The Immatured One

4 - Best Friend

JEANA PARK POV

"Is she okay now?", I asked grandma Sunny through the phone, worrying about Irish.

"I haven't checked on her yet. I just woke up.", it was still early in the morning and I immediately called grandma Sunny and she picked up at my 7th attempted call. I missed 17 calls from her yesterday night and Irish's phone was off when I was trying to call her too. I wasn't able to answer grandma Sunny yesterday night, 'cause of fatigue from packing Irish's stuff and my phone was on silent.

"Oh I'm sorry, did I wake you up?"

"No. I'll check on her now."

"Yes please, grandma Sunny. I'm too worried, 'cause I cannot contact her."

"Okay. I'll call you again.", grandma Sunny ended the call.

I knew grandma Sunny from a regular client on my own clothing line, JEA Treasures. When I was searching for an apartment for Irish, I randomly asked my clients if they know anybody who owns an apartment for rent. Luckily, one of them recommended grandma Sunny's owned apartment. 

I was used in calling her grandma, 'cause we met a couple of times before, just to convince her to accept Irish as her tenant. Even though she rejected several times, I did not search for any other apartments, 'cause I feel at ease when speaking to her like there is a feeling of motherly love. I want to find an apartment for Irish, wherein I can communicate with the owner conveniently, to check on her without her knowing. And, of course, someone who can at least, guide Irish.

Why did grandma Sunny rejected Irish as her tenant? 'Cause Irish is jobless for almost three years already. It was too difficult to convince her, 'cause she is strict about her tenant's lifestyle. She was only convinced when I told her about the story of Irish.

Why won't I check on Irish directly? 'Cause I want my best friend to bring back who she truly is. An independent and strong woman. Irish became more of a dependent woman all of a sudden. She relies on me the most. She is an adopted child, but she was always telling me, that she never felt a genuine love from her foster parents. She hasn't seen or known her real parents yet. She was not interested, 'cause of resentment on why she has been abandoned since birth. 

For that reason, she ran away from her home and resided with me. I was also living by my own in my parents' home, since college days, where Irish and I stayed, 'cause my parents are working abroad.  I and my parents didn't let her pay for living with me. My parents actually treat her as their daughter as well, 'cause we've been friends since childhood. Her foster parents know that she is with me, but they did not bother to take her back with them. 

However, they contact me for Irish's school fees that time but, she doesn't wanna accept anything from them. So, I was the one who kept on convincing her to at least, finish her studies, before acting that way. Irish forcefully accepted the money they have sent for the whole first year college tuition fees. But, she didn't accept anything from them after that. I also lost connection with them when Irish began not to accept anything from them. She didn't contact them, ever since she stayed with me for 5 years. While at first year of college, she applied for part-time jobs to earn for the next academic years.

At first, I wonder why she hated her foster parents that much. I barely meet them ever since Irish and I became friends. Irish was always the one who visits our previous home. We were only neighbors that time and their housemaid was always the one with Irish.