The Apple of My Eye
Chapter 860 Where Was Sue

On their way back, Sheryl couldn't help but probe Clark. She was curious to know how he felt about the decision to skip a grade. Was he looking forward to that or was he reluctant to do so? Looking into Clark's eyes, she asked in an inquisitive tone, "Clark, have you thought about what you are going to do after the IQ test? Do you plan to stay here or to skip a grade?"

"It's such an easy choice," replied Charles on behalf of his son. Even though he was driving, he still listened to the conversation behind him attentively. Feeling so proud of his smart son, Charles boasted, "Clark is my son. I know he is different from the other kids. He is so smart. Clark, don't worry. For you to skip a grade is no big deal."

"Mom, do you want me to skip a grade?" Clark ignored his dad's words, but turned to ask the opinion of his mom.

"Me?" Sheryl was startled. She thought Clark would at least respond to Charles first but didn't expect Clark to ask her instead. She knew that the best decision for him would be to skip a grade. That would help with his further studies as he didn't need to waste his time on schoolwork that was too easy for him. Meanwhile, as a mother she was also worried about whether Clark would be able to cope with the higher demands for schoolwork. With the conflicting ideas in her mind, she decided not to influence Clark's decision and replied, "Clark, you have to make your own decision. No one can decide for you, including us." "I know that. I just want to know what your views are. Of course, I will not just take what you say. In the end, I will make my own decision after considering every factor." Clark gave Sheryl a determined look. There was a fleeting moment where she saw Charles in Clark. Just as the famous saying said, "A wild goose never lays a tame egg." It was very true.

She smiled warmly back to him. She realized that she had to tell him how she felt, so she replied, "Well if you ask me, my answer would be, no. I think you are too young for grade skipping. I'm not fully convinced about this idea. Maybe wait until you are a bit older, then I will have complete confidence in you."

Sheryl felt that she might have been too harsh and may have made him feel a bit discouraged. "But anyway, I don't want you to feel any pressure from what I said. It's just my suggestion. You have to be the one who will decide in the end," she said trying to cheer him up.

"Shirley, how about you?" Clark asked to hear his little sister's opinion, "Do you want me to stay?"

"Where are you going, Clark?" asked the little girl worried. She was still too small to make any sense of what he was asking her. She felt panicked when her brother asked her if she wanted him to stay. She thought that her brother was going to go away.

"Clark might be leaving kindergarten and going on to primary school," explained Sheryl patiently. "If he skips a grade, he will have to go to another school, and then he can't go to kindergarten with Shirley everyday."

"I don't want Clark to go. I want to go to school with Clark," cried Shirley. When she heard that Clark might go to another school without her, she held his hands tightly and didn't want to let go.

Clark felt sad to see Shirley crying and wanting him to stay with her at the same school. He was so overwhelmed by his love for his little sister that his desire to skip a grade was overthrown because of it. "Don' worry Shirley. I'm not going anywhere. I have decided that I'm going to stay with Shirley," confirmed Clark.

It was rather strange that this pair of twins who shared the same blood were so different in terms of personality. The brother was so mature while the sister was so innocent. Charles knew that Clark meant what he said. Stealing a glance at Clark from the rear view mirror, he confirmed with his son, "Clark, so this is your final decision?"

"Yes," Clark replied firmly. "Since both mom and Shirley want me to stay, then I'll stay here for some time. I'll make my decision later after Shirley gets used to the life in kindergarten and is independent enough to go to school alone."

"Since this is what you want to do, I respect your decision," Charles said nodding. Though he was a small kid, Clark doted on Shirley. He was caring and willing to do anything to make Shirley happy, even it meant his own sacrifice. Clark was extremely protective of his little sister and his father sometimes felt that Clark was even more protective of her than he was as her dad.

"Charles," Sheryl called out. Although Shirley, still didn't fully understand the significance behind the talk, she was content that Clark would still be with her and that was all she cared about. However, Sheryl still worried. She knew that the decision Clark had made wasn't for himself but for Shirley. She wasn't satisfied with leaving it at that. "Charles, I think we should get a home tutor. That way, Shirley can still be with him and he can still advance his learning."

