After Tao's breakdown, we ate our now soggy cereal in silence. Both of us staring distantly out to the concrete jungle outside the large windows in my apartment that I shared with my friend I go to college with.

    Much silence proceeded us until Tao spoke up.

    "you never told me your name..."

    He's right. I haven't. Why haven't I?

    "Oh, I guess your right. Well, my name is Audra but everyone calls me Audi." Somehow now I noticed how strange it was that we had been speaking English this whole time. You would think in China you'd be speaking Chinese.

    "Well, it's nice to meet you, Audi. So why are you in China?" He asked as he turned his body to face mine more. His eyes were hard to read, maybe the color was too deep more me to be able to see what he was thinking, but I could tell he had something on his mind.

    "I'm from the States, in New Hampshire. I came to China to study Mandarin. I graduated early so I could be here. I really just wanted to get away from home..." he listened to all the many details I had to why I'm here. silently nodding his head occasionally.

    "'Home'? Whats wrong with home?" He asked and maybe I verbally shuddered at the question.

    "home is one of those places that should feel comforting, but not my home, New Hampshire just never was the place I felt at 'home'." Tao nodded, I continued, "Maybe it seems like I'm exaggerating but I really didn't have a family that made me dinner or a family that helped me with my homework. I was alone, always alone. We had no money. No food. Free clothes from the salvation army. And a one-room apartment that 5 people lived in. School was a luxury, I had food and heating and air conditioning.

    "what kid would want to say that 'school is a luxury'? None of them. My father was never home probably for a good reason really he was more into gambling and drinking away what pennies we had. My mom wasn't really the loving type more do what I say or face the consequences. then my older siblings were never around they had friends with cars and 'places to be' so like I said really I didn't have anyone." I spoke smoothly, talking about my past didn't bother me for various reasons, mostly because it's in the past.

    "Sounds rough..." tao whispered

    "I was rough, I'm a better person because of it thou-" a phone rang loudly cutting me off. Tao looked at his caller I.D. and silenced it and sat it on the coffee table. baba. I sighed slightly obnoxious. Tao looked at me in a way that a puppy looks at their owner when it does something wrong.

    "what?" He asked.

    "I can't explain it, it wouldn't make sense to you." I must have struck a nerve because he rolled his eyes and turned away slightly.

    "No tell me" he demanded in a peaceful tone.

    "Fine. You shouldn't ignore him, at least he is trying to call. I would kill for my parents to even try to call me, show me they care that they miss me. Your family actually loves (loved) you and cares (cared) for you, you have a family unlike me." I was aggravated.

    "Your perspective of care versus mine must be different, because my family betrayed me when I was the happiest I had ever been they threw my dream in the trash for their own selfish intentions, I can never wok in the industry ever again, I am banished, my life is long gone from that world!" Tao, in a short time, became very angry, red-faced, and teary with pained breathing and a burning head from his emotions, desperately trying to convey his point of view. I was crying too.

    we both sat there crying for a long time. Sobs wracking our bodies and lung trying to keep up. The presence of another soul an affected as your own was getting to me. We were regretting speaking without thought of consequences, a very lonely road.

    Our thing must have been hours without speaking to one another because often it seemed that's what we did. I felt sorry and extremely guilty for the longest time, but I was bad with apologies.

    "Duìbùqǐ (i am sorry)" I whispered it with my head still bowed towards my lap. He heard me and nodded slightly.

    "Duìbùqǐ yě (I am sorry too)" he whispered as well. We once again at there silent for a long time. This was hard. It was hard being a person for him. I needed to support him not let him suffer.

    "I think I should go..." tao spoke softly.

    "Don't you dare leave. I'm going to help you and that's final." He just sighed and nodded some more. "Now how hard would it be to throw your parents under the bus and get you your life back?"

    "Huh?" He jerked his head up and looked at me, "Are you asking if I have any dirt on them?" He questioned and I replied with a nod. "Of course I do, the prostitute they paid is actually my dad mistress and they have two children together behind my mothers back. My mom had been secretly sending fraudulent money to her other son that she had when she was on business in Japan for a year with a CEO of a publishing company, Kaito is now 15 he's a good kid with a messed up life."

    "How do you know all these things about them?" I questioned overly curious.

    "My headphones were never playing music as much as they thought." We both smiled. Dusk had already taken upon the day, sleep eluded above my head.

    "well in the morning let's conduct a plan but now I think I need sleep, I'll lend you some clothes." I walked to my closet and scoured for something that would fit the lanky boy on my couch. Finally, I found a pair of work out pants from an ex and an oversized sweatshirt that should fit him. I walked about out to the living room to see Tao almost asleep. I cooed in my head at his cuteness and then Kindly threw the clothes at him. He nearly screamed because it startled him.

    "Thanks, where's the bathroom?" He asked and I directed him to the bathroom resting back on the couch waiting for him so I could go to bed. He waltzed out 15 minutes later. He hopped on the couch letting it sink beneath his thin frame.

    "well I'm gonna head off to bed, you can have the couch and the blanket that's out here. I'll be in my room." I started to get up but a losing voice stopped me.

    "Wait, please don't leave me..."