by Rua Hasan
***
A tapping sound that came just outside my window brought me out of my sleep. My eyes snapped open almost immediately, as I shot up into a sitting position. My forehead was covered in sweat and my eyes darted across my dark room. I wiped the sweat with my sleeve, and looked to where the sound was coming from.
My eyes were focused on my window covered by the closed curtain, as I reached for my phone next to me to see the time. I groaned to myself when I saw that it was nearly midnight. Matt’s words came crashing back into my head as I cursed to myself.
I was definitely not sleepy anymore. My eyes were wide open, and I was completely awake.
The tapping noise coming from outside my window brought me back to reality. I lifted an eyebrow, thinking to myself what could possibly be the source of that annoying sound.
I swung my legs off my bed and to the ground slowly and quietly. I didn’t know what to expect at a time like this. It could just be a bird tapping against the window. It could be an alien waiting outside to abduct me or maybe it was Santa Claus wanting to give me my presents early this year.
Pft, come on don’t be stupid! Santa Claus would for sure come down the chimney and not through my window. I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t have wanted me to meet him in person or it would have just ruined the whole surprise.
Then what could it be?
I got off of my bed slowly and forced my legs to move towards the window. I felt my heart pounce against my chest with so much force. What if it was a robber? Or a serial killer? Should I call Matt for backup in case I ended up getting killed tonight? I’m pretty sure I would have wanted Matt to know that I was murdered and not suicidal.
I shook my head to get rid of the useless thoughts. Matt would be asleep by now, and I didn’t want to disturb him.
Should I start writing my will?
Ugh! I slapped myself in the face. It seemed to be the only solution to snap me out of this phase. I was being dramatic and overreacting. Hopefully I won’t find myself on my deathbed today.
I gulped as I reached my hand to grab the curtain. I counted to three very slowly in my head before yanking it to the side to see the source of the sound. I let out a breath and ran my hand through my hair as I chuckled to myself.
Oh, I felt so stupid at this very moment. I was just thankful that no one was around to see me in this state, fearing over nothing.
It was a tree branch tapping against the window because of the wind. It wasn’t that far from my window which was why it got so close. I then opened it to let the warm air crash in my face. It wasn’t cold outside but that didn’t stop the wind from doing its job. I wrinkled my nose as I poked my head outside, and glanced at the empty street from down below.
I felt a feeling of excitement over take my body at the thought that came to my mind. I debated on whether it was a good idea to go for a run at a time like this. My mind was screaming danger, danger. While my muscles were begging me to satisfy them. I mean I didn’t even think about going for a run today, so right now would be an awesome moment. Nobody was around to block my path as I let the cool night breeze flow against my skin.
It would be the perfect feeling!
I was wondering if it was safe. I wasn’t that stupid to run into an alley full of dangerous gangsters where I would meet my doom.
I felt a smile tugged on my lips as I dashed to my closet and changed into my sport clothes. I tied my hair into a high ponytail, and walked downstairs to grab my running shoes. But before walking to the front door, I went to the living room to search in the drawers. I might be able to defend myself if I did come across a drunken dude but I wanted to be on the safe side.
You could call me stupid for my careless decision but this wasn’t my first time. In fact, I found myself in this situation where I couldn’t sleep many times, so I just ran it out. By the time I got home, I’d be so tired; I’d like sleep like a baby.
I finally found the pocketknife I took with me every time I went out for a run at times like these but thankfully never had to use. I put it in the pocket of my shorts then walked out of the front door, making sure to lock it. I then put the keys into my pocket too and began my run.
I started off with a light jog and picked up my speed after a few minutes. I forced my legs to go faster as I enjoyed the feeling of the wind blowing through my hair and hitting my skin. The stars up above sent me to a peaceful state as I listened to the crickets sing their lullaby for me.
I made sure to stay on the sidewalk which led to the shops and not to some broken down buildings. By now, my breathing was starting to quicken as sweat formed on my forehead. I ran to a corner of an apartment nearby and past the park but stopped suddenly when I saw something a couple of feet away. Instinctively, I hid behind a big oak tree so I wouldn’t be caught.
My heart was beating against my chest because of the running and not because of the person I saw walking into an open pharmacy. I peaked my head from behind the tree to see the door close.
Why on earth would Tyler be in the streets at this time? I’m pretty sure he would ask me the same thing if he saw me but that was a completely different thing. I was only out running. But what possible could he be wanting to get at a pharmacy at a time like this?
Could he be sick? But he didn’t look like it today at school.
Oh my god! Maybe he was buying drugs! Oh god, I knew he was bad but I didn’t think he would stoop to this level. I mean why drugs? It wouldn’t do any help at all. Yup, that was the only conclusion! Tyler Grey was buying drugs. I shook my head disapprovingly at the thought. Who knew the most adored guy in school was a drug dealer!
Well, that’s what I thought at first until I remembered pharmacies wouldn’t sell illegal drugs. They sold medicine for Pete’s sake! I felt myself become more stupid. How could I assume such a thing? It was like my head contained a brain the size of a peanut.
But if it wasn’t drugs and if he wasn’t sick, then what was Tyler doing in a pharmacy?
