8

Josie rushed over to where Noah was, but getting to the entrance, she hesitated to enter as she watched Noah for a few minutes. She had stopped by Isabella's place to tell her about what she planned to do. It was the first time she'll be having a drink with Noah ever since she had a crush on him and she planned on telling him about her feelings.

“Do you think this is the right time?” Isabella had asked her.

“It doesn't matter if I do it now. I would have to do it one day.” She had replied.

Finally able to gather the courage to enter, she approached him and stood in front of him until he asked her to sit. Josie felt very anxious as she watched Noah pour her a drink. Noticing the sweat on her hands, Noah could tell she was very anxious. Sighing, he tried to think of a way to make her feel better.

“Will you eat rice cakes?”

Still feeling very anxious, she hid her hands underneath the table, glancing at the drink in front of her and then at Noah.

“Sorry I came late.” She apologized.

“It's okay. I haven't been waiting for that long.” He replied smiling.

Josie's aim that night was to tell him about her feelings, but she sensed there was something odd about the atmosphere. Something told her he was probably aware of her feelings for him and maybe he called her out to set a line between them. She thought about how embarrassed she would feel if that were to happen and she decided to talk first.

"Why suddenly?” She asked curiously.

“Eh?”

“Why did you suddenly call me out for a drink?”

“You wanted us to have a drink together, didn't you?”

“Right. I was very surprised when you called me to drink with you. Ever since I've been asking you to have a drink with me or be my drinking buddy, you've never agreed and you've also never told me 'no'. I've always been the one asking to have a drink together. I've asked you more than ten times, but I always get rejected, so why now? Why are you suddenly agreeing to have a drink with me? Why now?”

“Josie. . ."

“Ah,” She interrupted. "They say when someone who keeps on asking for something from another person is always rejected, and then the other person finally agrees to do it, it's not because that person really wants to do it, but because the person wants to put an end to those demands. After all, he's human and he can get easily tired of things like that.” She paused and looked straight at him. “Is that why you're agreeing to finally drink with me? You've gotten so tired of me asking you that you finally decided to call me out to drink with you so I won't bother you again, right?”

“It's not like that.” He defended himself.

“Then what is it like?!” She asked, raising her voice as tears welled up in her eyes. “If it's not like that, what is it like? If you don't like someone, then let the person know! Pitying the person isn't right! If you don't like someone, don't confuse the person! But why do you keep on making me misunderstand your actions! Why do you keep on doing things to make me confused?” Pausing, she didn't take her eyes off him as the accumulated tears in her eyes flowed down her cheeks.

When he said nothing, she wiped her tears and sighed. “It's my fault. It's my fault for misunderstanding. It's my fault for getting confused and thinking of something else. You don't have to worry. I won't bother you anymore. Helping me out, lending me your shoulders and even prolonged conversations, you shouldn't do any of those anymore. Since it's the way I feel, I'll endure it, I'll work on my feelings so I won't bother you anymore. Till I'm able to get myself together, till I'm able to stabilize my feelings, let's not talk to each other often, starting from now.” Pausing, she looked down at the drinks on the table before looking back at him. “When that time comes and when I finally feel okay, I can then agree to have a drink with you.”

Picking up her phone on the table, she stood up. “If you don't have anything to say, I'll leave first.” Bowing her head a little, she walked out. Noah stood up immediately and followed her out, calling her name after her. “Josie! Josie!”

Stopping in front of the restaurant, she turned back. “If you have anything to say, say it now and I'll listen. I might not be able to listen to you later.”

“It's not all about you hearing me out alone.”

“Then it's about what?” Pausing, she noticed the look on his face. She had known him for a very long time and she could tell what he wanted to say just by the look on his face. She wasn't sure of what he wanted to say, but she knew whatever it might be, it wasn't going to be something she would like to hear. “If it's about what I'm thinking about, then I don't want to hear it.” She told him.

“Josie."

“I'm serious, I don't want to hear it.”

“I'm sorry.”

“I said I don't want to hear it!” She shouted amidst tears. "Didn't you hear me?! What are you apologizing for?! What exactly are you apologizing for?! Why would you do something you'll end up apologizing for? Why?”

“I'm really sorry.”

“What's the point of apologizing!” She ranted as she started hitting him. “Why don't you say something else! Say something else! Was I really the only one who felt that way? Was I? Was it really just one sided?” She asked as she continued hitting him. “Was I the only one? You really don't feel anything for me, right? Answer me!”

“I have nothing more to say.”

Crying softly, she stopped hitting him. “Noah Bryan, I hate you! I hate you! I really really hate you!”

Josie's Apartment.

Very early the next morning, Josie stood up to prepare for the day's work. Walking into the bathroom, she stood in front of her mirror only to notice how rough her hair was. “When last did I wash this hair?” She asked herself as she picked up her toothbrush and toothpaste.

Sighing, she opened the tap and started brushing her teeth and all of a sudden, she stopped.

