REMEMBER [ON HOLD]

2. DON'T GO

 Copyright © 2014 GIN

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 "Please remember?" I heaved a sigh and inserted the note in my binder. "Must be Alice. So melodramatic, seriously."

Dragging my feet to my desk, I grabbed my cellphone on the way. I had one unread message.

17:54 Unknown Number

REMEMBER.

I rolled my eyes and called Alice. She picked up her phone on the fourth ring.

"Hello hello hello~! Jenny!" She greeted chirpily. "Sup?"

"Who's number was that?" I cut to the chase.

"What number?"

"Alice you weirdo. Slipping notes in my binder and then texting me from an unknown number just to guilt-trip me because I forgot about yesterday."

"What?" She asked in a high tone. "I didn't slip you any notes today and I sure as heck didn't text you from an unknown number! Shut up!" She scoffed.

"Yeah right."

"I'm telling the truth! If I wanted to guilt-trip you, I'd follow you around and annoy you to bits. You know that's true."

I sighed. "Yeah, I guess. Sorry, it's just so odd. The note and the text. I mean who would be close enough to me that they could slip a note in my binder?"

I heard her squeal. "Secret admirer maybe? Ninja Secret admirer?!"

"Yeah whatever." I snorted. "By the way? Where did you run off to?"

"Oh yeah! I went to a game store to buy this game and I didn't drag you along since you told me you wanted to rest for the day."

"Oh, a game?"

"Yeah! It's about a guy named Alan who was a best-selling author but he suffered from a two-year stretch of writer's block. He and his wife had a vacation to this island and shit happens. It's a psychological horror game and it's good. I was playing when you called me. And now you have to watch me play."

"It sounds interesting and I'm so sorry- wait what?!" Did I hear her say I have to watch her play?

"Yeah, I'm going to guilt-trip you right now. Watch me play." I can almost hear her smirk.

I groaned. "Well, I don't think I'm in the mood to rest anymore anyway, I'll be there in 10 minutes."

"Yay! See you!" She cheered and hang up.

I grabbed a sweater, my wallet, keys, and went for the door.

I screamed when I opened it and saw what was waiting for me outside.

"James?! What the fuck are you doing standing there? You almost gave me a heart attack!" I chuckled and slapped his shoulder playfully.

James is my silent next door neighbor. He's the type of guy who likes books more than cars. I always see him with his nose buried in a book and he hardly pays attention to his surroundings. We exchanged a few greeting here and there and that's about it. It's quite a shock that he was standing in front of my door right now but that's not why I screamed. He was practically leaning on it with his forehead that he almost fell.

"Sorry." He told me, his face blank.

"It's okay." I gave him a brief smile. "What were you doing?"

He blinked a few times as if to adjust his eyes.

"Nothing." He took a step back.

"Okay?" I stepped outside, turned behind me and locked the door.

"Everytime." I heard James mutter behind me.

"Excuse me?" I turned to him.

"Remember." He whispered.

He got my full attention now.

"What did you say?"

"I said remember." He suddenly grabbed my arm. "Don't go. Please."

I yanked my arm from him.

"What's wrong with you James? Remember what? Were you the one who wrote that note? Who texted me?!" I frowned at him.

"Notes?" He asked, confused.

"Nevermind. James, remember what? I've been receiving these messages about remembering and I don't know where they came from. Tell me." I gently shook his arms.

He looked away. "Everytime." He looked back at me. "Just don't go, please." He eyed me worriedly, grabbed his letters from his mailbox and hurriedly went inside his apartment.

My phone rang. Alarm? I don't remember setting an alarm?

18:15 Listen to him.