"Okay, that's a good idea," Charles agreed with a nod.

After they had dinner, Charles unwillingly drove Sheryl back to the Zhao family house. His eyes were filled with longing and sorrow. "How long do I have to wait until you come back to live with me?" "That will depend on how fast your action would take," Sheryl smiled and answered.

Looking deeply into his eyes, she softened her voice and said, "Alright, it's time for you to go now. Don't worry about me."

After seeing Charles off, Sheryl went inside the house. She was surprised to find that Sue wasn't home. Thinking that Sue would return shortly, she waited on the sofa. However, even after 10 pm, which was already late for her, Sue was still not home.

Concerned that it was getting very late, Sheryl picked up her cell phone to call Sue. She rang several times and each time there was no answer, so she became extremely anxious. Finally, at around 11 pm her phone rang, and she answered instantly and was relieved to find that it was Sue. "Hello, Sue. Where are you? Is everything all right? Do you know how late it is? Why aren't you home yet?"

Sheryl bombarded Sue with a chain of questions. "Sher..." The voice from the other side only appeared after a long belch. It was slurred and mixed with both laughing and crying. "Can you tell me, what I have done wrong? Why doesn't he like me?"

"You're drunk!" Sheryl's anxiety was reignited after she noticed that Sue was drunk. "Where are you now?"

"I'm at..." Sue suddenly chuckled awkwardly and then started asking herself, "Where am I? I... I also have no idea where I am."

Sheryl realized that Sue was too drunk to organize her thoughts. Luckily a staff member from the bar kindly took Sue's phone and answered, "Hello, I suppose you are a friend of this lady. Your friend seems to be drunk and has been out of control for the whole night here. Could you please come and take her home?"

The staff then gave Sheryl the address of the bar, which also happened to be rather close to Anthony's house. 'It was all because of Anthony,' she thought. Even though it was very late, she called Anthony anyway and raged to him, "Anthony, what the hell do you want? What do we have to do, so that you can leave Sue alone?"

"Sher, what are you talking about?" Anthony was perplexed. Indeed the visit to Sue's family today was a total disaster, but he made up his mind to stay clear of Sue from then on. Since Sue wouldn't change he mind anyway, his self-esteem didn't allow him to keep begging her. He even vowed in his heart that he would not offer her any help even she came to implore him.

"There is nothing between me and Sue," he claimed. "We talked it through today. From now on, I will not meddle with her affairs. It's none of my business."

"Oh really?" Sheryl ridiculed with obvious contempt. "You have been waiting so eagerly for this day to come. Haven't you? Do you know that Sue still hasn't come home yet? Aren't you worried about her at all?' "What did you say?" Anthony was suddenly engulfed by his anxiety for Sue when he heard that Sue was not back home. He forgot about everything he had just stated. He was so firm just a few minutes ago, but now he was contradicting everything that he had said. Holding on to his phone tightly, he asked with so much care and concern, "What happened to Sue? Where is she right now?"

"She is drunk in a bar," replied Sheryl flatly. "It is the bar that is close to your house. I would like to get her, but it will take me at least half an hour to get there. Anthony, if you have at least some decency, please go and check on her. I am worried about her."

"Alright, I'll go now." Anthony rushed out of his house the moment he hung up the call. 'Sue, please stay where you are. I am coming for you now, ' he thought as he ran.

He had never run at such a speed in his entire life. In less than five minutes, he had arrived at the bar. He rarely ever went to bars, as he found the atmosphere to be suffocating and disgusting. He hated the singing, the lighting, the dancing and basically everything that a bar represented. But now, he had no other choice but to dig Sue out from this vulgar place.

Sue had been drinking since around 8 pm up until now, which was already 11 pm. For three hours she drank and drank. Only by indulging herself in alcohol was she able to numb the painful memories and temporarily escape from reality. Sue thought she was able to deceive herself that she was actually happy.

But she failed. The more she drank, the deeper the name Anthony was engraved in her heart.