Chapter 33

Found (Shan Cai & Lei's View)

Better in Time – Leona Lewis

*Shan Cai*

"You ready to go?" Qing He asked as he let himself in through the door.

"Where are we going?" I asked back.

"We're going to that event tonight, remember? It's an open mic at the Asian Student Union. Don't tell me you forgot?" He looked at me with disbelief.

"Oh, yeah, that. Yeah, just give me a second," I grabbed my purse and jacket and we were out the door.

As Qing He and I got over to campus, my mind seemed to drift off. I thought about Taiwan and everything that I had left behind: my school, my job, my apartment, and my love for Hua Zhe Lei. I bet by now, he's already forgotten about me. I didn't want to see if I had any messages from him. I didn't want to get my hopes up. Suddenly, Qing He snapped me out of my deep thought. "We're here, Shan Cai."

*Lei*

I arrived in the LAX airport. I hailed a cab and asked the driver to take me to UCLA. As he was driving, my thoughts wandered to Shan Cai. I couldn't believe that she left. She abandoned everything in Taiwan without even really thinking. My thoughts continued to wander towards Shan Cai. My heart ached as I thought about all the possible tears she let fall. I thought about her walking alone everyday. I couldn't believe I left her alone.

The cab stopped and I paid him. Once the cab drove away, I was faced with a sea of multicultural people. I didn't know where to start my search for Shan Cai. I began to aimlessly walk, and hope I'd run into her.

*Shan Cai*

Qing He and I sat together at a table as we watched our friends battle out who was the better singer. I was so distracted about my thoughts of Taiwan. I couldn't think straight at all, "Shan Cai?" Qing He called to me.

"Huh?"

"I'm next, aren't you going to watch?"

"Oh, yeah, of course," Qing He hopped onto the stage and began his comedic act. He won the crowd over with his jokes and soon no one could stop laughing, including me. My cheeks began to hurt. I haven't smiled this much in ages…

*Lei*

I somehow made my way to the Asian Student Union Open Mic event. I walked into a place that looked like a pub. Everyone was laughing. I looked towards where everyone was looking, and there I saw Qing He. If Qing He is here, then that meant Shan Cai is here as well. I started scanning the room, and I found her in the corner, smiling at Qing He. The way she smiled for Qing He troubled me. I was the one who brought smiles to Shan Cai's face. She always smiled for me. My gaze shifted from Shan Cai to Qing He. The more Shan Cai smiled for him, the more my heart ached. Why was I feeling like this? The event soon ended and people were beginning to leave. Shan Cai and Qing were one of the last ones to leave. I silently followed them back to what appeared to be someone's apartment. Was Shan Cai staying with Qing He? I didn't want to wait, so I marched over and knocked on the door. Qing He answered, "Hua Zhe Lei?" his eyes wide, "what are you doing here?"

"Can we talk?" I asked. Qing He stepped out and closed the door. He looked at me confused. "What is Shan Cai doing here?"

"I'm just as surprised as you are. Just one day in Taiwan she tells me she got accepted here and the next thing she asked me to do is to help her get settled here," he explained.

"Why didn't she tell me? I found out through Xiao You."

"I don't know. But, I think she doesn't want to be found by you. Maybe that's why?"

'Doesn't want to be found'? Do I really cause her that much pain? Qing He went back inside his apartment and I walked out on the street and hailed a cab. I asked to be driven to a hotel where I would stay to sort out my feelings for Shan Cai. What was it about her that drew my attention towards her? Why am I so caught up in making her happy? And why am I jealous that she's being taken care of by someone else?