Chapter 14: 9.1 | The Runaway

Chloe

Feb 8, 2014, Saturday.

RJ did not show up yesterday. She did not inform me or Clementine about the cancellation, so Clementine was annoyed the rest of the day. I was assigned a new customer last minute—an army officer who invited a bunch of his army friends. They stank of nicotine and tried to touch my butt way too many times. The worst part of it all, Mango was smirking at me every time I saw her in the break room, basking in my agony.

I hate to admit it, but I miss RJ. I miss her stupid Chemistry questions. I miss her gentle nudge of my elbow to jolt me back to focus, and her exasperated tap of her iPad, saying, "We just covered this in class today, Chloe." I really... wish she were here.

I shake my head. No, I cannot be missing her like this. After all, I didn't even want her to come here. It was a good thing that she did not show up yesterday. A very good thing. And she must not—and should not—come back here again.

"Oh, where's your sugar mommy leh, Cherry?" Mango asks in her fake worried tone as I walk by her.

My lips purse in frustration. Mango has been rude and snippy ever since RJ gave me a huge tip a few days ago, but the moment she found out that RJ did not show up for her reservation yesterday, she became unbearably smug. She and I both have a decent amount of other regulars, so I don't know why she seems particularly upset about RJ.

A part of me wishes RJ would return so I can wipe that smile off her face, but I know that is selfish of me.

"Cherry!" Clementine pops into the break room, her grin wider than usual. "Your favorite regular is back!"

And just as expected, Mango's smile disappears. A mix of emotions floods through me: vindication and happiness, worry and dread about RJ's situation, and then... a strange longing.

I gulp down all my feelings and ask, "Oh, uh, which room is she in?"

"Room six."

"Not VIP?"

"Nope, one of the regular rooms," Clementine confirms with a small shrug. "She didn't want the VIP rooms for some reason."

"Oh, okay." Not giving Mango the chance to say any snide remark about that, I quickly grab a karaoke menu and rush out of the break room. The regular rooms, unlike the VIP rooms, are functionally karaoke rooms, equipped for customers to sing, dance, and drink with their friends. I doubt that RJ is going to sing though.

When I enter the room, I find RJ scrolling through the built-in television and looking through the available songs.

"Oh, RJ, w- welcome back," I greet, trying my best not to sound too eager. "I didn't know you like to sing sia."

RJ snorts as she glances at me. "No lah, just choosing something to play in the background."

She is wearing a loose flannel shirt tucked inside a pair of baggy pants held on with a belt. Despite swimming in her outfit, she still looks as gorgeous as ever. Her usual backpack is next to her.

I place the menu on the table and sit beside her. "You didn't show up yesterday leh. Did you party way too hard last night?" I say in a joking tone.

RJ does not look at me. She pushes out a small smile, but the light does not go to her eyes. "I didn't lah," she whispers. "I ran away from home last night."

I blink. "What? Why leh? What happened?"

She shrugs. We sit in silence as she scrolls through some songs. Finally, she chooses an old Jay Chou song before leaning back on the couch. The seats are not the cushy leather ones from the VIP rooms, and I can tell RJ isn't exactly thrilled with the stiffness of the cheap couches. So I reach for a pillow and slide it under her back.

"Thanks," she mutters.

"So... what happened leh?"

There is a slight pause before RJ answers, "Someone snitched to my mother about my fake relationship with Jon."

My hands fly to my mouth as I gasp. "What? That's so... No..." I struggle for words, but I make sure to add, "RJ, I- I swear hor, it wasn't me. I- I know I blabbed to Jon the other day, and I'm so sorry, but- but I would never..."

"Chloe." RJ squeezes my arm. "I know lah. I know it's not you."

I nod, but I cannot shake the guilt. I wonder if this might be partly my fault, I wonder if what I did may have set off some kind of chain reaction. "Is it... Is it Jon?"

"No." RJ's answer is immediate. "Definitely not him. I trust him."

