoffed throwing my hands up in the air.

"Not all the wealthy ones are happy June, but ever since I came to this place I feel like, a door has been opened for me, I love it here! I'm taking a break from the life I hate, give me a break." Erick breathed out.

"I guess I'm not the only who hates my life" I said and he nods.

"we're both on the same page... When I saw this place I thought I'd be living with Just your grandma so I bought a TV thinking it'll come in handy, cause what in the world will I ever talk to your grandma about, and when I moved in here, I found out she had two grand children, and one of them happens to be a teenager, to be honest, I'm glad we both talked tonight!"

Erick said and I gave him a weird look while he smiled.

Well I did enjoy talking to him too.