Tiffany sat on a high stool at the kitchen table eating a bowl of rice. I happily raved down the stairs, grabbed a spoon from the cupboard and dug it into her plate to shove a spoonful of rice down my face. And then she turned away.

With her back turned to me, she walked in the direction of the staircase I just descended from. "Where to?" I asked, still eating the bowl of rice I was slightly glad to have all to myself now.

"I need to get ready for class," she replied, taking baby steps forward. That was a lie and we both knew it.

"Today's a free...