My mind is running miles per hour. I am hurt that Kystan did not care to tell me that he is leaving. Moreover this soon. And how dare he ask me to be his girlfriend when he will just go after everything. Luca sure is more considerate than he is. I am fuming when I reach my house. I clean up and get some leftovers from last night. All it does is remind me of him, I put the food away and go to bed.

Before I sleep, I text Kystan, not the best idea ever, I know.

"Were you ever gonna tell me about Rwanda?" I fumble with the spelling of Rwanda five times before I go online and get it. I toss the phone away and force myself to sleep.

Twenty minutes later, I am still awake. My phone rings; he is calling. I don't answer. He calls a second time, and I think to ignore it but I prefer to know rather than not. I answer.

"Can we talk about this, please?" His sounds breathless and hurried.

"That's why you called anyway, right?" I ask saucily.

"May you let me in?" I am confused, "I am at your door." He clarifies. I get out of bed, put a robe onto my pajamas and go to open it.

He is standing right there in his pajamas, a rumpled white t-shirt and black loose pajama pants. He had been evidently in bed before coming here, running.

I stand aside as he enters but rather than going to the living room he closes the door and begins. "I am sorry." He says.

"You're sorry?" I ask with outrage. "You know, I might have said yes, yesterday, without knowing that you'd leave anyway. That would have been stupid. How dare you even let me believe that you were serious about this yesterday?" I am really pissed. He might not have lied, but omission of such an important detail is huge for me. It makes me go back to the way my marriage failed because of the exact same thing, omitting the truth. Tears cloud my vision but I wipe them away quickly.

"Liz, I was serious about what I said yesterday, I still am. And that was something that I applied for before we met, I may not go after all." He holds my hand, the fact that he is calm right now, irritates me more.

I shove his hand away. "What about Luca? He said it was your thing and he seems to be anticipating it."

"He does?" He asks with surprise, "I don't know what to do about that." He states.

"You should not give up on your dream." I say with furious resolution. If he wants to go, let him go. I don't care, I tell myself. I turn around in a huff.

He doesn't stop me, but rather asks me one question, "Do you want me to go?" He asks his voice serious too.

"No." I answer in a soft voice. He comes to stand near me. His hand touches my cheek in a slow and tender motion.

"You can convince me otherwise." His eyes darken and I am almost sure he is going to kiss me again but he pulls away. He clears his throat, "Will you forgive me?" He asks and pouts in a really cute way.

"Yeah. I guess." I say. I let him hug me properly. "Were you really sleeping before you came?"

"Yup. I came right after seeing your message." He looks at his pajamas, "I was having an amazing slumber in these." He says with boyish pride.

"They are too cute for you. I thought you'd have something more bad-ass or whatnot." I comment.

He mumbles whatever. Silence reigns between us, "How did you know about Rwanda?"

"Luca told me. We met at a party earlier." I answer.

"A party when tomorrow is Monday." He asks with amusement, "You are a wild one for sure."

"I didn't drink any alcohol though." I defend myself.

He doesn't seem to believe that, "I have to go." He releases me. A moment of hesitation passes before he leans down and kisses me on the cheek.

My phone starts to ring the moment he leaves. I walk to it languidly, my head still in the clouds. My dad is the one calling.

"Hi dad." I say the moment I answer the phone.

"Hi Lizzie. How has my favorite daughter been?" He asks me in his enthusiastic voice.

"I am your only daughter, remember?" I retort, he laughs, "I am okay."

"Just okay? Hmm, Kystan is not doing his job right." He comments like I am not there. Before I can say anything though he continues talking.

"I am really okay. Nothing bad happened."

"Good. I was just checking up on you. We miss you back here." He says. I feel guilty, my parents visit me every so often, but the last time I slept in their house was when I had broken my leg, anytime before that well, I don't even remember.

"I miss you too." I answer. My eyes cloud with tears.

"Visit us one of these days, eh." He says and I am sure he is about to hang up when he comes back on the line, "By the way, on Saturday, I am going to the bowling alley. Tell that boyfriend of yours, to come to get taught a lesson." It is also the first time he has called any guy my boyfriend. I don't correct him despite the assumption he has made.

"Dad, were you really serious about that?" I ask with amazement.

"Of course. How can a young man challenge me and I fail to put him in his place?" The way he is saying this makes him sound like he is going to punish him or something.

