My EX Next Door

《Chapter 8》

"Ms. Yasmin,take care to where you're going!" I said to the owner as she walked away from the store. I reached for the zipper of my backpack and opened it. I took my cellphone out because Jessica called.

"I'm going to drop by your house right now."
"Why would you?"
"I'm going to give extra strawberries. Dad went to a strawberry farm yesterday and we found out that it's too much for a daughter and father at home."
"Sure,sure. I just got off from my work so I'll be there in 10 minutes."

I hung up and hopped on my bike. I reached home and saw Jessica placing a basketful of strawberries on the pantry.

"Eat this,okay?" She told me after placing the basket carefully. "I'll get going. I'm  busy having a conversation with Dad."

"I'll send you off 'til to the corner." I placed down a strawberry that was half-finished. I went outside to walk Jessica and made her safe. "Bye,Jess! Thanks for dropping by! And for the strawberries,of course. Thanks!"

"Sure,you're welcome." She smiled at me and walked away,turning her back to me.

I went back home but a familiar kid suddenly passed by me and fell down on the ground. She look a lot like someone.

<flashback>
The day came,he finally introduced me to his parents after 3 months of our relationship. He didn't want to hide our 'thing' to his parents and he like me to meet his parents as soon as possible.

They accepted me but someone can't. "I hate you,Joaquin! You replaced me with a girl that is 100% prettier than me!" Yanna said,his 8 year-old sister.

"That's not it,Yanna." Joaquin said, "You're my princess,Mom's my queen. But we have our own world and in that world,Krystal is my queen and princess. Get it?"

"I don't care!" Yanna said,throwing her hands in the air and gave me a hug. "Just promise me you'll not hurt my older brother,okay? I don't want to see him go gay because of you."

"Okay,sure." She held up her pinky finger so I did too. I smiled and said, "Promise."

<end of flashback>

I helped her up now that I realized who she is. "Are you okay,Yanna?"

"Wah!" She hugged me so tight. "My older brother's girlfriend! I missed you a lot,Ms. Beautiful!"

"I'm not her girlfriend anymore,Yanna." I fixed her hair and tucked it behind her ears. "Why are you here?"

"I live there,already." She was pointing to the house next to us.

"Okay,I'll take you there. I know that wound hurts." I helped her walk and brought her to their house. Just before I open their closed gate,someone already had opened it. It's him,Joaquin. He was holding a garbage bag "Your sister's hurt. Let me in,I'll treat her wound." And so,I shove him off the way and came in.

I let Yanna sit on their couch and I asked her Mom,Ms. Helen,if they have a medicine or a first aid kit. But she said, "I'll do it for her. Thanks,Krystal." She smiled at me so I smiled back.

"I live next door so I'll do anything for my neighbor,be well in this neighborhood!" I told them. I simply waved at Yanna before going out of their house. As I open the gate,I met Joaquin's eyes. I made my way to make myself come back to our house but he grabbed my arm as I was about to walk away. I looked at his eyes and asked, "What's wrong?" I removed his hand just like what he did to me the day he broke up with me. Oh sh**. Today's the death anniversary of our relationship.

"Nothing." He smiled. "It's just that you look prettier." He looked me in the eyes.

"Stop it." I looked away. "Don't do this especially when you have a girlfriend." Then I ran to our house.

What's wrong with that guy? After 1 year,I'll find out that he lives next door? After 1 year,I saw him again? I never had a communication with him since that day because I blocked him in all of my SNS accounts.

As he looked at my eyes awhile ago,I didn't felt anything. I just felt that I want to be cold to him and ignore him all the time. It's not that I'm bitter with our past relationship. I just felt like the I-Dont-Want-To-Get-Close-To-My-Ex-Boyfriend feeling when he talked to me.