Finding Happiness

Chapter 1
17-year old Sarah Kelin was walking through outside the high school she attended, she was just going into cheerleader tryouts when she felt something pull.

”Huh?!” Sarah yelled.

She turned around and saw an Asian-American boy trying to grab her bag, he let go, then sighed.

She looked at the boy, he had long hair, a gangly appearance, he appeared to be wearing hand-me-downs, which implied he came from an unstable home, he was shaking quite a bit.

”Why did you try to steal my bag?!” She yelled.

He looked at her for a long time, Sarah later heard a loud rumbling noise coming from the teen’s midsection, confirming his motive for trying to steal her bag.

In response, he frowned and put a hand on his midsection, he then proceeded to try and walk away, maybe he could try again tomorrow.

He looked gaunt, like he didn’t eat properly, she wondered why the teenager was hungry, maybe he was homeless, didn’t have a good life or maybe came from a neglectful family.

”You’re hungry, do you have any money?” She asked, becoming more sympathetic.

He shook his head, He didn’t have money, his foster parents refused to give him any, he was clinically a sociopath and they starved him so he wouldn’t be able to hurt others.

Starvation was beginning to take it’s toll, he was starving, he couldn’t pay attention and hardly slept well.

”How long did you last eat?” She asked him.

”4 days.........” He mumbled.

Sarah reached into her bag and got out 10 dollars, enough to get the boy a meal at a diner.

”You’ll feel better when you have some food in you, do you have relatives?” She asked.

”My sister......she’s.....not out yet......Wait.....” He said.

He has a sister, I wonder if he knows what class she’s in.

——————

”Do you have a name?” She asked him.

He looked at her and said.

”Lei.....Chao Lei..I’m....15...” He said to her.

”Chinese?” Sarah asked him.

”I’m Macau Chinese, Born in Macau, special region, My twin is Jiayi, female.” He said.

Lei then felt strong pains in his stomach, sending shooting pain throughout his body, he felt so hungry, he hadn’t felt this awful since his biological dad forced him to kill a human being.

”Hey....It’s okay, I’m sure your sister will be out soon.” She said.

Lei got through the hunger pains shooting through him and he saw the door open, Jiayi walked out.

”Jiayi?” Sarah said, Jiayi turned to her.

Just like her brother, Jiayi looked almost identical to her, she wore an old sundress and shoes.

”I found him trying to steal my bag, he’s hungry, I’m planning to take him to a diner, Do you want to come?” She said.

Jiayi was a little startled, She recognised Sarah as one of the popular rich kids in the school and was a little shocked at her helping Lei.

”The school lets us go out for lunch, I got 10 dollars.” She said.

”Thank you.” Jiayi said to her.

She looked at her twin brother, clutching his stomach in pain and hissing, she even saw tears come down his face.

“Hey, come on, you’ll feel better after you’ve eaten.” She said to Lei.

Lei looked at her with tear-filled eyes, the aches worsened, he didn’t want to cry like a child because he was starving.

”Hope so.....” Lei said.

———————————

During lunch, the twins and Sarah made their way over to a 50’s-style diner.

It looked very retro and had 50’s newspapers and objects.

”Lei, have a seat next to the window, Jiayi, do you want anything?” Sarah asked Jiayi.

”Just fries, not really that hungry.” She said to her.

”I’ll have the same.” She said to the cashier.

She paid for it and sat down next to them.

”Is everything okay at home?” Sarah asked Lei.

Lei shook his head.

”Hungry all the time, if I don’t buy Penelope right dress or coat, no food.” Lei said to Sarah.

”That’s terrible, Why would they do that!” She said.

”Probably thought I was a girl.” Lei said to her.

Jiayi looked at them, they indeed thought Lei and herself were twin girls due to Lei’s long hair, he liked having his hair long, it set him apart from other boys.

The waitress came over and gave Lei a burger and a side of fries, both girls got a side order of fries aswell.

”Okay, eat up.” She said.

Lei took a bite out of it, he didn’t really like burgers that much, they were kind of greasy and he disliked grease, but at least he was finally getting food.

After taking the first bite, Lei began to wolf his down, Sarah looked at him.

”Looks like someone’s hungry.” She joked.

Lei looked at her, he still had the sauce on his face, Jiayi took one of the napkins and gently wiped his face as if he was a small child who tries to eat with a fork without their mother’s help.

”Thank you.” He said to her.

The fries were soon gone and Lei drank his Fanta, it was alright, albeit a little bubbly.

”Sorry about Lei’s manners.” She said to Sarah.

”No, don’t worry about it, he was just hungry, no, starving.” She said.

He finished his Fanta, at least he was now full, he usually didn’t eat food like hamburgers, his father was a traditionalist, he greatly discouraged western concepts.

” (Thank you)” He said in Cantonese.

”That’s Thank you, we’re from Macau.” She said.

”Macau?” Sarah asked.

Jiayi produced a map on Greater China from her bag and pointed at a small area.

”That’s Macau, we speak Cantonese there.” She said.

Chapter 2: Song of Sorrow.
Lei sat outside the school again, It was least a week since Sarah gave him food.

