A Bucket Of Your Heart

Chapter 5

»»5««

It's Sunday afternoon and I'm eating pancakes while watching Princess and the Pauper.

"Cloe...psst," someone called and by someone I meant Clylde the thief.

"Pa'no mo nalaman ang pangalan ko?" I curiously asked. Shocked that he knew my name. 

He climbed himself through the windows, "Nabasa ko sa journal mo... Cloe Garcia." 

Thinking about it made my blood boil. It's supposed to be confidential. 

I put the pancakes at the bedside table and crossed my arms, "Hanggang saan ang nabasa mo?" 

He threw a bag of plastic towards me and laid down on my bed. 

"Lahat," he said and winked. 

I'm offended by his manners. Who does this guy think he is? I opened the bag and saw oranges. 

"Para saan 'to?"

He sat properly beside me, "Favorite mo 'yan diba?" and he winked again. 

I made a disgusted face. 

"Sa'n mo 'to kinuha?" I speculated.

"Ninakaw ko," he replied nonchalantly.

"Ninakaw mo?!"

"Chillax. Biro lang iyon. Ito naman."

I rolled my eyes in annoyance.

"Ano yan?" he asked as he sniffed in the air.

I looked at the pancakes and gave it to him. "Gusto mo?"

He sniffed the pancake before tasting it. It made me wonder if it's his first time eating a pancake.

His face lightened up after savoring the taste of the food.

"Wala ba kayong pagkain sa bahay niyo?" I asked and picked an orange to eat.

"Wala kaming pera," he said like it was the most obvious thing.

My appetite left my body after hearing that. How can he be so casual with it?

"Kaya pala nang-aakyat bahay ka."

"Bahay niyo lang naman inaakyat ko."

Just our house? 

"Ba't sa 'min lang?" I curiously asked. 

"Magandang dilag, puso ko'y iyong nabihag," he sang while looking at me. Such an idiot. 

A small smile formed on my lips. 

"Hindi nga. Bakit nga sa 'min lang?" 

"May hinahanap lang kasi ako," he confessed. Before I could asked he talked again. "Isang kwintas, iyong may picture sa loob. Baka nandito."

A random memory came to my mind and I remembered seeing a locket before. 

"Alam ko na kung nasaan," I exclaimed. 

I told him to stop eating and follow me to the unused room. 

I stepped on the stool and grabbed the box above the bookshelf. The dust scattered around when I blew on it, causing me to cough. 

The things inside are only old toys and pencils. I took all of them outside and found a locket at the end. It's a gold locket that's heart shaped. 

The thief is over the other side and reading my journal, again. I hate to see things unorganised so I put it back first before going to Clyde. 

"Hey," I called out. 

"Nakita mo?" he asked eagerly. 

I showed him the locket. His face lit up in happiness while he examined it.

He must be that happy, huh.

I took the journal and turned around to go down.

"Thank you..." He blurted out genuinely, "Cloe..." 

I stopped from my tracks and faced him. 

"You're welcome." 

I tried to smile at him. 

I guess he won't be coming back now.