Almost Isolated

Chapter 21 - Confrontation

Alma dropped Neri to her grandparents' house fifteen minutes to five pm then drove home before the curfew. Neri would had gone inside but she must deal with Julian, first. Instead of locking herself inside her place, she walked towards the Jones' house.

"Don't." Neri felt one cool hand tugged her own. And Robbie added, "He won't let you go once you get into his house."

She remembered how the soldier ghost was able to push her. How he saved her life. Robbie was touching her again and Neri felt safe.

"Then stay with me," she said. "Anyway, he has Margot and Maddie as hostages. I can't quit on them -"

"I'll get them out. I just want to be sure you're going to be fine."

Robbie's baritone was almost a whisper and very sincere, it touched her soul. Again, she had that sensation that he adores her too. Looking into his soft dark irises, her heart skipped a beat with his next words.

"I think I'm in love with you."

Neri was speechless. How she liked him too but it had been chaotic for her at the moment. All the time, she thought, Robbie and she shared the same feelings and now, he coming out in the open as if it was possible for them seemed unreal. A ghost and a living person, falling in love?

Robbie had realized her reluctance; he let go. "I'm not sorry for sharing my feelings. I guess, I can never measure up to your ex-boyfriend, but I'll always accept you as something horrible -"

"Horrible?" The romantic atmosphere had suddenly burst like a bubble. The nerve of the guy!

"Well...I don't need your charity. And I don't need someone. Let go -" Neri turned away from him, her face red in annoyance. What an a*ss!

"I'm going to get my cousins!"

"Hey, I didn't mean it like that. It's just that -"

"What?" Glancing back at Robbie, she realized the ghost had vanished.

Neri hurriedly marched through the gate. But she was too late. After trying the key hidden between the pots, she discovered the side door was bolted shut from the inside. Robbie had locked her out.

"Ass*hole, let me in!"

~oOo~

Julian was by the window when he saw John's ghost hold his Alejandra's hand. Fury had immediately erupted as one scenario had flooded his memory.

"I really can't... I'm in love with John."

He remembered Alejandra saying her confession. They were having a tea in the dining room.

"But what about us?" He was not able to hide the anger in his voice, Alejandra flinched. Her beautiful eyes widened, terrified of him. Then it was all over.

His memory of her ended right there. Julian didn't even know what happened to her. All he knew was that Alejandra left and he was in love with her.

"I'm hungry, can we go home now?"

Julian heard the little girl whine to her sister. He left them in one of the rooms at the second floor to wait for Neri.

"You're such a cry baby -"

"But it's getting dark... Look outside. Mom said we shouldn't go out in the first place. We're in trouble. No... YOU ARE in trouble because you're in charge."

"Just a little bit," Margot scolded. "Mr. Jones said he's going to show us some stuff -"

"I bet it's more old stuff," Maddie grumbled. "Let's gooo hoommme! Or I'm going to call mommy. Give me your phone!"

There were sounds of struggle from the floor above and then the yelling. Julian thought, he should join the two to break the bickering. What a headache!

Julian didn't like children when he was still living. They were noisy and trouble makers. He thought, a world in solitude had changed his opinion about them but he was wrong. Despite of the new technology, they'd shown him, he wanted them out as soon as his Alejandra arrives.

He remembered Margot as one of the two teenagers who trashed his house a few months ago. He had to show himself to give her a lesson. The latter got interested in him, instead. And unexpectedly, brought his lost love to him.

Still Julian wanted them out -

"Ahem." Robbie was standing by the doorway to the hall. His dark eyes, hard and threatening. "I'm going to fetch the kids. And you won't see Neri ever again."

Julian wanted to look nice for his Alejandra with his blue eyes and handsome stature; he let his body lose into semi-transparency, giving him a misty-glowing look. His vision, blood red.

"Where is my Alejandra?"

"Neri... her name is Neri," Robbie put in. "And about Alejandra, she didn't love you. You are just so obsessed with her. Stop pestering yourself with lies and go find the light. Go to heaven or hell, I don't care. Leave Neri alone."

"Because you are in love with her, John. Traitor! We were comrades -"

"I don't remember who I am. But I think I'm not some 'John'."

"You are John. Don't lie to me and you love Alejandra. I saw how you held her hand. Return her to me -"

They heard pounding on the house's side door. "Ass*hole, let me in!"

"Alejandra?" There was a feeling of hope as he saw Robbie dropped his gaze and grimaced. Julian wanted to hold it into his heart. But the cold had come rushing back as he grasped his lady love's intention.

"I want to talk to Julian. Tell him myself that Alejandra only loved him as a friend -!"

"That's not true!" There was a recollection of betrayal and Julian felt his energy rising. An aura born of immense hate and anguish, crushing him, waiting to be released.

He was damned, trapped inside his house for years. Hurt by the people he cared about. Confused for being alone. He had no clue for his purpose on Earth. All he knew, his Alejandra will make things better. But now, she's going to leave him again.

Julian screamed as he concentrated his energy around him, blasting everything on its path. Robbie was thrown away, his body blown into bits through the wall. The house shook. The lights blinked crazy. From the upper floor, he heard Maddie crying, wailing, she wants to go home.