17

Luke bumped into Joan when they passed in the corridor, Joan ignored her brother and kept walking, "Joan!" she heard, Luke walked up to his sister, "Is Xiao alright?" he asked a little anxiously, Joan frowned and turned away,

"She's fine, no thanks to you. Why don't you keep your eyes on Grace, Xiao's pretty much taken," Joan told him, walking off,

"I am keeping my eyes on Grace!"

"Just checking," Joan said quickly, and knocked on Kevin's door.

~

Xiao and Kevin sat on the couch, watching the rest of the video with Joan on the other sofa. They watched as the helpless blonde bimbo ran up to the top floor of her house only to be cornered by the psychotic killer who was hiding in her bedroom.

"Do they ever learn?" Joan said to the T.V, Xiao shook her head,

"I wouldn't, stubborn as hell you see,"

"But you wouldn't run would you? You'd wait for the psycho, then kick his ass right?" Kevin asked, Joan did a little karate punch,

"Like this… WUNG CHA!" They laughed,

"No, no. I avoid any fights, and possible death situations." Xiao told them, "Far too dangerous, the psychotic mind is hard to predict… almost as hard as mine," she told them wisely. Joan snorted,

"You are so easy to predict," she said, Kevin nodded.

"Really?" Xiao asked curiously. Joan grinned,

"Yeah, both of you. From day one, it was, 'boy meets girl' kinda thing. I knew you liked each other from the first time you met," Joan said in an 'I-told-you-so' manner. Kevin hugged Xiao closely,

"And I can't let you get away!"

"Why not?" Xiao asked looking up,

"Because I wouldn't be able to run after you!" he told her, Xiao gave a friendly punch,

"Like I'd want to run now…" she said. Joan turned away,

"Come on guys, watch the movie. If you're gonna start that, get a room."

~

Joan folded the hand out from their history teacher into a paper fan. Xiao rested her head on the desk and closed her eyes. It was the end of May, and summer seemed to have arrived. Joan fanned her makeshift fan repetitively and pointlessly, as only hot air was being pushed around. Joan moaned as their teacher droned on about the French Revolution. Suddenly, the intercom spoke, "Sorry to interrupt, but can Xiao Su Lee please come to my office. Thank you." Xiao lifted her head and mumbled,

"Did that mean me?" she asked Joan, the teacher made her way to Xiao and dropped a pink slip on her desk,

"To the DP's office Miss Lee," she said. Xiao packed her book and left the cooking pot classroom. She wandered down the corridors and found the Deputy Principal's office, she knocked on the door,

"Come in Miss Lee," she heard, so she stepped inside, "please, have a seat," he said. Xiao sat on the brownish reddish chair before the large desk, and twiddled her thumbs,

"Did I do anything wrong sir?" she asked nervously,

"No." he said, Xiao sighed, "But, I'm afraid I have some bad news for you," Xiao's eyes widened,

"Sir?"

"Your uncle called just before, saying that your family in… New Zealand wants you to go home."

"Why? When?" Xiao asked,

"Because, your grandmother has just been diagnosed with terminal cancer. And, it is best if you go home, to visit." Xiao felt a strain in her heart,

"When do I leave?" she asked, with a million other questions in her head.

"Your aunt is picking you up in five minutes to go to the airport," Xiao breathed,

"Thank you for letting me know sir." And she left the office.

Grandma… Grandma… she thought, as she stumbled through the corridors to her locker. She emptied her locker and stuffed all her things in her bag just as the bell rang. Students poured out of the classrooms like a wave, and she saw Joan, Grace and Adam heading towards her. Adam walking a little apart from Grace and Joan.

"Hey!" Adam said, Xiao looked down and bit her lip,

"What's wrong?" Joan asked, Grace opened up her locker and began changing her books. Xiao shut her locker and gave them each a hug,

"I'm going back to New Zealand,"

"What? Why?" They asked, Xiao felt hot in her cheeks, and her eyes getting heavy,

"My grandmother was just diagnosed with terminal cancer, it is, has affected most of her organs in her digestive area. I have to see her." The three nodded and hugged Xiao,

"We'll be here, when you get back,"

"But I'm not sure when-" Xiao began,

"It doesn't matter," Joan said,

"Tell Kevin… I'll email, and sms you all." She said,

"Take care sweetie," Joan said patting her hand,

"Tell her were praying for her," Grace told her,

"And… tell her, I'll ask my angels to look after her…" Adam added. Xiao smiled,

"Thank you." She said. And turned to leave.

~