Chapter Three

He raised his eyebrows, surprised that I was talking to him.

"How old are you? Are you living here? Where? I've never seen you before. Did you just move into the neighborhood? If yes, when? Where did you come from before moving here? Where are you studying, I mean, what school are you attending? Do you have any siblings? How many? What are you-"

"Whoa! Whoa! Slow down." He interjected. "Why do I feel like I am being interrogated so early in the morning?"

I pursed my lips before murmuring. "Sorry."

He sighed. "Okay, first and foremost, I'm not going to say any details about me because you're a stranger and at the same time, I'm also a stranger to you." He said, a matter-of-factly. "Didn't your parents told you to not speak to strangers?'

He said the word 'stranger' three times in that sentence.

I didn't say anything. We just resume our walking while I was willowing myself in embarrassment. It made me realized that I had just disobeyed one of my mother's lectures.

Not talking to anyone I know and do not make the first move when it comes to a boy. This will be the end of me if ever she found out. I harshly bit my lower lip and internally scold myself in annoyance.

What in the world was I thinking?

My only hope is that this stranger wouldn't go telling anyone what just happened or I will literally get screwed.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to tell anyone. I'll be pretty embarrassed too." He suddenly said and I looked at him questioningly. "You're talking your thoughts out loud so I pretty much have the idea of what you're scolding yourself about."

This is so embarrassing!

He chuckled. "I know."

I think I just lost all the guts I have left to face him again after this encounter.

~

Arriving at the school before the bell rang is the last bit of my concern as I walked going to my first class for the day. I was spacing out and still buried in the more heart-wrenching moment in my life.

It was about the encounter that made my heart beats like crazy not just because of the person I shared it with but because of the probable outcome I might face when my mother found out. She's not that oblivious to the things I am doing and she knows everything. I have no idea how she does that but she have the ability to know it.

I was out of reality while I was pacing towards my classroom, mumbling prayers for my mom not to know or even my dad, even just a whiff of it.

I will surely face the severity of the consequences if ever they know.

I settled on my seat while the homeroom teacher entered the room, only a few seconds after me. She strutted inside the class and officially started the discussion without any ado. Normally, I will focus on whatever she was saying but today, my mind has so much going on that her lectures seem to be the last thing on my mind.

The moment of my word vomit keeps replaying inside my head and I want to squeal every time out of embarrassment.

Why is this happening to me? Why does it have to be me? Out of all the people around the freaking world, why does it have to be me?

I was too preoccupied that I haven't heard the teacher calling my name for a graded recitation.

It's safe to say that I have failed all of my classes for that day.

Everyone was shocked, to say the least, I am the know-it-all kind of person and for me not to be on my best during classes surely earned me a few scoldings from my mom later at home.

I can still remember the time I did something like this a few years ago and it was so bad. I got bruises all over my body that I have to be extra careful when moving. That made me realize that crossing my mom is definitely a no-go even though I am still her child.

My mind was wrapped around the thoughts of the morning stranger and my early execution because of him.

But, even though they will be in the pondering mixture of my unconscious state or not, I don't have the grasp nor the ability to stop thinking about him. I also have the urge now to see him again.

Bruises or not, I still want to see him...

That stranger. 

~

It was already dark when I made my way home. 

The sun was already setting as I do so. Streetlights are already on and guide the other passersby like me.  I mostly enjoyed walking around the streets of my neighborhood on my way home from school but now, my appreciation of the view was out of my vision when my eyes zeroed on a certain someone standing by the pavement. 

He seems to be waiting for me by the entrance of the neighborhood where we are living, leaning on one of the street posts, facing me. 

I stopped dead in my tracks and looked at his figure, an obvious confusion streaking on my face. 

Furrowing my eyebrows, I asked. "Is that you?" 

The stranger sighed. "What are you doing out so late?" 

Frowning, I answered. "What do you mean? I just got out of school." 

'And walk by yourself?" 

"Yeah..." 

He rolled his eyes. "Have you realized how dangerous it is?" 

I stared at him weirdly, not processing what's going on and how to respond to the conversation we are having. "Dangerous... how? I've always been walking home this way." 

"You're going home earlier tomorrow." 

I made a confused face. "What in the world... Why would I do that? Who are you to command me like that?" 

He didn't say a word, taken aback by my question. In some strange way, he shrugged before walking ahead of me and not looking back. 

I sighed and just rolled my eyes before I made my way towards my house and didn't see him at all until I stepped into my house, thinking how bizarre the brief encounter was.

~ 

The dinner table was full of an awkward atmosphere of acting played out by my mom with my dad's encouragement. The cringe hand holding on top of the table with my dad kissing my mom's cheeks as they reminisce their love story looks so wrong to me. But, I didn't really say anything. 

I sat there and played as their supportive audience while they continue doing the play. 

The smiling from both of them is brighter than the bulb illuminating its light on us for the night as if they are being filmed by a Hollywood big-shot director for the next blockbuster. 

  My mom was acting so normal that I kind of concluded that she wasn't being normal anymore. Trying to interest my dad about the groceries she bought today and the menus she'll be preparing for the next week. My dad, on the other hand, seems to be forcing himself to enjoy the conversation and mustered himself to look as interested as he can be, composing urgent responses as of he's as captivated by the nonsense my mom keeps spewing. 

I looked at them in boredom, and dropped my gaze on my plate consisting of bland chicken and salad, trying to finish everything down as quickly as I can but not to look unladylike. 

Setting my fork and knife down, I took a drink of the milk on my glass before resuming my dinner. Trying not to notice how delicious the food is if you just added seasonings in it or even just a slice of bell peppers or spring onions. 

Shoving another forkful on my mouth, I heard my parents talking sweetly as if they haven't done the damages they did yesterday. Truth be told, it's quite exhausting staying inside the house. 

It doesn't feel like a home but just a place I'm obligated to go back to because I still can't afford to live on my own or am too young to even bear the responsibilities as well. 

But, it's not that hard to dream.

  With how fake the scene playing in front of me, I let my mind wander off. 

The guy's acting was bizarre. I have no idea what set him off like that and since it was our third encounter, it made me quite scared. It was my first time to see him like that, though given the fact that I only saw him not even a handful of times. 

Was there something wrong? 

Did he know something I don't? 

Or was he just being a jerk for the sake of his own entertainment just because I showed an overwhelming amount of interest in him he can't handle it? 

Ugh. Whatever it is, I think I need to distance myself from him.