Cat burst through the front door so hard the hinges rattled. She kicked her shoes off without bothering to line them up, heart still racing, cheeks burning, eyes stinging like she'd rubbed them with onion.
Nina appeared from the kitchen almost instantly, dish towel in hand, brows already knitting together.
"Cat? Honey, you're back early. Everything okay over at the Wangs?"
Cat tried to smile.
It came out wobbly, more like a grimace.
"Yeah. Fine. Just... tired. Long day."
Nina stepped closer, tilting her head. "You sure? You look upset. Did something happen? Is it that boy..?"
Cat shook her head too fast. "No. Nothing. Really. I'm good."
Nina's eyes narrowed the way only moms can. "Cat—"
Before she could finish, Cat bolted for the stairs.
"Just gonna change! Be down in a bit!"
She took the steps two at a time, ignoring Nina calling after her.
Once upstairs she darted straight into the bathroom and locked the door.
The mirror showed a flushed, red-eyed girl in a wrinkled blue dress who looked like she'd just survived a car crash.
She stared at herself.
What a disaster today was!
She pressed her palms to her cheeks, trying to cool them.
The tears came suddenly—quiet at first, then harder. She looked at the face in the mirror - a pale face, makeup smudged, looked back.
Why did she think she wanted to show off to Xuan?
Why did she think Xuan may like her?
Why did she try so hard?
She was pretty yeah but - not like Xuan's friend Aisha with her perfect eyeliner and that smile everyone notices.
Or Ji-eun with her cute laugh and all the stylish k-pop style dressing and accessories she wears.
Maybe Xuan likes that.
Girls who take an effort to look like girls- unlike her whose makeup kit has just a sunscreen and lip balm.
Why would he even look at her twice?
She was just... Cat.
Hoodies and sneakers and weird animal facts.
What hurt her most was - how unaffected he was, when she spoke of her feelings.
Like he totally didn't care, like her feelings didn't matter at all.
Am I so easy to ignore?
Couldn't he at least show some reaction?
She hated how small she felt.
Hated that part of her wanted to march back over there and yell at him.
Hated that another part wanted to crawl under her bed and never come out.
Is this what heartbreak feels like?
Eventually the tears slowed.
She stood up, splashed cold water on her face until her eyes weren't quite so puffy, changed into her usual hoodie and leggings, and shoved the dress into the hamper like it had personally offended her.
Fine. Fine. She will be fine.
And she will ignore him. Just like he did.
She will not even smile at him.
Maybe that will teach him a lesson.
And for that to work, first he has to even remember I exist...
Feeling a bit hopeless about her 'revenge plans', she opened the bathroom door—and froze.
Vinny and Nina were both standing in her bedroom, arms crossed, faces serious. Behind them, she could see shadows through the open door - very likely that Zuane, Cillian, and Ishaan were listening in the corridor.
Cat's stomach dropped.
Just what she didn't need- a 'caring parent ambush'.
Nina stepped forward first, voice gentle.
"Sweetie. We need to talk."
Vinny nodded. "Yeah.What's going on?"
Cat tried to shrug it off.
"Nothing. Really. Just... tired."
Nina raised an eyebrow. "Cat. We know that look. Spill."
Cat sighed, shoulders slumping.
No point fighting it.
"It's... Xuan said that pendant had some weird Voodoo type thing, like energy or something..and it was affecting me so.. so he said no more sessions..."
Nina and Vinny looked confused, looked at each other and then Vinny asked,
"Okay honey. Explain a bit. First - how did that affect you? Secondly and most importantly - how did him saying you didn't have to sit through a boring silent session for Lord knows how long, how did that upset you?"
Cat scratched her cheeks, trying to explain through her embarrassment.
"Well..I started seeing something different.. like Xuan looking like a cute- I mean ok looking guy, older guy.. and ummm..today I accidentally did something stupid.. and he was upset and he said I was doing that cos I was influenced.."
Nina didn't let go, "Stupid? What exactly did you do? Come on Cat, you usually do a better job of explaining things. Start from scratch - tell us everything".
So Cat finally gave up all attempts to bluff and explained it all.
Finally when she reached the part about her confession and Xuan's reaction, she couldn't hold on - tears started flowing, the embarrassment still fresh.
Watching his precious daughter crying, Vinny's face went from concerned to thunderous in half a second.
"You started liking a guy? And after you told him that, He did WHAT? How dare—"
Nina put a hand on his arm. "Okay husband, breathe. "
Vinny exhaled sharply. "No, I'm breathing. But if that boy thinks he can just—"
Nina chuckled, "What, are you going to go over there and drag him here and make him accept your daughter's confession? I thought you didn't want your precious girl to date till she was like 30?"
