“No thanks,” I said evenly.
“What do you mean by no thanks?” Emily was taken aback.
“I mean, you keep the tickets. I’ll handle the return trip myself. You don’t need to worry about it.”
My tone stayed calm, without emotion. “Liam! Do you really have to act like this?” Emily’s voice sharpened again.
“Can you stop being so childish? How are you going to fix this on your own? You couldn’t even grab it, so what, you’re going to fly back?”
Fly? I sneered silently.
Yes, I really did fly back.
I took a deep breath to steady myself.
“What I mean is, I understand. I’ll figure it out myself. Just take good care of Jason.”
Hearing what sounded like my concession, Emily’s tone softened fully, carrying a trace of satisfaction.
“That’s better. Be good, stop making trouble.”
“Now, hurry up and buy a ticket. Standing isn’t a big deal. Don’t be such a baby.”
“I’ll get Jason something to eat first. He’s been sulking all day and still hasn’t cheered up.”
“Okay.”
I didn’t want to say more.
“Alright, hanging up. We’ll talk later.” She rushed to end the call.
I slowly began packing the things I would take home for National Day. I had just closed a suitcase when my phone buzzed again.
It was Emily.