“Hey! Josie! Why do you have to drink before you go? Stop drinking now!” She heard Isabella's voice in her head.

“Ah, what was that?” She asked, hitting her head with her other hand.

“Stop it now, Josie. Drinking won't help at all.” Isabella's voice continued.

“I have to tell him today. He finally called me out.” She heard herself reply.

Washing her face, she sighed as she remembered taking a few drinks when she went to see Isabella before meeting with Noah the previous night. “Did I get drunk?”

Shaking her head vigorously, she proceeded to take her bath. Few minutes later, she was already prepared for work although it was still early for her to leave. Usually, she would use that time to take her neighbour's daughter to school before going to work, but now that they moved out already, she didn't know what to replace the time with. Just then, she remembered she had not seen her new neighbour.

Hurrying out of her apartment, she stood in front of her neighbour's door and knocked. There was no reply the first, second and third time she knocked.

“Is someone inside?” She asked as she kept on knocking. “Hello!”

Just then, the door went open slowly as a young lady presumably about Josie's age stood at the entrance of the door with dishevelled hair. “Who are you?” She asked with not-so bright eyes.

Josie smiled as she entered. “I'm your next door neighbour, Josie Maran. I heard you moved in yesterday but I was unable to check on you last night, that's why it's the first thing I'm doing this morning.” She explained as she looked round the house. “Whoa! You really changed this place! This is so nice! I'm sure everything must have cost you a lot. Oh my! Your apartment is so nice! You have a guy's taste. It's somehow similar to my brother's apartment, but it's nice!” Pausing, she turned to look at the lady who was looking very confused. “Did you sleep well?” She asked her.

Ignoring her, the lady walked round as if looking for something.

“Is something wrong?” Josie asked, noticing her confused look. “Is there something you're looking for? I can help you! What is it?” She asked, walking up to her.

“I. . .I. . .” she stuttered.

“What is it?”

“Where am I?”

“Eh?”

Puzzled, Josie held her hand up and sighed. “Are you fine? If there's anything wrong, you can tell me, uhn.”

“Where am I? What am I doing here?”

"Are you okay? Do you want to go to the hospital?” Josie asked, placing her palm on the lady's forehead. “You don't look too well.”

“Where is this place?” The lady asked as she made way for her bag.

“This is your apartment.” Josie replied as she followed her.

“No!” She replied quickly. “Where are my shoes?”

Josie noticed a pair of green shoes beside the couch, but she couldn't tell her because she was worried the lady might not be in her right mind. Thinking about it, she wondered why she was acting that way when she just moved in. She was probably suffering from a psychological disorder or something. “Did something happen? Do you want me to call the police?”

“Where are my shoes?!” She shouted loudly as if she was asking Josie to look for them for her.

“Excuse me, you have to answer me so I can help you. What is it? Are you being threatened? Or is it a stalker? If you can't tell me because you don't know me, should I call the police?”

The lady stopped what she was doing and walked up to her. “I. . .I don't know where I am or how I got here and neither can I explain what I'm doing here, but can you help me with something?”

“What?”

“Who lives here?”

“Eh? Are you not the one that just moved here?”

“Me?”

Sighing, Josie concluded that the trauma must have been very difficult for her to bear that she lost her mind.

“It's okay.” Josie told her. “I don't know what happened, but don't worry, everything would be fine, okay?" Bringing out her phone, she decided to call a doctor.

"What are you doing. . .?” She asked her. “. . .with that?” She added, pointing to her phone.

“This?” She asked, raising it up. “Calling.” She replied.

“Who?”

“Just. . .a friend?”

“Hey! Do you think I'm crazy?”

“Me? No! Why would I think you're crazy?”

“I really don't know where I am.”

“I know. I know. I know how difficult it must have been for you and I'm ready to. . .”

She was interrupted by the sound of someone trying to open the door. Confused and puzzled, they both looked towards the door before looking at themselves.

“Who is it?” They both asked themselves.

“I should be the one asking you that.” Josie told her.

“I don't know.”

“How can you not know? Who is after you?”

“No one!”

“Ah, seriously! What have I gotten myself into this morning? Are you not going to hide?”

“Why should I?”

“Why. . . Why should you?” Josie stuttered. “I mean, you've been acting weird all along and I know something is wrong. What if someone is after you? Shouldn't you hide at least?”

Just then, the door went open making both of them freeze. Just like in slow motion, a guy with a black face cap and black overalls walked in and slammed the door behind him startling them in the process. Josie held the lady's hand as he walked towards them.

“You're still around?” He asked as he removed his face cap only to notice the presence of another lady. “Who is that?” He asked as he moved closer. “Did you call your friend over?”

Josie summoned the courage to face him as she released the lady's hand slowly. She didn't know who the lady was or who the guy was, but if she wanted to help her new neighbour, she had to start from somewhere, like right there.

“Yes. I'm her friend!” She replied as she looked straight at the guy only to open her eyes wide in surprise like she had just seen a ghost.