I scan her warily. She is slumped back on the pillow, staring blankly in front of her as if her soul has left her body. This sight of her pierces my heart. I lower my head. "So... where are you living now?"

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"With Lobang lor. I mean, Logan. From our class." She tugs at her baggy shirt. "This ugly thing is his. I asked him to pick up some of my clothes, but the moron grabbed my giveaway pile that's too small for me. So I raided his wardrobe instead lor."

I look at her outfit again. I did notice that her shirt and pants are too large for her, but RJ is pulling them off like how she does for every single outfit she wears. Why is she living with Logan and wearing Logan's clothes? Come to think of it, if RJ and Jon's relationship is fake... and she seems to be very close to Logan... then...

Gulping, I ask meekly, "Are- Are you and Logan... like, um...together?"

RJ snorts. "Fuck no lah. He just has this extra basement room that I can crash in."

"Oh..." I avert my head again, playing with the hem of my glittery dress. I do not know much about RJ, or the situation she is in, but running away from home does not sit right with me. It's not right to leave your family like that. "Why... did you have to run away? Was your mother, like, super angry with you or something?"

RJ rolls her eyes. "Maybe. I don't know and don't care lah. She's a controlling bitch and she can go fuck herself lor. I ran away 'cause I've always wanted to."

I flinch at the words. "Don't say things like that about your mother lah."

RJ looks as though she wants to argue with that, but she holds her tongue and shrugs. "If you ever meet her, you'll understand lah. She's terrible. Both my parents are terrible." Reaching her hand out, she lightly pinches my cheek. "Your parents must be angels lah, they raised someone like you."

I feel my cheeks heat up. "It's- It's just my mother lah," I say in a soft voice, carefully avoiding the topic of my father. "But yeah, she is an angel. Took care of me and raised me all by herself. I love her a lot. She works too hard, though. I don't get to see her much these days."

"Like mother, like daughter. You work way too hard too."

"She works more than me lor."

"You're not even supposed to be working. But okay lah, I'm on the same boat as you now. I also need to start working now. My parents cut off my credit card and everything." RJ gives me a wry smile. "Sorry hor, Chloe, I don't think I can leave as much tip for you from now on."

I cannot help but let out a small laugh. RJ just ran away from home and now has a slew of problems to face, and yet she still apologizes for not tipping me enough?

"You idiot," I whisper. "You want something to drink? It's on me."

"No. Never pay anything for me, okay? You need it more." She opens her backpack and takes out her laptop. "If you want to help, help me find a job."

"Oh, okay. What are you thinking of?"

"I'm thinking teaching? Since I'm already doing a bit of that for Ms. Goh."

"That's good! You're a very good teacher, and you can earn quite a bit of money if you tutor."

"You think so? I tried searching last night, and I found this tutoring agency. But they take, like, fifty percent cut for the first month leh. Crazy sia."

I look over at the site opened on RJ's laptop and shake my head vigorously. "That agency? No, no, don't go there! Not worth it at all. Here, let me show you this other place I found last time."

Elbowing RJ away, I take over her laptop and begin typing.

She looks over my shoulder and raises her eyebrows. "Wah, I should've come to you first. You know so much."

I chuckle. "I mean, I spent the whole of last year finding jobs mah." Placing a hand on my hip, I pretend to be offended. "And just so you know ah, I found and tried all kinds of jobs. This... This one is by far the most well-paying one for me. So don't judge me anymore, okay?"

RJ's brows furrow. "I know lah. I won't anymore. I'm sorry."

The words sound as though they were squeezed out of her, but it is still huge progress from her angry shaming a few days ago.

"I still don't like you working this job," RJ quickly adds, "so I'm still gonna keep coming here to... give you a break in your schedule. Just not the VIP rooms for now."

"You crazy ah."

"Of course lah. I have to be, or you're gonna fail JC."

I stick out my lips for a pout, but I find myself smiling instead. "Thank you," I say.

A smile tugs on RJ's lips as well, but she puts on her teacher persona. "While I apply for jobs, you go do your homework." She gestures her head towards the table. "Come lah. Time to study."

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