"Okay then." That will be hilarious, I can't pass up an opportunity to embarrass Kystan.

"Bye." He says. "Remember to tell him." He says. Why does my dad sound so enthusiastic about this?

"I will." I answer and he hangs up.

I put my phone on the side table. It surprises me how amicable my dad is with Kystan. It's like everyone I know just went all mellow towards him and they all expect me to be with him, whether for myself or for them to have a reason to have him around, I don't know. And now my dad wants to take him bowling? I thought that was like his sacred territory, where no one dares to go.

I pick up my phone and text Kystan:

"Are you busy on Saturday?" I write and send.

Five minutes later, he answers, "Not really."

"My dad wants to take you up on the bowling thing." I reply.

"Oh. That's okay. Where, when?" He replies a few seconds later.

"I'll give you his number. You can deal with it yourselves. 😁"

He sends me an amused emoji, "😏okay."

"You're bad at texting, you know that, right?"

He sends recordings of himself laughing, "What do you want me to tell you then?"

"Maybe try using more than one word answers." I answer.

"oh k" He answers. I almost pull my hair out.

"You are incorrigible. 😒😒😒"

"😂😂😂😂" Okay I give up.

"Stop that before I come over and kill you." I answer with annoyance.

"You know you won't kill me." he replies; I can envision his amused face right now.

"Oh, I will." I answer

"Come over and we test that theory. 😏😏" He says; I am afraid that may have a double meaning.

"Go to away."

"What? Are you giving up?" He keeps on poking at me.

"I am turning my phone off now." I say and surely I do so.

In the afternoon, I leave the house to meet Jade and Cynthia. Because of the extreme summer heat, we are going to the pool to cool off. We meet at ESPA life at Corinthia and check in. We are led to the lounge room for a light lunch. Before going to the indoor vitality pool.

A shiver goes down my body, the moment the cool water makes contact with my skin. I sink deeper and submerge up to my neck. I feel more relaxed than I have been all week. Around me, the girls are having a similar experience. A server walks in with glasses of Laurent Perrier champagne for us to sip on as we unwind.

"I heard from Asher that Kystan went bowling in Pimlico." Jade asks while swirling the champion idly, "What is that about?"

"Oh yeah, my dad had this challenge with him about bowling." I swim over to get a glass of my own.

"Your dad knows him?" Cynthia asks. Wasn't that really obvious?

"Yeah." They exchange knowing looks. "What?"

"Well, for most people, the parents deny them the chance to be together," Where is this conversation going? "But you, your parents obviously adore Kystan, but you still are not together." Jade takes a pause.

"OK?" I reply with confusion.

"What she is saying is, why the heck are you guys not together?" Cynthia grips my shoulders and shakes me making the drink spill onto me. She retreats while laughing. I splash her with water. She tries to evade it but she only gives me a clearer shot.

Even as I goof around, what they said keeps gnawing at my brain. Kystan has been everything Glen wasn't; he is caring, he is funny, he can be goofy which is a plus, he is dedicated and I am comfortable around him. Also to make this more profound, I am always happy to see him. My heart races at the mere mention of his name, when he is around I feel, I don't know- safe- and wanted.

"Earth to Liza." Cynthia says. I zoned out on them.

"I think I trust Kystan." I say with amazement. They look at each other with confusion. "And I can give him a chance." I add.

They start smiling, "Alright." They drawl it out.

"He is a great guy and... I like him." Their beaming faces are the only evidence I needed to know admitting it is a great idea.

"Woohoo!" They get excited and start splashing water all around. "A toast." Cynthia proposes. I pick up my glass with an ear splitting smile. I down the whole glass and pour myself another.

"When are you going to tell him?" Jade asks with excitement.

"Soon."

"Let's go out and celebrate." Cynthia says while getting out of the pool.

We both nod and get out of the pool. "I propose Mayfair Chippy. Nothing like a classic chips and fish dish to celebrate." We all agree on that. I drive to North Audley street and we wait in the car as Cynthia goes in and gets us a heaping bags of chips and fish.

"The cute waitress inside gave me fry sauce as a dip." She says with adoration.

Before we head back to my house, I decide to pass by Hotel Chocolat and get snacks. I enter Oxford street and turn left until I reach 75 Davies street and enter the West One shopping center's parking lot.

We head to my apartment and have our mini party for three.

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