I've been quite antisocial at home, and I can't really pinpoint why. My family is notoriously loud; my parents sound like they're having a screaming match even when they're just discussing dinner plans. I've always preferred soft-spoken people; they seem so kind and gentle. RD is relatively soft-spoken, and I think I've gotten used to his calm mannerisms.
Yesterday, my mum decided to lecture me about my new aloof attitude during our commute to work. I responded with a shrug, which only cranked up her frustration. She demanded an explanation, so I mumbled something in my rusty Vietnamese. She didn’t understand me, so I repeated the key words, hoping she'd decipher my cryptic speech. She was unimpressed and called me rude and disrespectful. We spent the rest of the trip in silence. When we arrived, I thanked her for the lift and she nodded.
Later, she picked me up from the station, and I was holding a big bouquet of roses and lilies. She asked casually what the flowers were for, and I told her they were for her. She smiled shyly and asked why. I said they were to apologise for my bad behaviour. When I saw her eyes getting teary, I felt a pang of guilt and confessed that the flowers were actually from work since it was my last day. In my defence, I had planned on giving the flowers to her! Whenever boys sent me flowers in the past, I'd go home and give them to my mum. She would always say, "I hope all these flowers are from the same boy." I'd reply, "No, but one day, a man will give me something that I'll keep for myself. For now, you can have all my flowers."