LXXI | Tight Rope

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'I'm not leaving, Ming.
'I'm not going anywhere.'

So can you just
calm down

and tell me what's going on?

That last part
doesn't come out

because
I get angry

at the absurdity of the situation.

'Using me
'the whole #%*&ing time,'
Ming continues,

'is it entertaining?'

I squint at him.

'What are you talking about?'

A mocking laugh
I've never ever heard
from him.

'Just like all those girls in secondary school.'

He snorts.
'And I thought I was your friend.'

'You are!'

'But in the end,
'I'm just a stepping stone
'for the great Clyde Darling.'

'Ming! What the #%*&?'

'Is that what people are
'to you, Clyde?' he demands.

'Just things to be used?'

'Can you just shut up?' I yell.

'All I did was say thank you,
'I don't know what the #%*&
'you're talking about.'

Anger is visible
in the air between us.

It's become

hard to breathe.

Ming is panting,
tears streaming silently

down one side of his face.

'You've always been like this, haven't you?
'I'm the only one
'who doesn't know.'

'I have no idea
'what you're talking about.'

'Ah, pretend lah.
'Act innocent.
'Play the victim. Like that lorh.'

'Forget it, let's go home.'

'Yeah, go home.
'Go, just go!
'Nothing I've ever said,
'nothing I've ever done matters.'

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