I was only 9 when my parents started traveling without me. Although it was only 3 days without my parents, I cried myself to bed every night. I did the laundry, prepared my own meals and constantly nagged at my brother to stop talking on the phone. I am 18 this year and I still haven't gotten used to the emptiness of the house when they're not around.

Each night, I tell myself that they will be back only when I'm asleep but they will leave first thing in the morning before I awake. I tell myself that my dad's car is still around which means that they are still around. I may have stopped crying myself to bed. But I have not stopped lying to myself.

I didn't want to return home this entire week. What's the use of returning to a house that echoes emptiness and loneliness? Even the full volume of the TV, radio or computer cannot fill the house.

So tonight shall be no different. They are coming back later. It's just that they are only around when I'm asleep.

I can start counting down to the day when I can stop the lying.