Chapter 10
It felt like hours. The breeze felt incredibly relaxing on my skin but it wasn’t enough to calm my nerves. The air around me was getting colder as I stared at the empty street. I stared at the pharmacy as if I was some kind of secret spy, waiting for her predator to come out
I could almost hear the sound of a clock ticking in my ears, telling me that it was time to go home but I couldn’t do that. My curiosity would surely not let me. I had to see what my childhood bully was buying at a pharmacy in the middle of the night.
Something inside me was telling me that I already knew the answer. Tyler was the hottest person in school who could get any girl he wanted. So maybe he was at some kind of club and was buying condoms on his way home to bang some girl.
My nose scrunched upward in disgust as I thought about it. What else could he be doing?
I lifted an eyebrow when I saw Tyler coming out through the door, holding a bag in his hand while walking away. I debated with myself on whether I should just turn my back and go home which was probably the safest option, but my stupid legs moved on their own free will after Tyler.
I made sure to stay behind, not too close so he wouldn’t notice me but not too far off that I might lose track of him. I passed by the broken buildings leading to a bad part of the neighborhood. My heart started to beat quickly at the sight of Tyler, walking through a door of an abandoned house. By now, my mind was coming up with endless possibilities of what was going to happen next.
Ignoring the voices inside my head, I quickened my pace and opened the door slowly once I was there. It made a little creaking sound but thankfully it wasn’t too loud to blow my cover. I poked my head around to see a staircase and as I listened closely, I could hear Tyler’s footsteps.
I ignored the shivers that ran down my spine and walked up the stairs slowly. It wasn’t long before I made it to the second floor. I followed the sound which led to a door that was half opened. I poked my head out but hid it immediately when I saw a middle-aged man sitting on a
mattress inside the room. He had a beard covered in grey hair and was wearing baggy clothes. Tyler hugged the guy with a smile and thanked him.
That was weird.
Since when did you greet your fellow drug dealers by hugging each other?
What caught me off guard was the look in Tyler’s eyes. A look I’ve never seen him with before.
Pure happiness.
“Oh, Tyler. I don’t know how to repay you. You’re always doing such good things and you never fail to surprise me,” the guy said.
I didn’t know Tyler Grey was capable of such good things. I knew that he wasn’t completely heartless and that I shouldn’t judge him because of how much I have gone through but I still find it hard to believe.
“Paul, I don’t want anything from you but your happiness. This is what dad would have wanted and I’m sorry you had to stay here. If only you would agree to come with me,” Tyler said.
I poked my head out just a little to see the guy shaking his head.
“No, I don’t want to burden you and your mother. It is enough you are buying me medicine and food. I couldn’t let myself intrude,” he spoke.
“You know you wouldn’t be a burden. You’re welcome until you can get yourself a job,” Tyler whispered.
I couldn’t describe what I felt. I was baffled. Flabbergasted was more of the word. I never thought Tyler would be nice to someone. I mean, I’ve always looked at him as a mean bully but this time, he didn’t seem like it.
“You know I can’t do that lad. I have to be responsible for my mistakes and fix what I have done. I lost everything when your father and I went down. It’s my duty to get back up on my own two feet and you standing by my side is enough for me.”
“But Paul, I’m pretty sure dad would have want—”
“Your dad would have wanted me fix the mistakes I have done.”
Tyler sighed and ran his hand through his hair.
“You sure you don’t want to stay with me?” Tyler asked.
Paul shook his head.
“Look around you. All of these were provided from you. I couldn’t ask for more,” he said.
I looked around and saw a couple of simple furniture lying around along with a table with half-eaten food and a mirror.
Did Tyler provide all this for him? This was the only stuff my eyes could find but who knows. Maybe there was more lying around in this broken place.
“I can’t force you to come with me but I want you to promise you will tell me if you need anything else,” Tyler said.
“I promise.”
There was a moment of silence and I felt the guilt in my chest taking over me. Whoever this man was, he must be very special to Tyler and his father and I felt like I was intruding. I shouldn’t be here. I took a step back and was just about to leave when a sound of a bag opening caught my attention.
“I got you more medicine,” Tyler said.
“Oh, you did?”
“I did,“ he said with a chuckle.
“You’re too kind,” Paul said with a smile.
“I was on my way home from my job, and decided to pay you a visit, knowing that you would still be awake,” Tyler answered.
“Wait, did you get a job?” Paul asked.
“Yes, just a simple job to be independent,” Tyler said.
I never knew that the Tyler I hated this much would be this smart. Who knew! But still, it wasn’t a reason for him to pick on me and be such a jerk.
“What is it?” Paul asked.
“Car engineering,” Tyler answered.
“Wow, didn’t know you had it in you.”
I turned my back and walked away slowly, trying not to make my presence known. Once I was in the staircase, I speed up my pace and forced my legs to walk faster, making sure to be quick but quiet. I smiled to myself when I was almost down the stairs, there were only a couple of steps ahead.
Unfortunately, it was impossible for me to do something right and not mess up because my stupid mouth opened on their own free will and a shriek escaped my lips when I saw something like a rat run across from me.
