Stranger Next Door

CHAPTER 2

"Why? Is she haunting you?"

Biglang nanindig ang balahibo ko sa tanong niya.

"I'm just kidding. Please don't be scared." natatawa niyang sabi, "If ever that happens, she won't do that. She's a good ghost."

Tumawa na lang kami ni Ate Khaytelyn to ease the awkwardness. Mabuti na lang at nagsalita 'tong si Keith.

"Alam niyo, kainin na lang natin 'tong pizza. Mukha pa namang masarap." sabi ni Keith at kanya-kanya kaming nagsikuhaan ng slice.

After taking snacks on Harrison's house, we decided to go home. Nakapagplano na kami para sa pag-enroll bukas. Sasamahan daw nila kami.

We did have a great day with them.

"Thank you for today, Keith. I really enjoyed." I said before saying goodbye.

I breathed heavily and jumped into the couch when we reached home. Pakiramdam ko pagod na pagod ako, kahit wala akong gaanong ginawa.

"Harris and Keith are too kind, Ate. Buti na lang, nameet natin sila." I said while lying on the couch.

"You think so?" Ate Khaytelyn's eyebrows met, "Harris is kind, yes, but I'm not sure with Keith. He's weird."

My eyebrows met.

"You think that Keith is weird because I told you, but look, he's really kind. He even suggested a while ago to accompany us." Ate Khaytelyn's just staring at me, with her doubted eyes, "Ate, I admit, I'm wrong for judging Keith's behavior. Now that we've given a chance to know him better, I realized how good he is. I hope, you too realized that."

She crossed her arms and stared at me seriously.

"I don't know why but I don't feel good towards him." she stated, "But let's see. Malay natin kapag mas nakilala ko siya, gumaan na ang pakiramdam ko sa kanya."

"For sure, mangyayari 'yan. Ganyan rin ako no'ng una." I smiled at her, telling her that I trust her pero pinanliitan niya ako ng mata.

"You keep on defending Keith. Do you like him?" she's looking at me intently.

Kaagad naman akong umiling.

"Of course, not!" I can't stop laughing.

Keith is handsome and I won't deny, but I couldn't see myself falling in love with him.

"You know that it's too hard for me to fall again, after me and Derrick broke up." seryoso kong sabi.

"You sure?" Ate Khaytelyn is giving me a mocking smile, "Edi kung hindi si Keith, si Harris, crush mo? Hep! Don't ever deny it. I saw the way you look at him. Crush mo, noh?"

"Hoy, hindi!" I guess, my cheeks are turning red.

"You're blushing! Crush mo nga!" Ate Khaytelyn is laughing and I'm hiding myself on the pillow.

Gosh, why am I reacting like this? I'm just giving Ate Khaytelyn a chance to tease me more.

"Stop it, okay. Harris is not my crush." I stopped from laughing and I fixed myself, "I'll just go in my room to change clothes. Magbihis ka na rin."

I go upstairs and went in my bedroom. I'm planning to take a shower but I saw something that really bothered me.

A note saying, "Go away."

"Are you scaring me?" inis akong bumaba, holding the note that I saw in the table.

Ate Khaytelyn is just crossing her arms.

"What is it this time?" she asked, wearing a poker face.

Ipinakita ko sa kanya ang note. I'm glaring at her but she's not changing her expression.

"I thought we're cool already. Before we got here, you told me that you're going to stop pulling pranks on me. Hindi ka ba marunong tumupad sa usapan, ate?" inis kong tanong.

"I didn't do that. Gusto mo na naman lang bang may mapag-awayan tayo, Bella?" she replied, and this time, she's also mad.

"Wow, ate. What do you mean by that? Ako ang nagsulat nito at gawa-gawa ko lang 'to, gano'n?"

"What the hell, Bella! That's not what I mean!" she's starting to raise her voice, "I said, I didn't do that! We were together the whole time! And that writing, tingin mo sulat ko talaga yan? Gosh. Alam mo naman kung gaano kapangit ang sulat ko."

She shooked her head. I crumpled the paper and I just threw it in the trash can.

I just rolled my eyes up. Padabog akong umakyat papuntang kwarto at doon nagmukmok.

Nakuha niya pa talagang ideny. She's scaring me, sino pa bang ibang gagawa no'n?

We're just only two in here. Well, she better do good next time. Hindi niya ako matatakot sa pagano'n-gano'n niya.

I didn't talk to her for what she did. I stayed in my room the whole night, scrolling through my cellphone and chatting with some random guy.

It's already ten in the evening but I'm still awake. I got bored doing some stuffs in my phone so I decided to go in the terrace. Tamang tambay lang.

It's full moon. Sabi nila, nakakatakot daw ang full moon. Spooky creatures are popping out in the middle of the night. But it's opposite in my belief, since I found the full moon beautiful.

"Keith!" I shouted when I also saw him in the terrace, as usual, breathing with his eyes closed.

He suddenly opened his eyes. Nakakunot na naman ang noo niya. He's just staring at me, and he seems clueless about my personality.

"Why are you still awake?" I asked him, but still, he didn't replied.

He's just staring at me, shooked his head and entered his room.

