My EX Next Door

《Chapter 1》

"Wanna eat with me?" Jessica invited. Of course I want to eat with her. But not with them. I don't want to be a third wheel between her and her boyfriend,Andre. They've been together since we graduated from High School. We're Senior High after all and i've been friends with Andre,too.

I'll try to not bother by being a third wheel so I said, "Yeah,sure." Then we walked together to the nearest fast food restaurant from Danford University. Our class just finished. I'm still new to our schedule,a schedule of a Senior High student. We entered Mom's Merienda and sat down. They ordered sandwiches while I ordered a cheeseburger.

"So what now,Krystal?" Jessica suddenly asked after biting into her sandwich. "You're not getting a boyfriend or anything? Or inlove,at least?"

"Nooo!" I accidentally shouted. Calming down,I said, "I mean,I just got over him and I'm not planning to be inlove again. That time will come,Jess."

"Okay. Then just focus on your studies. Study endlessly." Andre suddenly interrupted. Jessica slapped his arms. "What?" He asked,putting the both of his hands up in the air.

"You know,that's ridiculous." She said then continued chewing her sandwich. "She'll be a total nerd if that happened. We don't want a nerd friend here,do we?"

"You guys,shut up. Just finish eating there so that we'll be going home early!" I said as soon as I took a last bite from my burger.

"Oh yeah,of course you want to go home early just because you have a quiz tomorrow and we don't." Jessica teased. She's taking an advantage from separating from my chosen major.

"You got mayonnaise here,babe." Andre whispered to her but loud enough that I can hear it from the other side of the table. He wiped off the mayo that was on the corner of Jessica's lips.

"Ew,gross." I disgustingly said,looking away from them.

"Don't say it just because you don't have a boyfriend,and you're single,and you're jealous of us,and you're being bitter." Jessica said,being obvious that I really am single. I don't want to remember the times that he left me. But because Jess kept on teasing me,I suddenly remembered all of it. From the words he said,and the last words I said.

"Stop,Jessica." I said,looking down. "I am single because someone hurt me. I am single because he left me. I am single because he doesn't love me anymore. It hurts,okay? This is not a joke."

"Hey,I thought you already moved on. Stop thinking about that jerk." Andre said. "I was about to beat him up that day but I didn't. Stop,Krystal."

"She already moved on but if course, everytime she remembers it, she will feel bad again." Jessica said.

"Let's stop this already." I said,standing up. "You know,instead of talking about this, let's go home."

"Sure." Both of them said,following me as I walked to the door and went out.

Since all of us are from the same neighborhood,we rode the taxi together. By the time we reached the corner where our house can be found,I stopped the driver and handed the fee. "Bye,guys." I said to them,waving, as I went out of the vehicle. They said that the two of them will spend time together alone so I walked by myself to our house.

I just passed by the house that was beside our house. It's not sold yet,though someone lived there years ago when we just arrived here. It still creeps the hell out of me. I'm waiting for the day that someone will live there again because sometimes,I can hear things over there even though no one's been there.

"I'm home!" I shouted as I entered the house and removed my school shoes. "Mom,are you there?" I said,running to the kitchen. I saw her cooking.

"Hey,honey. How long have you been here?" She asked me while stirring what she was cooking. I can't identify what it is,yet.

"I just shouted awhile ago that I'm already home." I rolled my eyes but then continued, "Why are you cooking? You'll get tired. Let our cook do that."

"No,it's okay. Your dad will be home tonight so I decided to cook dinner for him."

"You missed him,huh?" I elbowed her.

"Of course. He's been out for 1 week because of work and I know he's tired so I really want him to eat the food I made."

"What is that,really?" I asked. "I can't see it as a food."

"I don't know either." She faced me,finally. After focusing on cooking while we were talking,she looked at me just now. She giggled. "But promise me you'll eat it no matter how it taste."

"Yeah,whatever." I went upstairs to change to comfortable clothes. I told mom that i'll eat dinner when dad is already home. It's still early,after all.

I didn't know I've already studied for like an hour already. I focused too much that I didn't even noticed what time it is.

Exact time! I finished studying for the test,Dad's already here and Mom just finished cooking. We ate and talked,just the three of us.