No Name

Chapter Three

I pried my eyes open slowly, even though I knew I wouldn't be able to see. Things just felt weird if my eyes were closed. I sat up, my head spinning and feeling like I could throw up all over the floor. "Uhhnnnn." I put a hand to my forehead. And then I realized. My voice echoed. It never echoed at the gangs house. Which meant I wasn't there anymore. I hummed to get my bearings of the new house. I waited to hear the sound waves bounce back so that I could find the walls. To my left... five feet... to my right... eight yards. I stood and stretched my arms out far in front of me and stumbled akwardly to my left until I hit a wall (literally, of course).

I heard quick and loud footsteps- someone; the man we met yesterday- was running. "No, no, quit moving Leuk!" I obeyed and stood still. If the man was going to hurt me, he would've done it while I was sleeping. The man put his hands on my shoulders and let out a burst of air. "Boy! Don't you know you're blind?"

I widened my eyes in false surprise "I am? Really? Are you sure?" The man breathed heavily again and I realized he was way out of breath. "Are you out of shape? You're breathing a little too hard to have just run in here if you aren't."

The man growled. "This is a very big house Leuk. Or would you rather me call you Fang?"

I narrowed my eyes. "Touche`. What's your name, then? You knew mine before I even gave it to you."

The man laughed. "I am Lao. And you did give me your name. Only you don't remember it."

"You know it's funny. I don't remember you either. I think I would remember someone named Lao. Not exactly 'Name of the Year', you know?"

Lao laughed again. He seemed to do that a lot. I didn't think I was that funny. "You were little. About three. I certainly don't remember when I was three."

I wish I did. I wish I remembered more about my parents than them yelling at me and dying. But I don't and I wish I knew whether that's all they did or not! There had to be more to our relationship than yelling, they had to have loved me. But I couldn't know for sure. After all, some one had to love me. There wasn't love in the gang. I was just considered useful. And now I'm not even sure whether anyone can love me. Maybe I'm just too weird to love, maybe I'm just too lost or too broken and I can't be fixed. But I was sure that if I could be loved, my parents would have. And if they didn't, no one could. I cleared my throat. "Why am I here, Lao?"

"Your parents promised to give you to me when you came of age. You have come of age, and I need you." I blinked. My parents had promised to give me away! People don't just give the things they love away, like old clothes that no longer fit! People don't just promise some one that they can have their most prized possessions! Not people in their right minds, at least!

"They gave me away? My parents just gave me away, like I was a worn down pair of dirty socks that no one wanted? My parents gave me away? Like I wasn't worth the trouble it would take to raise me? Well maybe, maybe they're right." Not knowing where anything else was, I walked back to the bed I woke up in and sat down defiantly.

Lao was quiet for a couple of seconds (I promise, I would know). Then he surprised me. He walked slowly up to the bed and sat down. He put a hand on my shouder. And then he said the words that I will never, ever forget. "Leuk, there are things in this world that are going to make you feel inferior. But you can't let them. You always have to just push through, otherwise, you let it win. And trust me, Leuk, that's the last thing you want to do, it leads only to a road of misery and more loneliness than even you can imagine."

"Oh, I don't know, I have a pretty terrific imagination. Besides, I've been walking down that road all my life. Somehow, I kind of doubt that my life will change drastically because my perspective has." This was just like me. Someone tried to do something nice, someone (God forebid!) tried to help me and here I am pushing them away like the idiot I am. But I pushed everyone away, no matter who they are or what they were doing. That way, it wouldn't hurt as much when they leave me. When, not if. They always ended up leaving, and I could tell, Lao would be no different.

Lao only sighed. He seemed to know what I was doing and knew that he couldn't change my mind with words. After all, actions are louder. "C'mon. I think you need to get the bearings of the house. You'll be here a while." Great. Another thing I have no choice on. I suspired. I was used to it by now. I got up and followed the sound of his footfalls. Loud, brisk, but in no hurry. This was not a man who lived in hiding. This was not a man had to watch his back and make sure he wasn't being followed. This was not a man who lived, in any way, like I had.