Chapter 2

A huge lump of nervousness stuck itself in my throat that I’ve been itching to swallow down. Mister Officer James here, the cop, had offered me a ride after that little incident with Ralph earlier. I insisted on walking to my home by myself but he carried me and shoved me inside his luxurious car. And since a few minutes ago, I fully intended on filing a case for kidnapping but I can’t do that now; his car’s seat is too comfortable.

“I’m not on duty for the rest of the afternoon and decided on going to the café. I never knew that a wonderful goddess such as you would sweep me off of my feet and carry me to the heavens.” James smiled as he focused his eyes on the road.

His words allowed me to cringe mentally. I averted my attention and thoughts from him to the world on the other side of the car window. For these two months, I learned to live by myself since my aunt died. I knew the Lord himself knows that I can get through this loneliness and mess up thoughts without relying on anyone. It was my aunt’s time; she has lived long enough to the point where the life she borrowed was taken back by the creator himself.

“Hey?”

Officer James’ voice pulled me out of my thoughts and I faced him with my eyebrows raised, “Yes?”

“We’ve arrived,” he said. His lips were pulled slightly to a small smile

“Thank you,” I bobbed my head once and went out of the car. I gently closed the door and smiled at him sheepishly. Seems like the hot cop that I’ve been eyeing on earlier and just recently got himself crossed out of my list will be out of my sight starting now. Such great news.

“Welcome, call me if you’re in need of company,” he grinned and reached out his hand, offering me a small paper.

With the urge to get rid of him out of my sight, I swiped off the paper from his hand and nodded, “Thank you, I’ll be going now; my mother could be worried about me.”

I clung onto the shoulder bag and rushed to the front door. I didn’t want to hear any of his words anymore, I wanted him gone. My hand fished for the keys in my pocket and I dug the key deep to the keyhole and opened the door.

Whilst Chad, the only son of the Reyes family from beside my home waved his hand at me. He called me by my name, causing me to smile.

The shouts of Officer James immediately caught my attention and I’ve got only one thing to do…

“I’m home, mom!” I shouted as I got in and closed the door behind me. It took him a few seconds before I heard his car’s engine roar to life and he sped away.

I used my late mother as a lie, pathetic.

Time flew by fast, consistent with its pace. It never changed its pace; I noticed it since I was a child. It felt like yesterday I never got to meet my mother and I was raised by my aunt then by tomorrow, I grew up and my aunt died.

It has been only a few months but I felt… worthless. Aunt Nana said my mother had died giving birth to me and my father left after knowing a mistake such as me was left growing inside my mother’s belly and was not planned for abortion.

He was a coward, my mother wasn’t.

And there, Ralph came on the first day of my shift at the café. He was charming, truly. He was very caring and sweet. He was always there for me and I have always viewed him as a friend. After he knew how I saw him, his sugarcoats of extreme sweetness melted off his face and revealed his true colors.

As far as I know, he loves to lure in women with his sugar coated mouth and personality. Since the day I decided on turning my back against him, he couldn’t stop pestering me and my life. 

If Officer James didn’t come out earlier when Ralph was hurting me… I fear something that I have feared for weeks will happen which women refer to as a nightmare.

I glanced on the table beside my bed and the little paper Officer James offered me earlier only sat there, waiting to be picked up. I needed someone to vent my emotions out but I couldn’t. My head shook disapprovingly at the thought of contacting Officer James over a simple problem.

The ticking of the clock pulled out my thoughts and I diverted my eyes to it. It was still 8 in the evening and my shift tomorrow would start at 6 in the morning. My mind has been settled–I planned on reading my book until the clock struck 9, rather than having myself drowned in my pitiful thoughts.

My fingers fumbled across the numerous pages of the book I had in my hands to search for the page that I folded into half earlier at the café. When my fingers came to a stop, I opened the book widely and brought it up to my face and leaned my back against the window of my bedroom.

I allowed my eyes to move from word to word, processing each of them into mind and let my imagination do the rest of the work.

My eyes flew open at the ringing of my phone’s alarm. Instead of getting a hold of my phone, my fingers met with a thin and soft fabric–the tissue. And then it all sunk in. I have been crying myself to sleep earlier at midnight–the tidal wave of pitiful thoughts attacked me unexpectedly.

I sat upright and reached for my phone on the table. I felt something at the back of my phone, maybe two inches long and a thin prick on my finger. I tapped on the OFF button of my phone and the alarm went off while my other hand reached for something attached to the back and ripped it off.

There was a small letter stuck to my phone with a tape and it said,

Hello Xyla : ) How were your months living alone without your Aunt Nana? She was getting old and she needed to die. Would you like to die too?

Enraged, I bit my lip and crumpled the letter. Who would do this to me? Who would pull a stupid prank on me? My Aunt Nana died of age.

There were no possible culprits I could think of. I have never been in a continuous conversation with anyone for days except for my coworkers.

