We and Us

Chapter 16

It took me two hours before I can fall asleep. Well it's better than sleeping at 7am. I woke up today at 10am.  As usual, I would take a shower and get down to make breakfast.  As I climb down the stair, a voice greets me.

"Morning Rey! You sleep well?"
Benji came from behind.

"Actually yeah, I sleep a bit early than usual and now I'm freshed. Come, let's eat." I told him.

"Steve went to work early today so that he can come home by 5. Its just us 3 right now. What you wanna do?"  he  asked as he pour milk into 3 bowls.

"Wait no I can't drink milk." I stopped his hand.

"Alex told you already, eating only fruits is not healthy. Let me do it today." he continue to put cereals in it. I sighed. I have my Epi-pen ready in my bag upstairs.

Just when I reach for the cereal drowned in milk, another hand pushed it.

"You can't drink milk." Alex came and sit next to me. He smiled sneakily and take another bowl from the counter.

"Why can't she? Is it your ED?" Benji asked.

"She's allergic to it you moron."
Alex smacked Benji's head.

"Then why would you take it, you could've tell me no." Benji defended himself. He put the left over bowl in the fridge.

"I kinda did." I said. Alex put a new bowl of just cereal in front of me.

"Thanks. So I was thinking, how are we doing it tonight?" I asked.
They look into each other eyes until Alex voiced out.

"To tell him that you're gonna be in the empty gym tonight, he need to know you're alone. How about we go shopping?"

Me and Benji tilted our heads.
"Is he at the mall?" I asked.
Alex nodded. And show the tracker in his phone.

"We'll go to where he is, not close enough that he can reach you but closer to let him hear where you're going tonight. We need another proof that he's the stalker." Alex said.

Benji nodded. "I'll run after him once he shows up. You hide to take proofs, is that okay?"

Alex shake his head. "No, I'm stronger than you. I want you to call the police once he's there. She needs to know where she can hide and run from him. We'll go to the mall first then check the gym. I assure you, the gym is isolated and nobody goes there anymore." he holds my hand.

Benji just nodded. I asked them,"How about Steve? What will he do?"

"I don't know, anyway, let's go shopping before our little mission starts." Alex put his key on the counter.  I nodded and clean my dishes. I go upstairs and take out a pair of clothes that's easy to move in. A black sweatpants and cropped t-shirt that I wear over white inner. I put my hair neatly in a bun and secure it with bobby pins. It doesn't take me long before I wait in the living room.

"You look nice, more natural." Alex said. He brushes my cheek.

"You can see that I'm not wearing makeup?" I asked.

"Yes, and I like it better this way. About tonight, I'm gonna catch him as quick as possible. So please, be careful."  he holds my hand.

"Now that's suspicious. Too many skinship." Benji came down and saw us holding hands.

"Jealous? She's mine." Alex boast.
I hit him on his shoulder to cover my face.

"You guys are WHAT? Since uh WHEN?" his mouth dropped.  I laughed to his reaction.

"Yesterday, last night." Alex smiled at me.

"Shut up.. You're kidding right? Rey tell me that Alex's kidding."

I shake my head. "It's true. Sorry you had to found out this way."  I said.

"Then... I hope you will take care of him. Alex's a piece of work." he finally accepted the info. He doesn't seem to really mind it.

We locked the gate and ride in Alex's car. I sit at the back while Benji sit in front. On the way, Benji asked : "So, who ask who?"

Alex look at me using the mirror and laughed quietly.
"I did. She's giving me a week before saying yes or no."

"What? That's weird. I thought you asked him?" Benji pointed at me then Alex.

"Why would you think that?" Alex asked.

"Cause I've seen how she always look at you with her eyes and how she treats you is different than me. And sometimes when we hang together she would tel-"
I shut Benji's mouth before he spit out the secret. Alex look at me with a confused look.

"Gross! Don't lick my palm!" I smacked him in the head. Alex lift his eyebrow and asked Benji
"What did she told?"

"Nothing. You don't need to know that, it's nothing. Trust me." I said it in a very quick manner.

"Fine, we're here. Let's buy safety gear." Alex park in the outside lot.
We walk from store to store, loitering around, eating ice cream and just basically hanging out. Till we set foot in a sports store.

"Welcome, what are you looking for? There's new items and used. The prices are negotiable. Tell me if you want something specific."  the store seller told.
We walk around, since the venue tonight is the gym, we need something that can cover myself from him without it visible. We pick a whistle, an alarm that sounds when somebody get to close to you, a keychain that holds a mini knife, a metal rod that can extend and a pepper spray. I'll be carrying all of this when I'm confront him.

"I think that's all. Give me those, I'll pay.  Benji why don't you take her out first."  He take the basket and put it over the counter. In just a minute later, he walk out of the store.

"I'm done. Is there anything else you guys need?" Alex asked. Benji shake his head while I look up the ceiling to think.

"Can we buy something matching for us? This will be a very memorable day in my life and I just hope theres something I can carry on to remember it." I told them. Alex just smiled and nodded. Benji whistled and walk next to me.

We go to a store that has rings in multiple sizes that can engraved our names in it. They also have customised t-shirt printing.

"T-shirt or rings?" I asked them.
"Ring sounds good, I wear t-shirt but not all the time so I might overgrown it." Benji said. Alex also agreed and we pick on our sizes. The ring is black, and the name engraved is in gold.

"Thanks, how much?" I take out my purse.
"No I'll pay for it. Is this enough?"
Alex pull down my hand and put 20 dollars on the counter. The seller nodded and reach to take the money.
I pull his hand down this time.
"Consider this as my thanks to you guys. I can't do much but it's from my heart." I told Alex and he sighs. I paid and we waited for our rings to be done. While waiting, I wanted to go to the toilet alone but Benji insisted on accompanying. I give up in resisting and he followed. 3 minutes later, I joined him back and saw Alex already done with the rings. Waiting for us.

"Let's go 'home.'" I said. Alex take out his phone that tracked the stalker. He's in the parking lot.
"We need to let him know without being obvious about it. I'll bring the car there, can you make sure she's good?" he asked Benji to which he nodded. Alex give me one last look before running to his car.