Hello Neighbor: Hidden Shadows: Unofficial AFK Book

CHAPTER 3

I manage to limp my way upstairs, surprisingly being able to keep my mind off of my physical pain. I open the door, being anxiously met with Enzo and Maritza sitting on my bed. I take a few steps in, taking a second to observe my room. It's been searched obviously, but almost looks the same as I left it.

   Empty. Abandon. Those would describe it best. I pan over back to Enzo and Maritza, who had been keeping their eyes on me this whole time period.

   "Where have you been?" Maritza asks. She locks eyes with me instantly, making me somewhat nervous.

   "I-I don't know if I should do that," I reply, sitting down in a chair at my desk.

   "We already promised that we would listen; months ago." Enzo says. I'm left in a state of confusion.

   Listen? They finally wanted to listen? As if.

   "What are you talking about?" I ask. Enzo's face straightens to being sharper and more serious.

   "Before you were gone, we went to try to talk you out of this thing, but you weren't there," he answers. His facial expression seemed promising enough, so I wanted to really believe that they would listen this time. But I still thought otherwise.

   My eyes glance over to Maritza again, who seems completely burned out. The dark circles surrounding her eyes. The face of sadness, and anger, and fear. I think it's mostly anger. I'm still expecting to be choked to death any minute now.

   "Just tell the truth; we're listening," says Enzo, with a promising expression. I look back to Maritza, who nods at me to talk. I feel disoriented, like I'm dreaming, or scared what will happen this time, but they really look willing to listen.

   "You can drop it already. I know you don't really care," I say.

   "We do care!"

   "Prove it then. If you wanted me to do it so badly!" I snap. They both just look hurt now. On one side I want them to feel the pain, but on the other I'm trying to pull myself together.

   "Where do you want me to start?" I ask nervously, like my heart is about to burst out of my chest.

   I tell them everything. Everything. Even what happened before and during the time I was missing. I then finish the painful rage-enduring story, and Enzo and Maritza are left in a somewhat-shocked state in their faces. The look on their faces are telling me that they actually believe me; or maybe that they think that this was nonsense. I don't think either of them wanted to talk after what they just heard. I had been crying near the end of my story, to the point of rocking myself in my chair.

   "I knew that there was something with him I didn't like about him," Enzo mumbles.

   "So why didn't you help me if you knew?" I ask, mostly questioning the underreaction he just had. He pauses for a second, his eyes slowly making his way in line of mine.

   "You know why, Nicky. Why do you think we kept telling you to leave it alone?" he responds, getting defensive. I guess I meant to ask them "Why did you abandon me", or something like that. 

   "Because everyone else said so?"

   "No," he says, as if writing it it would be in all capital letters.

   "I told you to watch you back around him, Nicky. What did you think would happen?" Enzo says.

   "Wait, hold on. Do you know what happened to me the past two months?" I challenge. Maritza and Enzo share a look with one another. 

  "I mean"

  "You don't even know what you put me through down there!" I realize how aggressive my tone is, and I try to calm down.