Chapter 2

Alone, Yet Not

Slowly becoming conscious, Zhan Shi De's eyes slightly open. What just happened? Rolling onto his side, he shifts himself so that he can sit up and lean against the lockers. After he catches his breath, he looks down the hall to the right and the left. Seeing no one, he rests for a moment more. Did I just…faint? Shaking his head to clear it, he slowly stands up and apprehensively bends down to gather his stuff that is on the floor. When nothing happens, he sighs in relief, picks his things up, and leaves the school grounds.

Zhan Shi De opens the door to his house, takes his shoes off, and puts them under the shelf. The lights are already on. He walks into the dining room and notices a note folded on the table. Under it, he finds some money. Unfolding the note, he reads it, puts it back on the table, picks up the money and heads out of the house. The door clicks shut but not before a slight breeze enters and blows the note off the table. It lands right side up. It reads; Got called on another case. Will be home late…if at all. Dr. James

After Wandering downtown in his school uniform, Zhan Shi De stops in front of a small stall. He looks at the menu and is about to move on when he notices a unique dish on the menu that interests him. He orders it and sits down at one of the seats next to the stall to wait for his order. His food arrives, hot and steaming. Thanking the server, he takes the chopsticks out of the paper wrap, breaks them apart, and starts to eat his meal.

Penetrating the peacefulness of his meal, a voice says in a puzzled and confused tone "Zhan Shi De?"

Zhan Shi De turns around in his seat and sees three of his classmates from school. He places his chopsticks down and politely stands up.

One of them asks, "What are you doing way out here?"

Zhan Shi De replies, "Eating out."

His classmates look at each other and back at Zhan Shi De and they ask, "Are you by yourself?"

Nodding, Zhan Shi De says, "Yes." An awkward silence follows his answer.

One guy says, "Then…we won't bother you." He nudges the guy nest to him and they turn around and start to walk away. Sitting back down Zhan Shi De hears one of them ask, "Should've we asked him to come with us?" "Nah, why bother." "Yeah, it's not like we're geniuses, why would he want to hang out with us?" Their voices become inaudible as they walk further and further away. Looking down at his food, Zhan Shi De resumes eating.

It is very early in the morning when the slamming of a car door wakes Zhan Shi De from a fitful sleep. Getting up, he goes to the window and sees his father walk from the car and around the bushes. Zhan Shi De goes outside his bedroom door and looks down the stairs. Dr. James is heard rattling around downstairs. He walks up a flight of stairs and, even with a plate of food and a glass of water in his hands; he manages to open the door to his room. Zhan Shi De watches the door close quietly with a click.

Dr. James opens his bedroom door later on in the morning and smells something. Fully dressed for work, he walks into the kitchen and sees his son fixing breakfast. "Morning."

Zhan Shi De turns around, "Morning, are you hungry?"

Dr. James response is to take off his jacket and set it on the counter and goes to help his son. A few minutes later, they are sitting across from each other, both hungrily eating. After breakfast, Dr. James puts his jacket back on and says, "Thanks son."

"Your welcome." Zhan Shi De starts to clear the plates away.

Dr. James looks at his watch and says, "I still have a few minutes…do you want to talk?"

Zhan Shi De looks at his father surprised, sets the plates back down, and immediately says, "Sure."

Leading the way into the family room, Dr. James sits down in a leather armchair and Zhan Shi De sits in its twin. Dr. James opens up the conversation by asking how school is going.

"Fine, the chemistry teacher has been asking me if I want to be his teacher's assistant for his advanced chemistry class that he will be opening up for class soon."

"Well?"

"I told him I had to discuss it with you first."

"Oh…well…how are your grades?"

"All A's"

Nodding, Dr. James looks at his son and says, "If it doesn't distract and interfere with your regular school work, its fine." Zhan Shi De nods and is about to say something else when Dr. James' cell phone rings. He gets up and walks a few steps away. After a brief moment he says in an urgent tone, 'I'll be right there." He hangs up, slips the phone back into his pocket, and says as he gathers his work stuff together, "There's an urgent situation down at the station, I have to go. I'll see you later son." With that, he half runs out of the house. His car can be heard as it screeches out of the driveway and onto the road.