Imperfect Desires

Leaving the cinema, Xiu was again on her track of aimless walking. Perhaps, she was really out of sorts and that's why she didn't notice someone's presence behind her. At least, not until someone gripped her arms and pulled her in a dark alley. 

When she was harshly thrown in a corner, she hissed before saying, "Hey, that's very rude of you." Staring back at the group of four men, she rolled her eyes, "How typical! Not a single one is worth looking." One of the thugs pulled out a pocket knife and Xiu crossed her arms before her chest. "Bro, that's lame. Besides, even if you're kidnapping someone, do it nicely. How can you throw me like a sack?"

The four of them looked at each other in confusion since she had not even a tinge of fear on her face as one of them said, "You're not our guest. Stop talking so much." Xiu shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. She seemed indifferent, mostly because she was half-drunk and the other half of her courage was coming from her trust in her taekwondo skills which she picked up for an action movie.

Obviously, her half-drunk mind was overestimating her fighting skills. It wasn't that she was bad. But it was a fact that her body wasn't coordinated in her drunk state. However, she still trusted herself and cracked her knuckles as she said, "Some people don't learn until they see the grave."

When she lifted her fist to punch the guy standing closer to her, another shout got her attention. Her punch landed on the wall behind that guy and she glared at the newcomer who distracted her focus. But her eyes suddenly widened when she saw that teenage girl from earlier holding a steel pipe in her hand running towards her direction.

For the next five minutes, Xiu only watched wide-eyed while that teenager was having a lot of fun punching, kicking, and swinging her pipe around. She didn't stop until she saw blood and made those thugs run for their lives. 

"Kiddo, you're really violent," said Xiu as she looked at those guys running away while wrapping a napkin around her scrapped knuckles. She also noticed how that teenager's face was slightly rosy now and the smudges of mascara were also wiped clean.

The teenager flipped her hair and laughed, "I have 5 gold and 4 silver medals in kickboxing. These little street thugs are no match for a professional like me." After bragging about her achievements, she added, "Anyways, who told you to wander around at this time of the night alone? Don't you know it's unsafe? You're old enough to know the rules."

"Kiddo, although I didn't need your help, I still should thank you," Xiu cupped her fist in her other palm to show her gratitude and added, "So, what should I call you?"

"My last name's Bai," said the teenager looking Xiu and reciprocating her actions by cupping her own fist.

"Bai... So, I can call you Xiao Bai?" asked Xiu as they both trudged their way out of the dark and lonely alley. Xiao Bai shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly as she agreed. Xiu placed her hand over her shoulder and said, "Since you helped me even when I didn't ask for it, let me treat you to something."

A few minutes later, Xiu entered a western bar and restaurant with Xiao Bai and took a seat at a table. Ordering some hard liquor for herself, she added, "You can bring a smoothie and burger fries for her. Whatever kids like her like these days." She pointed at Xiao Bai making the latter gape at her in disbelief.

"Elder sister, you can't call me a kid. I'm old enough to drink as well," Xiao Bai sounded like any other teenager who wanted to show how mature he was but still failed miserably.

"Xiao Bai, just because you're wearing make-up, it doesn't mean you can fool my eyes. I've been playing with this stuff since I was a kid, that's why I can see your real age behind this mask of make-up." Xiu's words instantly shut her up. "Besides, why are you in a hurry to grow up? Cherish this time while it lasts."

Xiao Bai lowered her eyes slightly and said, "I want to grow up to become an awesome person like my mother. If I turn into my mother or even half a woman she was, I'll consider my life goal to be achieved. I'll feel accomplished. I wish the year ends soon so that I can turn 18 sooner."

"I wish the life ends soon enough..." said Xiu with a sigh and when Xiao Bai looked at her, she shook her head. 'If I ever picked up even one percent of my mother's habits, I'll certainly be a failure in life.' Xiu wondered to herself before her brows scrunched up slightly at a realization, "Was? Your mother is..." she didn't complete her sentence.

But Xiao Bai completed it for her, "My mother is no more. She died a couple of years ago."

"Ohh... I'm sorry to hear that," said Xiu with sincerity. 

Xiao Bai stayed quiet when their order was served. She took a while to sort out her emotions before saying, "It's really alright. She spent a long time fighting for life. I'm glad that her suffering is over. Besides, now that she has gone to heaven, I can ask her to directly tell my wishes to God." Xiu looked heavenward as she thought, 'Does He really listen? Because I'm still waiting for some answers.' Her thoughts were broken when Xiao Bai asked, "Elder sister, what's your name?"

Xiu looked around before tucking her hair behind her ear and saying, "You can call me Felicity." Xiao Bai looked straight and square at Xiu's face for a long moment. She was Chen Xiu's die-hard fan, how would she not know that Chen Xiu's English name was Felicity Chen? Xiu's face might be disguised by her make-up skills but her eyes had already seemed familiar to Xiao Bai.

Xiu poured herself a drink from the whiskey bottle and said, "It's an irony that Felicity is my name and that's the only thing missing from my life." She gulped down the bitter drink in one go and made a face before saying, "Let's not dwell on the things that we don't have. It's 'whiskey Wednesday'. We can't waste it on useless talking."

"Whiskey Wednesday?" Xiao Bai looked at Xiu with a huge smile.

"Yup!" said Xiu while popping the 'p' unnecessarily and adding, "I've survived through Mixed-Drink Moonshine Monday and Trashy, Tipsy Tuesday. Today is Whiskey Wednesday, also known as Wasted whacked-out Wednesday but we should be a little posh with words."

Xiao Bai laughed out without any restraint as she listened to Xiu babbling all her ridiculous nonsense without any filter on her mouth. She was getting zonked and it showed very obviously!