My EX Next Door

《Chapter 16》

Tomorrow is a no-work day so I planned to bike around and inside the park.

But today,let's just work hard and earn money slowly. I'll get my salary soon so I shall not worry.

At the end of the day,Bernard helped me to clean and close the store.

"I heard from your mom that you're always busy." He said as we walked together while I'm holding my bike along with us.

"So?"
"I want to take you somewhere." He said, "you'll be simply happy by this."
"There you go again. Instead of letting me rest,you always drag me somewhere."
"Just follow me,you're so loud. You complain a lot,Kris."

I sulked and just followed him until we reached a tall building. He parked my bike infront of the structure. Bernard grabbed my hand and pulled me to the stairs inside the building.

"Woah,woah,woah." I stopped as we reached the 4th floor already. "You're telling me that we'll go to the rooftop of this building?" He nodded. "Can we use the elevator?"

He stopped from running and faced me. "I'm claustrophobic. You don't know that?"

"Really? Fine." I said,dropping my body to the floor. "But I'm tired so let me rest."

He did let me rest but ater a few minutes,he grabbed my hand again and pulled me as he ran to the rooftop.

I slowed down a little bit and Bernard noticed it. "We'll be late if you're slow." He gave me a piggyback ride until we reached the very top,at last.

Bernard placed me down and then we sat on the large bench in the center.

"What are we waiting for here?" I asked him because I'm already running out of patience. I looked at him,he's focused on his wristwatch.

He counted slowly, "8,7,6.." he grabbed my hand again and we stood behind the bars that's preventing us from falling. "3,2,1!"

The closed lights of the buildings in the city turned on one by one. I was amazed by this because even I grew up in this city,I never saw this in the 17 years I lived.

We sat back down again but Bernard suddenly left me when a guy popped out from the elevetor. He came back to me while holding a paper bag.

"I ordered a fried chicken and soda. We'll have our dinner here." And we did.

By 8:30pm,he sent me back home and he headed to their house.

I woke up at 10am and I felt my legs are so sore. It's really painful. I stayed on my bed,laying down.

After eating lunch,I took a bath and I started reading a new book that Dad bought me. I read while lying down because I can still feel the pain that Bernard's journey caused me. Supposedly,I'll exercise with my bike on the morning but since I woke up late,I'll do it in the afternoon.

"Mom,I'll go to the park." She just nodded so I started changing my clothes and rode my bike to the park. It was the park where Joaquin broke up with me.

I planned to go for 10 laps around the park with my bike since it's not that big. I already went around for 6 times. Not until I was bothered by someone who's trying to go with me. He smirked at me like he's competing in what I was doing.

"What are you doing,Joaquin? I'm busy." So I didn't mind him and just went on with my own business. I can still feel him following me but I still didn't care.

"Am I not allowed to go here?" He said,annoying me by his smirk and teasing voice that always made me irritated by his presence. "I didn't came for you."

I pedaled 2 times harder and faster than I should and I bet he'll not go along with me again. He still did and still managed to say, "Be careful! I don't bite,just so you know."

That made me want to avoid him more for no reason so I pedaled 3 times faster. I turned around to him and sticked a tongue out. I already fell after 1 minute of pedaling that fast.

I was hurting and trying to endure the pain of the bruise on my knees. Joaquin ran to me and helped me up but I can't so he lifted me up to the grass in a bride style of lifting up. He placed me down and pulled a band aid from the pocket of his jacket.

"Why wear shorts?" He asked me while putting the band aids on my bruised knees.

"It's summer,you..ouch,ouch. Careful." I said,then he nodded. He looked up to me and smiled. Joaquin rubbed his palms together and stood up.

He headed to our bikes and put it aside us. Joaquin placed a picnic blanket on top of the grass and then we sat on it.

"You planned this,huh?" I asked,sitting comfortably.

"Uh.." He said, "I-it's always t-there inside my basket."

"Oh,really?" I asked sarcastically.