Vinny spluttered, "Uhh..yeah of course I don't want her to date now or preferably ever.. but how dare that kid just reject..like he should be thanking heavens my precious pretty Cat even looked at him..who does he think-"
Cat cut in, cheeks burning. "Dad. Please. He didn't... like, insult me or anything. He just said my feelings weren't right and didn't matter. He is going to make some talisman or something so I'll forget all this.."
Vinny blinked. "Talisman? What's that?"
Cat tried to smile bravely, "Apparently something super cool that will just whoosh my stupid feelings away. And that is cool, I..I am good with that. This was stupid. "
Vinny started a sad "Oh my poor baby" but Nina who was silent earlier, rubbed her temples.
"Okay. Let's slow down. Cat, honey... Let me get this clear. Okay? I am more concerned about this, this thing that somehow made you see Xuan as an older man and made you feel for him. If Xuan said that it wasn't safe for you, that it was making you feel and do things you typically will never do and so you had to stay away, I am totally on his side! You, my little baby, are not the type of kid who'll go like this after a boy you hardly know, my Cat is way more sensible and smart. So I am betting on something we don't fully understand messing with you. So staying away is the smart choice."
Cat nodded miserably. "Yeah. You're right. I.. it's just.."
Nina pulled her into a hug. "There is nothing for you to feel bad about. In fact, I am happy your first crush and confession was to this boy Xuan. He is a nice boy - not taking advantage of your confusion whether normal or spiritual or Voodoo. Just be happy you liked a boy who respects you and wants to keep you safe, dear."
Cat leaned into the hug, voice small. "Thanks mom. If..if all my feelings were cos of that stupid pendant, may be I'll be all okay after that talisman."
Vinny growled. "Talisman? I am not sure, maybe this is his long game—"
Nina squeezed his arm. "Oh stop it Vinny. I like that kid Xuan much better now. Seems like he is trying to keep Cat safe. I thought that boy was like a cute looking robot, but he actually has some kindness."
Vinny grumbled. "Still don't like him.. dared to make my girl cry.."
"Shush Vinny! Cat honey, here is what mom thinks - like Xuan said, till he makes talisman and till you get over these feelings stay away from him. And later, become friends with him? You're already good friends with Ethan, this boy also sounds like a reliable kid. You know Uncle Robbie, mom's friend? We dated a bit, realized we didn't click and now aren't we great friends? Try that dear."
Zuane, still peeking around the corner, muttered, "Yeah, that's an idea. Friend zone him hard, soon he will be falling for you for real and then say a super strong No way Josè!"
Cat managed a weak laugh. "Thanks for that, Zu"
Nina kissed the top of her head. "Okay. Now tidy up and come down for your dinner."
Cat nodded, throat tight. "Got it."
Dinner that night was... weird.
Vinny kept trying to make jokes about while glaring at his plate like it had personally offended him. Nina kept shooting Cat looks, like trying to make sure she was okay. The boys were quieter than usual, sneaking glances at Cat like she might break.
Later that night, Cat pulled out the small sketchbook she kept under her pillow—secret sketches she'd started during the pendant sessions.
The first few pages were simple: Xuan meditating, chalk circle around him, faint colors swirling.
Then the sketches changed.
The man from the visions appeared—long hair, ancient robes, jade eyes.
She hadn't realized how much she'd drawn him until now.
She gazed deeply at the image of the man apparently called 'Lian'.
She didn't feel anything for him now, beyond an admiration for his handsome looks.
It's clear now - whatever confusion she had, she wasn't crushing after this older guy.
So at least my crush is normal - I am crushing on a cute guy my age!
She flipped to a blank page.
Picked up her pencil.
Her hand moved fast, almost on its own.
Cat wasn't thinking much and when she finished, she was very sleepy and just glanced at the image briefly before chucking the sketch pad under the bed and crashing on the bed.
If she had taken a serious look at the sketch, she wouldn't have been so relaxed.
What Cat absentmindedly drew this time, wasn't Lian anymore.
It was Xuan, but not a Xuan she knew.
It was an older Xuan, hair loose, robes flowing standing tall and proud, lightly smiling.
His very presence showed power and on his waist, on a thread knot lay a jade token with the same design the pendant had.
That night in her dreams Cat saw an older version of herself.
She was running through a lemon grove, towards a tall man dressed in grey and black.
When she called out a name very joyfully, the man turned.
It was Xuan.
Older, smiling, eyes warm.
Familiar to her, like his smile was something she always knew about.
He opened his arms.
She ran into them.
He laughed and lifted her up, spinning her once.
She too laughed out in happiness, and then snuggled into his chest.
She felt safe.
Loved.
Like this heartbeat was what she had always been yearning to hear.
She smiled in her sleep, body relaxing.
When morning came, Cat woke up blank—no memory of the dreams, just a vague warm feeling fading fast.
She got dressed, hoodie and jeans, ponytail, determined look in the mirror.
Mission No-more-Xuan starts now!
She grabbed her backpack and headed downstairs, ready to face the day.