I tried to calm myself. Everytime I saw him hanging out on the terrace, it feels like Keith is completely a different person. It's kinda weird.

Bumalik na lang rin ako ng room. I almost stunned when I saw something on the mirror. May nakasulat doon, lipstick ang ginamit.

Again, it was saying, "Go Away."

"The fvck, Ate, when will you stop?!" halos sumigaw ako sa buong room dahil sa galit.

I grabbed the lipstick and I knocked at Ate Khaytelyn's room. She didn't open the door at the first knock, so I had to repeat it several times until the door opened.

"What the hell is your problem? I'm sleeping for Pete's sake!" halata ngang kakagising niya lang.

She yawned, while I'm giving her a deadly glare.

"Can you please stop scaring me? Swear, hindi na nakakatuwa." inis pa rin akong nakatingin sa kanya.

"Ang alin na naman ba, Bella? Mahimbing na ang tulog ko. Kung ano man 'yang balak mong isisi sakin, bawal na bang ipagpabukas?" she yawned again.

I gave her the lipstick that I'm holding.

"So tell me, anong ginagawa ng lipstick mo sa kwarto ko?" pagalit kong tanong.

"Bakit na sa'yo 'to?" she looks confused, "Bakit maraming bawas? Did you used it?"

Saka lang nawala ang galit ko dahil halata sa mukha niya ang pagtataka.

"I wanna show you something." I didn't let her speak and I just grabbed her arms.

Mas lalo akong nagulat ng makita kong nakakalat na lahat ng gamit sa kwarto. May nakita akong lalaki na nasa may terrace kaya kaagad akong napasigaw.

"Magnanakaw! Ate, may magnanakaw!" I desperately shouting but before we could catch that thief, nakatalon na siya ng terrace.

Chineck ko pa kung meron siyang nanakaw pero mukhang wala naman. Hindi ko alam kung anong sadya niya.

"I-I'm sorry for blaming you, Ate." sabi ko matapos makaalis ng magnanakaw.

Ate Khaytelyn just hugged me. Sinabi niya sa'kin na doon raw muna ako matulog sa kwarto niya ngayong gabi. Bukas na lang namin irereport sa pulis ang nangyari.

None of us dared to speak the next. Palibhasa, pareho kaming hindi nakatulog dahil sa nangyari. Wala namang nawawalang gamit sa kwarto that's why I'm thinking about the thief's motive.

Why did he wrote those words? Bakit niya kami pinapaalis dito sa bahay?

Suddenly, the doorbell rang.

I sluggishly walked into the sala to open the door. Keith appeared, holding an envelope.

"Ready na kayo?" he's smiling on us, but afterwards, his eyebrows met when he saw me wearing a serious face, "What happened? You look bothered."

"Uh, nothing." I gave him a fake smile.

"Bella, you can tell me everything and I will help you as long as I can. May nangyari ba?" tanong ni Keith.

Nagtinginan kami ni Ate and she gave me a sign to tell everything to him.

"Well, pinasok kami ng magnanakaw kagabi. Tatawag na sana kami ng pulis bago ka dumating." paliwanag ko.

"Then, you should hurry and call the cops!" agad niya namang sagot, "Sinaktan ba kayo ng magnanakaw?"

I shooked my head.

"We're fine. Mas nag-aalala kami dahil baka hindi lang bahay namin ang pasukin sa susunod." I replied.

Keith grab his phone on his pocket. He's dialing something and out of curiosity, I asked him who it is.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm calling the cops to investigate about what happened." he smiled, "Hello?.. I would like to report about the robbery that happened in our subdivision last night.. Yes, please.. They're fine.. Asap.. Thank you."

Napangiti ako tho I can't hear what they're talking about.

"They said that they will be here by now. While they're on their way, tara na?" pagyaya niya.

"Wait!" I stopped him, "What about the investigation? Hindi ba, tatanungin nila kami kung ano ba talagang nangyari?"

"Yes, but I told everything already. Marami akong kaibigan sa Police Department and for sure, even without the interview, they can catch the bad guy. Harris is waiting for us, so, tara?" muli niyang pagyaya.

Nakapagbihis na rin kami ni Ate Khaytelyn bago siya dumating so kaya sumama na kami papuntang school. Keith told me that we will just meet Harris at school. SSG President raw kasi si Harris kaya nauna na siya sa'min.

Halos mapanganga ako when a lot of people welcomed us. This is the first time that I felt truly welcomed.

Naghiwalay na rin kami ni Ate Khaytelyn ng room after dahil sa fourth year college siya mag-eenroll. Ako naman, as first year college.

"Sayang! Kung nag-Mass Com sana ako, magkaklase tayo." Harris laughed, while checking those forms that I need to fill up.

"It's okay, Mr. President. Magkikita pa rin naman tayo dito sa school. If we have vacant time, we can hang out." I smiled.

"So you're giving me a nickname, huh?" tinawanan ako ni Harris. "Ano nga 'yon? Mr. President?"

"Why? What do you want me to call you?" I'm waiting for his answer.

"Call me yours." My heart skipped a beat, I don't know what I'm going to answer. "Just kidding."