Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 12 | Page 413

“No.”
“Why no?”
“I have some things important things to address to you.”
“I don’t want to hear it. Save it.” I do a complete one-eighty, ready to continue leave, but the enigmatic girl
says something, which seems to have cast a spell on me, like how a witch, or wizard, does to their victim.
“Xie Er, daughter of Xie Li and Xie Xin.” I freeze. My name. My parents’ names. Something I haven’t heard
uttered from another’s mouth for so long.
“I’m listening.”
“Actually I don’t have important things to tell you, but, I, I just want to be your friend. I’ve stalked you stalk-”
“I wasn’t stalking.”
“Fine, I’ve stalked you observe others, and I want to help you. You broke my heart every time I saw you. I see
your true self, a girl who needs a friend.”
With my parents’ abandoning of me, I changed. And not in a good way. I used to be a bundle of happiness, full
of energy. Now? I’m a mess. But I hid it so well, how could that, that stranger figure me out?
The agony and pain I went through. The doubts I had about myself. Was I not good enough for them? The
endless nights of silently crying in dirty and grimy street corners.
I was alone. I was emotionally frozen. I was broken. And I was depressed.
But I hid it all. Under a facade. I hid it all, when all I wanted to do was to let it all out, let the frustration and
heart ache out. The anger of being left alone took a big toll on me, and it slowly but surely turned to hatred.
Hatred for my parents.
All I ever wanted, was a friend. And right here, right in front of me, is a girl who wants to be my friend. Maybe
it is time I let go. Maybe it is time I forgive, and forget. Maybe it is time to start over. Turn over a new leaf.
“Hi, I’m Xie Er, nice to meet you, what’s your name?”
“I’m Xu Wen, glad to be friends.”
Maybe there’s more to humans than I thought.