I heard footsteps walk closer to the staircase from upstairs which sped my beating heart even faster. I couldn’t let Tyler see me. He would surely think I was following him.
Oh wait. I was following him.
But you got the point. If he found me here then he will give me a greater reason to make fun of me and pick on. I’ll make a fool of myself and I didn’t want that to happen. But in the end, it would be my fault because my stupidity was the one that brought me here in the first place. But oh well. I had a brain which was apparently the size of an ant.
Oh, sometimes I wish it was bigger than Matt’s ego.
I then let my specialty come to use. Probably the only thing I was good at. Running. All these years of practicing came to use in this very moment. I sprinted passed the door and down the street as if my life depended on it.
Because maybe it did because if Tyler caught me then I would probably kill myself.
Just kidding. Tyler wasn’t worth it.
I retraced my steps and ran to where I came from the very beginning. I ran past the park and looked behind me. I slowed down when I figured Tyler wasn’t following me.
Once I was in front of my house, I let myself relax as I hit the palm of my hand on my forehead. I straightened my back and relaxed my breathing, letting my chest rise and fall in rhythm as I stared at the front door, my mind reverting back to what I just witnessed this past hour.
I was so reckless to go out for a run in the middle of the night, and saw my childhood bully buy something from a pharmacy, thinking it was drugs, but it turned out to be medicine.
I mean, who would have known?
To top it off, I also witnessed him actually acting like a decent human being for once which in itself was shocking and unbelievable.
Matt would have thought I went on some kind of mission to find out that my parents’ accident was actually a murder and died in the hands of some mafia guy who I secretly loved.
I knew I should have written my will.
I sighed, taking out the keys from my pocket. I was about to open the door when I heard footsteps and a whistling sound. I panicked and hid behind a bush.
Oh, I don’t know. Maybe I was being paranoid, thinking it could be a killer.
I tried to get my breathing to slow down as I wiped the sweat off my forehead, and peaked through the bush. I cursed in my head when I saw Tyler.
But that wasn’t what made my eyes widened in shock. It also wasn’t why I was coming up with colorful words I never heard of in my life, and it certainly wasn’t the reason why I ever regret coming back into this town to live in the same house I lived in years ago.
The reason why I’m freaking out?
Tyler Grey was my neighbor.
Great! Just great.
Chapter 11
I poked my head out the front door, looking at the house next to mine. The curtains were still closed, Tyler and whoever he lived with, obviously his mother, could be asleep. I don’t really blame them because school didn’t start for another fifty minutes but that didn’t stop me.
I was freaking out at the fact that Tyler was my neighbor. Did he possibly know? If he did, then he would have knocked on my door when he found out I returned.
Oh, the horror.
I woke up early was to avoid bumping into him on my way to school. I didn’t want my mood to be affected by his cold evil eyes.
Maybe I was exaggerating. I knew he had something good inside him. I just never suspected Tyler Grey to have a soft spot until that night. But that still didn’t change my perspective of him. Yes, I knew he wasn’t completely heartless but I still despised his guts.
I threw my backpack over my shoulder as I took a step forward on my way to school. I turned around, locking the front door, humming to myself in a happy mood because it was Friday. I had always been looking forward to have two days off, away from Tyler and his stupid handsome face.
Having to work with him was much harder than I thought. He was reckless and immature, making it almost impossible for him to pay attention in class and know what to do. For the past three days, he would spend forty-five minutes of the class goofing and joking around, trying to get on my nerves. Thankfully, the project was being done during class. I wouldn’t know what I would have done if I had to meet with him after school.
Walking down the sidewalk, I prayed to the lords that the day would go by faster, so I can get back home and prepare for the party. I surprisingly got excited for the twins’ plan to switch identities. Would their date suspect a thing? All I knew was that it was going to be one heck of a day.
I was trying to walk to my fourth period in peace but somehow ran into Dan. Walking down the halls, I tried to ignore his annoying voice but every now and then, his arm would fall over my shoulders and I would swap it away. I gave him a glare but he responded with a goofy grin.
“Don’t you have a class to get to?” I asked.
“Yea, but I wanted to make sure you made it safely,” he said.
Gosh this dude doesn’t know anything about personal space.
“You say it like I’m walking alone into an ally in the middle of the night.”
“You’ll never know what can happen when you least expect it. We live in a strange world,” he said while pinching my cheek. I slapped his hand away from mine as I rolled my eyes once again.
“Yup, definitely strange,” I repeated in a bored tone.
I finally made it in front of my ICT class and felt relieved when I realized that Tyler’s seat was empty. My heart skipped a beat, and I hoped that he was eaten by a polar bear or that he somehow got lost in a rain forest.
Okay, maybe that was a bit harsh. I just wished that he somehow wasn’t going to show up to class today. I turned around to look at Dan, and saw him batting his eyelashes at me with a smirk, swinging his hands around.
“What?” I asked.
“Really? I’ve just helped the damsel in distress arrive to her castle safely, and you aren’t going to repay your brave handsome knight?” he said dramatically, as he put the back of his hand on his forehead and looked up at the ceiling.