I turned on my phone and dialed the hotline of a police station. I brought it up to my left ear and it started to ring. It rang twice. It rang thrice. Then, police picked it up.

"Hello, this is the police station, how may we help you?" A gruff voice from the other side of the line spoke up.

"Officer? I need your help. Just a few minutes ago when I woke up, there was a small letter stuck to my phone," I took the letter and read.

"How old are you, ma'am?"

"Eighteen," I replied immediately.

"Please stop with the pranks, kiddo.” I heard the police scoff and he cut me off.

A prank? So, that's what the officers thought this was? I paused to think. Maybe it was Officer James who did this to me. He knew where I live. That would basically mean he barged into my room? My eyes widened in such a dirty thought. I quickly turned around and walked over to my wardrobe, taking quick steps.

I pulled the wardrobe doors open and opened each of my drawers. The underwear I've placed in them were perfectly neat and properly placed just like how I did them a week ago.

What was I thinking? I couldn't possibly just view him as a suspect for this. He's a pervert but he helped me or maybe, he was taking advantage of me.

Hours had passed and I'd been waiting for that handsome yet arrogant cop who pulled a dirty little trick on me.

"What are you doing, sky?"

I nearly jumped out of surprise from Ronald's voice. I looked at him. His eyes were fixed on my fist where I had hidden the letter.

"What?"

"Your hand, what are you hiding in it?"

"It's nothing," I shook my head. Ronald does not need to know anything.

"I bet it's from that hot cop," he grinned and nudged my elbow, "You finally got yourself some real fun last night." He giggled and took a slap on my shoulder.

"What? No, you're disgusting," I pointed my finger on his chest and gritted my teeth. "First of all, I don't fantasize about people. Second, we didn't do that."

He gently took my finger away from his chest, "you said you and the cop didn't do that. So, what kind of fun were you doing?" He wiggled his thick, bushy eyebrows."

I noticed his eyes roll at me and widen when he looked forward, "Guess what, 12 o'clock boo."

"12? It's already 2 in the afternoon." My eyebrows knitted together as I fished for my phone in my back pocket.

"Oh, for crying out loud, just face the door." He groaned.

Ronald's words allowed my heart to drop due to the heaviness the words made me felt. I faced the front door and the extremely annoying grin of an officer triggered the angry dog inside me.

With the same enthusiasm he brought yesterday, he walked closer with his grin getting larger by each step he took. "Hey beautiful, how was your day?" He asked and placed his arms on the counter table.

"You ruined it."

"Her day was awesome and her night with you would make it awesomely fun."

Officer James laughed out loud with a hand over his chest. Though I must admit that his laughing voice is undoubtedly pleasant to hear but his personality just ticks me off.

"Officer James," I loosened the tightness I did with my fist.

"Yes, lil' mouse?" He placed his palm under his chin and focused his eyes on me.

I wanted to flinch at how he addressed me but somehow, I felt comfortable with it, "can we talk?"

"Of course," he smiled with pure evilness written on his lips. 

"Follow me," my feet swivelled around, carrying my body and I sighed. It was a great thing that the manager is not around not until tomorrow–Wednesday. If he was here now, I'd get fired for allowing a costumer go to the authorized room.

"I bet Sky's pregnant with your seedling," my ears caught up with Ronald's cringey words. 

 I walked past the kitchen room. The taps of Officer James' shoes was enough to inform that he really was following me. I unlocked the door and pushed it outside, silently wishing that Ralph wouldn't be here outside.

Glady, he's not here...for now. 

I stepped outside, allowing him to go outside as well. “Was it you?” My fingers rummaged on my pockets. I couldn’t remember from which amongst all these 4 pockets of my jeans I have placed the letter.

He raised his eyebrows and asked, “what?”

As soon as my fingers got a hold of a rough ball, I picked it up and handed it over to him. “Were you the one who stuck this letter to the back of my phone?”

I could see the curiosity and confusion both written in his face as he took the letter and opened it. Horror plastered on his face and he shook his head, “No.”

“Are you sure that it wasn’t you?”

“Yes, I am sure that it wasn’t me who stuck this at the back of your phone.”

“Then who?”

“Who knows,” he shrugged, “I mean–I only gave you a paper of my number, nothing else.”

“Oh gosh, no,” my hands pulled up to my mouth as I prevented a sob. Maybe someone really did kill my aunt Nana.

“Xyla, look at me,” Officer James placed his hands on both of my shoulders. I flinched at his sudden touch and heard him ask, “Are you sure that this is not a prank?”

“Ye—were you the one who accepted my call earlier this morning?” I asked.

“No, it was Officer Adrian. I was with him earlier so I heard it all,” he pulled up a soft smile on his lips. “Plus, the moment I read the letter, I thought I heard it somewhere.”

“Someone might be planning on killing me!” I gasped. Tears gathered in my face and he shook me softly.

“Don’t think like that. It could only be a prank. Once you receive another note by tomorrow, don’t hesitate to call me. I will help you.”