"WOOOOOOOOOO!!!!" Summer exclaimed, clapping her hands as loud as she could as I came out of the booth.

Though the performance didn't feel that special to me, I thought. It was just a regular like we do normally so she was definitely overhyping it.

Right?

As I stepped, she ran to me and bombarded me questions.

"How do you sing so well?" Talent.

"How were you able to know the lyrics if the songs in that [bleep] are some much?"
Memorization?

"How did even get this pla–"

I, being so frustrated, took the waving hands of Summer and placed them at her side. Then, in one motion, I looked her in the eye—visibly showing my frustration—and told her that all her questions would be answered in due time.

The clock just hits three o'clock as I finish speaking. Since Chriss' basketball practice starts in roughly 15 minutes from now, I thought, I better make this quick.

The three of us take a seat on the sofa.

"Which part did you want us to answer first?" I say.

"How did you guys afford this place??"

With that, I nodded at Chriss and he received the message. If we were going to explain this, we would explain it as accurate and as quick as we could to Summer. I adjusted my seating position and face her since I was in the middle of the pack.

"Ok, get ready cause I'm going to run through it as fast as I can."

A deep breath.

"It all started when my parents died."

Immediately, Summer's hand went up.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I know it was dark and hard for you—whenever it happened—but can we acknowledge the fact that what you said is basically the opening to every show, drama and [bleep] anime??
Like, either the parents die, or divorce or get in a accident or something, right?"

*stares at the fourth wall for a short period of time*

"Huh, yes it is. But it hits harder when it happens to you."

Laughter, but this time it's excluding me. The atmosphere was already tense, and knowing what I have to say, probably the best thing to do is to not join in their dry enough laughter.

"If I may continue?" I said as both of them nod, permitting me or resume.

"Ok, it started when my parents died, it was basically a culmination of a lot of events and factors and shit like that.

"Well, my parents were already set for divorce and when they finally did, well they sort of forgot me and parted ways. They left me with nothing.
Not both of them though, my dad before going, set me up with my current apartment and basically paid for my accommodation for around the next 5 years. Chriss lives with me now though, but I'll explain later.

"Then, since I couldn't live on my own, I went to stay with Nana—my grandmother—for most of the time. The next part is crazy because in a sudden turn of events, my mom, who's stayed in Dubai, fell of a boat and drowned. Now, I can't verify that but let's proceed"

I paused and took another deep breath.

"So, my mom dying put me in a bad time, and within a week, my dad died also from alcohol-related complications.
Now, I was depression; on the literal brink of suicide but, with the help of Nana, I pulled myself out of that trench. Any questions, Summer?"

She didn't respond, but shaked her head. Of course, when I asked for questions, I didn't ask Chriss. He already knew.

"At the time," I continued, "I had already known Chriss but our bond wasn't as tight as it is now, and no, I am not gay Summer if you that's what you want to ask."

Summer, who looked like she was going to ask a question, immediately shut her mouth.

"Neither am I" Chriss said, plainly.

"Anyways, like I said, I pulled myself up, became friends with Chriss and for about 3 months life wasn't all that gloomy."

"Then, Nana died." Chriss said.

At that moment, Summer began to cry, tears flowing from her face.

Chriss and I had sulked and sulked about this before, since Chriss knew Nana. I sulked more than him, though.

Those were dark times, but dark times pass away for the good times to shine, would what my deceased grandmother would have said.

"All things pass away and become new." She said once,

"That means that even I myself will pass away, but don't let that sadden you like before.

Dark times pass away for the good times to shine, remember that."

Chriss and I weren't phased by this though. We had narrated the story many many times, so we didn't dwell on that. Also, those were dark times and we had gotten over them.

"That time, Chriss helped me through that time. So you see, with all of this, and still hustling money to pay for tuition, I just needed a place to vent our my frustrations" I stopped speaking, using my hands to gesture to Chriss to continue.

"Taking over *clears throat*, as earlier, earlier stated I live with Zach. Reason because my parents always travel a lot, pand since—He made a bored expression on his face—I hate being alone and Zach, my [redacted] had a basically empty apartment, I moved in with him.

"And also I had some money in my account, so we got by on food and shi—"

"No, no, no. There isn't some money in the account. It's an inhumane amount." I chirped in. But it was true, he wouldn't be able to spend that money in two lifetimes.

"Like how much are we talking about?" Summer inquired.

"I cannot disclose that information."

"Uhhhhh, please? I promise I won't tell anyone"

Chriss sat up upright as he began to speak.

"No see the problem. My fear is that it'll change your opinion of me and you'll start treating me differently like a [bleep] king or something. So promise that'll you won't act like a [bleeeeeeeeep] minion."

"I promise."

"Ok, ok, estimating, it's about [long bleep] to [very long bleep]"

She clapsed her mouth with her fingers over the figure.

"That much!!!!!!!!!!????"

A distant phone could be heard near us. It was Chriss'
[A/N Cue Die Very Rough by Mario Judah]

'I gotta go' He muttered before leaving our presence.

*Five minutes later*

"Sooooo, that was Coach, and I'm late for ball practice so better leave. Right now, Zach?"

"Nooooooo!!" Summer spurted out. "You can't leave, you didn't tell me me how you got this place and I still have a lot of unanswered questions.
Am I the only person that knows of this building's existence?"

"Yes."

"Are you planning on telling anyone else??"

"Depends on the situation."

"What if the school fin—”

"I think that's okay, Channel 4 Reporter. I will answer them later but you see Chriss here needs to get to practice. I expect you know your way back. Bye."

We left the room leaving only Summer in the JamHouse.