I sat in front of my computer, fingers hovering above the keyboard. Usually, I'd come running home to my living room, a bag of chips in one hand and a  bowl of dip in the other, ready to watch my favorite show on TV. But today was different.

I came home at about 4:00, around 30 minutes late. My mother was standing in the kitchen cooking up some Galbi, and when I walked in she smiled, her eyes seemingly vanishing into a thin black line. I wondered if that was how I looked when I smiled.

"Smell good, right?" she said.

"Yeah.... when's dad coming home?"

"Not today... he say tomorrow," she said staring at the floor.

"So that's why you're drinking?" I said, staring at the floor as well.

"How you know?" she said whipping her face up.

"How you know I'm drink?"

"Mom, you speak fluent English. You were raised here. The only time you ever talk like that is when you're drunk."

"Oh," she said looking to the side this time, "can you add tomato sauce, please? I want some time for nap."

"Yeah, whatever. Just go already."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

After brushing my teeth and showering, I threw myself onto the bed, face up.

The glow in the dark stars me and my dad put up a millennium ago were usually very calming, but for some reason, all I could think about was what happened this afternoon with Noel. What was happening to me?

The more I thought, the more time passed, which was bad since tomorrow was a Saturday. I wanted to get as much sleep as possible on the weekend.

Oh yeah, the weekend.

Thank god, I don't have to deal with any bullshit for a good 48 hours.

Or so I had hoped.