The Love Triangle

Careless

Author's Note: That's how Jonathan looks. (Donny's older brother) 👀👌💕

Chapter 5

Amber

My alarm clock buzzed, and I slammed my hands on it so it could stop ringing.

Ugh. Time for school.

I didn't want to go, but at the same time, I wanted to. I wanted to see Donny. Last night, I couldn't sleep properly. I had been tossing and adjusting my pillow. It was because I couldn't stop thinking about him.

He was all I could think about. And still was all I could think about.

I rolled off my bed and got ready for school. Once I was done, I had enough time to make my mother breakfast. I made her eggs and bacon and slapped an orange sticky note on the fridge.

Enjoy your meal. You deserve it. Love you.

- Amber

As I walked on the sidewalk, heading to Kim's house, a strange sensation stirred inside my stomach as if something wasn't right.

But what could that be?

My eyes shifted to the left and my body stiffened. My steps almost faltered as I stared into the uncanny eyes of the old lady. An unpleasant shiver ran down my spine as I realized she was my next door neighbor—the one who I thought called my name at night—the one who gave us cherry pie—and the one who lived in that white Victorian house.

Her lifeless figure lingered on her white porch, staring back at me in a spooky and unsettling way.

I gulped nervously.

Turning away, I could still feel her eyes following my every move and it felt like a taunting presence.

I quickened my pace.

"Do you know anything about some old lady in our neighborhood?" I asked Kim.

The wind gently blew on her black hair and chic, black sunglasses. The morning sunlight seeped past the tall, majestic trees, glowing irregular-shaped spots on the road as she drove us to school.

"Yeah." Kim laughed. "They say she's a witch."

"A witch?"

"You know like the wicked witch of the east," she joked. "They call her mambunga."

I giggled. "What's a mambunga?"

"An unexpected encounter. You won't see her coming."

One word: creepy.

"Who told you this?"

"People from school, but they're only rumors."

I frowned. "You're freaking me out. She's my neighbor, you know."

She shot me a glance and wiggled her fingers at me like a spider. "Make sure she doesn't pull your sheets at night."

We laughed. Our booming laughter echoed throughout the silent forest. As soon as we sailed into the student parking lot, Kim asked me to join her and the group.

"Maybe some other time," I said as we walked inside the school building. "I have to meet up with somebody."

Kim's thin eyebrows raised. "You're meeting up with Donny?"

"No. I'm meeting up with some guy named Marky."

Kim's jaw hung open and she halted in her tracks. "Marky as in Angelica's attractive brother?"

"That's her brother?"

"Yup." She grinned. "What are you doing with him? I thought you liked Donny."