Page 39 of Praising Haru

The thing is, they banter and bicker, but they love each other dearly. I’ve never doubted how much they adore each other. I can tell by the soft looks they give each other when they think I’m not paying attention. The way Dad will rub the small of Mum’s back when they’re standing in line for something. It’s the small, everyday things that they probably don’t even realise they’re doing because showing each other they care has become so habitual. I would love to have a relationship even half as strong as theirs someday.

“How’s the school coming along?” Dad asks.

“Good. The bad weather at the end of the week slowed us down a bit, but sunshine is forecast for most of next week, so we’ll catch up.”

“Still on schedule to finish on time?”

“We are. I can’t speak for everyone who has jobs to do after we’ve left.”

“What’s next?” Mum asks.

“I dunno. We’ll find out when this project is finished.”

“Is the man you met last night a brickie too?” Mum asks.

“I thought we weren’t talking about my sex life anymore.”

“Can’t I show an interest?”

“No. He’s not a brickie.”

“What does he do?”

“He works in fashion.”

Mum arches an eyebrow. “What else do you know about him?”

“Mum. I don’t need to know a guy’s life story to have sex with him.”

She pulls a face like she’s sucking something sour.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to be so crude,” I say.

Why am I being so cagey? Until last night, I thought of Haru as cute and the kind of guy you’d bring home to meet the parents rather than screw around with. Do I still believe the former? I’m doing the latter. Not that we’ve made firm plans to meet up again, but we said we wanted to. Plus, I don’t want my parents to get the wrong idea. They’ll think we could be serious. We can’t be. Haru will be moving back to London the moment he gets another job, which won’t take long.

“I forgive you,” Mum says.

“Could we please move on?” I ask.

“Fine. Just promise me one thing.”

Here we go. I know what’s coming. Mum brings it up every so often.

“Promise you’re being safe.”

“I am, Mum. I use condoms and get myself tested every two months or so. I’m being as safe as I can be.”

“I read that some men take PrEP as a precaution.”

“That’s if they’re having unprotected sex, which I don’t, so there’s no need.”

I don’t blame her for being worried about HIV and AIDS. She lived through the eighties. But things are different now. More awareness, better medication, and open discussion around safe sex.

“Maybe you should think about it.”

“I don’t need to take it, Mum. I’ve never had unprotected sex. If I decide to take that step, it will be once I’m in a long-term relationship.”

“I worry.”