"Anita! You were in? When did you arrive".
She stood at the entrance there with her newly changed clothes. She was now putting on a plain blue gown with the head of a bear drawn in multiple areas of her clothes.
"Yes!".
She responded with a silent tone as she slowly made her way toward the three-seater couch.
"When did you come back from playing with your friends? And Raul, why didn't you tell me she was in".
Yeah, little rascal. So this was your goal all along, wasn't it?
Well, sucks to be you. Luckily for me, I already have something to fall back on.
"I was just about to tell you that she was in when she came out".
My aunt did not thrive too much on the matter as she continued.
"Anita you could have at least come to inform me you had arrived. Did you know how worried I was starting to get? It's almost eight and past your arrival time. If you had not come out, I would have gone to find you myself".
"Sorry mom". Responded Anita, meekly.
"It's fine. Just telling you not to do that again. And as for your food, you can join Raul. Here is your spoon and a cup of water for you. You can, can't you?".
Questioned Aunt Lin, taking her seat closer to Anita.
"Yes Mum, I will".
'Wow. What a surprise'.
I was certain she would refuse her mom's proposal to sit in the same spot and dine on the same plate with someone she hates.
However, her behaviour towards her mother brings her out as an obedient kid who would do anything to make her mother happy.
Hence, her inability to refuse her mother's proposal. Even at the cost of her happiness, she is willing to dine with me for her mother's sake.
You got to hand it to her, she is obedient alright.
Anita nodded her head in response to her mother's words. She stood up from the three-seaters and walked to the two-seaters where I sat.
Her face still bent downward, she subtly sat beside me and reached out her hand to grab the spoon in the tray.
Having her so close to me allowed me to see traces of water in her silky black hair. It was wet, an indication that she had just taken a bath before coming out.
Maybe I was wrong about that? Perhaps she wasn't hiding in her room to implicate me. Rather, she was in the bathroom and could not come out on time because she was occupied.
But wait?... Isn't the door to the bathroom the same one that is beside the door she went into? Is there another door linking the bathroom? To the bedroom, she went into?
A curiosity I will never be able to satisfy since I have no access to their bedroom.
She also smells nice for someone who has just come back from playing. So definitely, she had taken her bath.
Sitting by my right, Anita took her first scoop of white rice mixed in with the stew at the top.
I adjusted a bit to the side, giving her room so she could have more access to the food.
I don't think my thoughts were appreciated much. After I moved to my left, I felt an intense gaze from her.
Abruptly, I turned toward her only to see that she wasn't looking at me.
'Was I mistaken!'. I thought.
My body's function must have acted up again, misleading me about what I felt and did not feel.
Got to keep it under control. Better still, it would be great if I could learn how to control what is becoming of my body.
The heightened senses such as sight, increased stamina, and hearing.
I wonder if there are other habits my body has developed that I do not know about!
If possible, I would like to have super strength as well as super speed. You know, the kind that can allow me to travel at light speed in just fragments of seconds.
Also, I would appreciate a little self-healing and an extraordinary brain.
'Sheesh!'.
I am one greedy fellow.
As for how the rest of the dinner went, I am sure you can relate to it.
It was silent all through, and I wasn't even able to ask my aunt the questions I had piled up for her.
It is all because of the little rascal. Merely sitting near me had me choking, mentally. But what can I do? Refusing to eat with her might spark up suspicion from my aunt.
Trust me, I don't want my aunt to think I hate her kid because I don't. It's the other way around.
While we were eating, Aunt Lin brought out another boiled egg for Anita to have. She also served herself and ate at the same time as we did.
And so, we finished eating, each of us getting our satisfaction. At least I know I was satisfied, can't say if it's the same for her.
By the way, she is one hell of a slow eater. While I have munched three spoons, she is still on one.
She has the luxury of allowing the food to cool down before eating. Such a carefree nature.
Against her will, I helped Aunt Anita tidy up the dishes and the table we ate on. Before I knew what was up, it was already time to sleep.
Her husband still hasn't arrived, and not Aunt Lin nor Anita showed a hint of worry on their faces.
Aunt Lin gave me a mattress to spread in the living room and sleep on. I understand why she couldn't invite me to the room where she and Anita are going to sleep.
With all the light turned off, I caved myself into the mattress as I covered my body up to my neck with the blanket, leaving my face exposed.
As I feel the signs of drowsiness wash over me, a tiny part of me wishes that I would end up back in the forest when I open my eyes.
It's absurd thinking, I know. With all the dangers and life-threatening events that happened to me.
Still, it was exhilarating. For someone like me who had spent his days only working to earn a living, trapped in a cycle of a predictable lifestyle, the events that happened in the forest were a breath of fresh air.
It served as a form of escape from the loop I was stuck in.
I know how foolish it is to even think in this way when I claim to value my life.
Still, a part of me can't help but admit that life in the forest is an escape, away from the reality I am faced with.
It is just a thought anyway, so no biggie.
I moved the blanket to my face and had my eyes closed as I waited for sleep to come and take me away.