He was now hungry again, Penelope got the wrong coat again, He looked more like a beggar than a high school student, Gareth decided four days would be enough like last time, this was Day 3.

Sarah and her friends were walking when they noticed Lei, he had a firm grasp around his midsection.

One of the girls, a blonde girl named Michelle looked at Lei, he was hissing and clawing at his abdomen.

”Looks like his foster parents starved him again, they don’t treat him like a person.” She said.

Once the hunger pain past, Lei looked at Sarah, He tried to keep calm, starvation be damned, but the look on his face betrayed it.

“Néih hóu, Sarah.” He said.

He got up, a little dizzy from hunger, he struggled to stand up, he felt sick and the pains in his belly shot up again.

“Sarah, was he okay?” Michelle asked.

”He’s starving the majority of the time, his foster parents are....not very nice people.” She said.

The teacher looked at Lei, who doubled over from hunger pains, Lei felt like he was going to puke despite there nothing inside his neglected stomach.

He felt dizzy and sore, from the teacher’s voice sounding faded and his stomach gurgling from hunger, Lei fell to the floor.

”Lei, Lei, What’s wrong?” She asked Lei.

”我好肚餓..... (I am very hungry.....)” He whispered, falling down face first.

”Sarah Kelin, Get the school nurse!” The teacher said to Sarah.

Sarah ran towards the nurse’s office, the nurse was a middle-aged woman.

”It’s Lei, he’s fainted.” He said,

The nurse went out and saw Lei on the floor with teachers and students surrounding him.

“Lei has a twin sister, Please get her!” Sarah said.

Michelle rushed to Jiayi, She looked at her,

”It’s your brother.” She said to Jiayi.

Jiayi ran towards her and saw her twin in the arms of the nurse.

Her brother had fainted from hunger due to the constant abuse.

”Let me come with him.” Jiayi said.

They agreed to let her come with Lei after he fainted from hunger.

—————————

Jiayi and her unconscious twin brother sat in the nurse’s office, the nurse came back with a sugary extract, it was pink in color.

Lei began to open his eyes,

”Jiayi....Where I’m I?” He asked,

”He’s finally awake.” The nurse, named Sami said.

Sami went down to his height, she looked at the teenager, he was probably starving and looked very thin, Sami handed him the extract.

”Drink this, It will get your blood sugar level back up,” Sami said,

Lei took a sip and tried not to spit it out,

”Tastes.....chalky......” He said.

“Want to die starving, be my guest, Lei, It’s supposed to get your blood sugar level back up.” Jiayi said.

Lei gulped it and finished the mixture, Lei felt somewhat better, but incredibly ravenous.

”Can you....get me food.....?” Lei asked her.

The nurse left the room.

”Jiayi, why did I faint?” He asked her.

”You fainted due to probably low blood sugar.” Jiayi replied.

”It hurts......” Lei said to her.

Sarah entered the room.

”Lei, are you alright?” Sarah asked Lei.

”Other than feeling hungry, he’s fine.” Jiayi said.

Lei gave an “OK” gesture to Sarah, reassuring her he was fine, He then tried to get up.

Chapter 6: Petty Revenge
Lei and Jiayi walked into school with Sarah when they heard jeering.

”You reek of piss!” A male senior yelled.

Penelope was planning to date a 17-year old junior, Lei held back his laughter, after denying him use to the bathroom, he decided to empty his bladder on the furcoat and her designer shampoo, conditioner and bodywash, leaving her reeking of urine.

Even though he hadn’t eaten in a day due to Penelope being a bitch, It was worth seeing this.

”Anna, Tassie, Help me!” Penelope cried, but her two cronies backed away.

”Little Miss Pee Pee!” The students chanted and laughed.

She looked at her former clique, they were mostly daughters from extremely wealthy families laughing hysterically and were joining in.

Lei, Jiayi and Sarah walked away.

Lei kneeled over to Sarah.

”I peed in her designer shampoo, conditioner and body wash, not smelling like a rich girl now, right?, She denied me use of the toilet and wanted to me pee on the floor so I could get in trouble, I did that instead” He whispered.

The three giggled and walked away.

”See you later Lei, I’ll take you for lunch if you’re hungry.” She said.

He nodded, still snickering as he and his sister entered their class.

———————————

In the afternoon, as much fun as watching Penelope lose her friends, he was still pretty much hungry.

Sarah had to go to a doctor’s appointment and was unable to buy him the lunch he promised.

At hometime, He and his sister walked home, his stomach voiced its complaint, causing him to desperately clutch it.

Then he saw a girl wearing a leopard-print dress and lipstick, her hair was bleach blond.

He recongized her as Tassie.

”Want to have dinner with me?, I heard your stomach growling throughout the day.” She asked Lei.

“Weren‘t you one of Penelope’s friends?” Jiayi asked.

”Yeah, but she’s not my friend anymore, she threw a tantrum when I had to go to my aunt’s funeral, she had COPD.” Tassie explained.

“I would love that, I haven’t eaten in a day.” Lei said.

”Why?” She asked.

”I’m quite neglectful of myself.” Lei lied.

She nodded and the three went out, thankfully Penelope wasn’t there to see them.