“Na-nanana-nananananana,” I hummed as I cheerfully sweep the floor of the apartment I am staying at. I have been living here for almost two years with my cousin, Jackie and her officemate, Jane.
“Is that your favorite? I always hear you humming that nursery rhyme,” Jane asked.
“So, it is a nursery rhyme?” I asked her back.
It isn’t my favorite whatsoever. I just hear Jackie humming that tune every night. In fact, I hate the tune. It was too childish. It just so happened that I am too lazy to open my eyes and utter a word to yell at Jackie to stop that stupid humming. And here I am, infected with that earworm thing. I could even hear the sound up to the rest room. Bad brain!
“Yeah, but I can’t recall the title,” Jane dived on her bed, her iPad on her left hand. Tsk, lazy roommate.
“I’ll ask Jackie, maybe she knows. And maybe it’s her, who loves that nursery rhyme you are talking about. She’s the one we’re hearing every night.”
“Oh? I thought it was you. Maybe you have the same singi--- I mean, humming voice range!” she stressed as she let out a hearty laugh. I really don’t sing. I am okay with humming.
“Whatever! Just help me here,” I nagged. “Look at these! Change your shampoo please, you’re experiencing chronic hair fall!” I continued as I finish sweeping the floor with tons of hair strands.
“That is not mine!” she exclaimed. I shrugged. Oh well, would a thief stupidly admit that he steals?
After doing some chores, I decided to have a bath. Cleaning a room of three alone is such an arduous work.
“Na-nanana-nananananana,” I hummed, again, as I exited the bathroom. I found Jane taking her endless selfies. “It’s your turn. Please clean the bathroom after shower.”
Jane gasped. She rolled her eyes as she let go of her gadget. I scorned her for that behavior. When she entered the bathroom, I began dressing up.
“Na-nan---,” I was about to start humming, I heard a familiar voice humming the same tune. At the exact moment! Oh, it must be Jane. She may also be infected with earworm. Ha!
“Na-nanana-nananananana.” The voice was mellow, the tempo was lower than the way Jackie hums it.
I admit I am a wee coward when I heard it. I don’t want to believe Jane and Jackie that we have a fourth occupant.
Before Jane, our third member was Vina. According to her, one night she woke up and saw a girl in white walking across the room. She stopped right in front of my bed and glanced at her. The girl even smiled at her, she says. The next day, Vina decided to immediately pack her things and find another apartment.
I was uncertain if I would turn around to see who was humming. I’m glad I did.
I saw nothing but Jane’s phone which the backlight has just turned off. Maybe she recorded Jackie’s voice and made it her ringtone. I want to buy that kind of phone; it captured Jackie’s exact voice. No exaggeration! Only that, it was slower, thanks technology!
“Ugh! I think I’m having earworm, too. I can’t get that song out of my head!” Jane came out the bathroom yelling. She immediately dressed herself up then walked back to her bed and did her hair.
“Hey, your hair,” I reminded her.
“Look, there’s nothing!” she pouted then started posing, maybe taking selfies again.
I didn’t argue with her. Maybe it was Jackie’s, I thought.
“Hey, look at this!” Jane fretted. She handed me her phone and I saw her awesome selfies. She always feel good about herself, that is why I hate her. Yes, I hate her. To death. She is someone I wish I am. That is why I hate her.
