"What?" Camry voiced impatiently. Her fingers tapped the edge of her laptop while she stared at the lady without emotions on her face.
"Cam, don't be like this, I have missed you so much and you still treat me like this... ain't you going to change bestie? Huh," Halona pouted looking so wronged.
Camry pinched the space between her brows, her expressionless face twitched involuntarily. Ever since she got to know Halona, the latter had used all sorts of methods to get closer to her.
Camry did not bother about the antics of the latter. She allowed Halona to get close to her a bit. Having one friend in her boring life was not bad after all.
"what is it?" Camry voiced, her fingers paused and she stared at the lady on the laptop. She ran her fingers across the edge of the laptop while waiting for Halona's response.
"You really don't have to be so cold, you know" Halona mumbled with a pout. She looked so wronged.
"I am hanging up" Camry threatened.
"No, no, no... I will talk, alright. Don't hang up yet" Halona exclaimed hurriedly. She was one of the few people who understood Camry best. She could tell that when Camry says something, she sure will do it.
"So?"
"I am coming over to South-Edenville. I overheard from my parents that my brother is in that country. See, we are fated to be best of friends. Since you are also in South-Edenville, I will just stay with you as long as I am staying. Are you happy? It's good, right? I am also delighted to be with you finally"
As Halona rambled on, Camry felt helpless. It was the first time in her life that she realized there is a category of people that could speak for two people at the same time. She asked a question and was answering herself.
Well, Halona could not be blamed. Camry had always been a lady of few words. It was a miracle that Halona still held on to the so-called friendship. Perhaps, she really needed a friend or she found Camry to be a rare gem. It also is because they were really fated...? Who knows.
"Are you going to sneak out again?" For the first time in their relationship, Camry spoke six words in a go. Halona was ecstatic but she pouted in the end feeling wronged because of the question Camry asked.
"Cam, it's not my fault for always doing that alright, my parents are just so cruel! They never let me go anywhere. I am just locked up in this castle and my beauty is fading away by the day. I have been staying indoors for years, I lost count of how many years already.
Do you have an idea of how annoying it is? I envy you so much Camry, you are so free.. you are like a hummingbird, with your vibrant wings you can fly and explore the world with no hindrance.
But for me, I am like a beautiful parrot with brilliant colors but locked in a cage. I also want to explore, like you. Cam, please let me escape just this once. If you condemn me about my plans now..." Halona's voice became low. It was as if she wanted to cry.
Camry sighed, she would be a perfect liar if she deny that she felt touched. She wanted to laugh when she heard Halona's description of them.
She was a Hummingbird with vibrant wings to explore the world? Was she really... She looked at the lady on the laptop and felt moved. It looked like it wouldn't be a bad idea if she added one more person to her uncertain life after all...
"Okay"
"Okay? Okay? What is okay? You agree with me? I can come? You mean I can come over? Really? Really, Really?"
"One more word.." Camry started.
"I am saying no more. But I can really stay with you! Yippie! You can't believe how happy I am right now. Don't worry, I am going to be good and well-behaved. I will be the best friend you ever had. I will do my best to make you happy. You might not know, but I am a really good cook. I will cook your meals and fend for you. Do you need money, I will buy you new clothes, I will—"
"I will change my mind" The lady was rightfully called a parrot, she talks too much. Camry could not take it anymore and thought it was a really bad idea to agree with her in the first place. Camry could not imagine her life when Halona start living with her.
"No, no, no... please don't change your mind bestie. I will be quiet, I promise. I won't say anything again. I will learn to shut my mouth, I will not talk again, I will—"
"You. Are. Still. Talking!" Camry said with gritted teeth. Her mind was on the verge of a breakdown.
"I—"
"Shut up!"
Halona zipped her mouth and bobbed her head. If she loves herself, she better be quiet. She knew how short-tempered her best friend was.
"When is your flight?" Camry asked.
"You are going to pick me up? Gosh... Bestie, you're so sweet, absolutely the best—" Halona was a talker.
Probably because she had few people to talk to, once she had the opportunity to talk, she would speak for a really long time non-stop. This habit was something that frustrates Camry the most but she could not bear to ignore the latter.
"Halona, when is your flight?" Camry took a breath and asked patiently.
"Oh... Sorry, It's on Thursday. 6 am is the departure time. It's just a three hours flight. Let me describe how I will look that day so that you can recognize me immediately. I will be dressed as a commoner so don't be surprised okay. I will plait my hair, wear a pink jumper suit, I won't wear any make-up, I will wear a nude stiletto, pink eyeglasses... I will use a pink ribbon on my hair, I will—"
What the heck!
"Okay" Camry had no more strength to berate her. with that one word said, she ended the call.
Camry switched off the laptop and stared at the blank screen for a long time. She thought back at the description Halona gave her and laughed. It was rare to see and laugh but it sounded beautiful.
She was really a caged parrot... Camry thought. Halona was not only a talker but also a bit dumb. She sure had not seen the world. She claimed that she would be dressed as a commoner but still want to wear all of that, that she mentioned.
Was she just a dumb person or really foolish? If she actually dressed that way, there was no way anyone would think she was anything close to being a commoner. Instead, in a pink dress, she would be seen as a pampered princess.
Somehow, Camry really longed for her arrival. She stood up and turned around but as soon as she took one step, she heard a knock on the door. A knock?
Oh, how could she forget about her mother's presence so soon? She was in the middle of her chat with Halona that she did not remember she still had an issue to solve with her troublemaking mother.
"That woman won't stop, will she?" Calm said to herself with a snort.
"Of course, what do you think" a voice sounded in her head filled with mockery.
Camry ignored the voice and walked to the door. She opened it and stepped away giving space for the red-headed woman to enter.
"You– who were you talking to?" the woman asked.
"None of your business!" Camry hissed. She leaned on the door lazily as if she could not wait for the woman to take her to leave.
"I am your mother, look how rude you are!" The woman snapped.
"Oh" Camry responded casually.
The woman looked really angry but she took a deep breath in and calmed herself. It looks like she was on a mission.
"I won't be angry at you even if you were talking to someone okay. Was it your manager, is she going to accept you back to work? Then, did you ask her for advance payment?" The woman looked at Camry with greedy eyes. Camry looked at her calmly but she sneered in her heart.
"No," she said.
"No? Them how are you going to get money to give me? You did not save anything? Where did you keep everything you have saved?!"
"No savings" was Camry's response.
"What! Then what is this old-looking laptop doing here? Take it out and sell it already. I don't care how you go about it, just give me money!" she yelled.
"Mother!" Camry called the word in annoyance as if it was a poison that burned her tongue. She gave the woman a cold warning look as if daring her to touch any more of her property.
"Look— never mind, I am going on a business trip, a really long one for that matter and you might not see me for a very long time. it could be a year or more. I know you don't care but... anyways, Take!" She stuffed a small note into Camry's hand.
"Just don't say I did not care," she said and hurried out of the room. Camry shut the door after her. She narrowed her gaze and opened the piece of paper her mother stuffed in her hand before leaving.
It was a short note, it says "You can be good for once and plead with your employer so that she can take you back. It is not wrong to be responsible for your parent, you only have me. Send the money to...."
Underneath the "good note," her mother gave her was an account number. Camry crushed the paper in her hand and disposed of it in the waste paper bin. She looked in the direction of the door for a really long time before opening her mouth to say,
"Crazy"