Seven

"Not that much," he shrugged. "Upstairs is your bed and workplace. Just act when my family visits you here."

I glanced at him. He put down the phone and his face was blank. "I gotta go. If you need anything, there's my contact on your phone. Just call me. We'll talk tomorrow. Don't do stupid things."

I nodded. I watched him leave until the door closed. I'm going to have a pad tour here. I smiled at the thought.

 

When I got out of the taxi I was riding in, Aunt Beatrice was not in her house on Sundays. Using the duplicate key, I opened the door to her house. I went to my room and got my other laptop, some files, and a USB drive. I stuffed it into the holder of my laptop bag.

I put a picture frame of me and my friends on the nightstand. When I got the hang of it, I went downstairs. I was about to open the door when in the small opening I noticed a man coming out of a black car. Its gaze stopped at the door. I closed it immediately. Using the peephole, I saw the man approach the gate and ring the doorbell several times.

Who could it be? I feel bad for this man. The man went back and forth to the gate and his car several times. The look on his face was like he was looking for someone. Who? Me?

I waited for the man to leave before I left the house, closed it and took the taxi that was waiting for me. A few meters away from Aunt Beatrice's house.

The taxi started when I told him where I was going. He stopped me in front of a public library. I left after I paid the driver. I adjusted the placement of the white hooded jacket on my head. I'm wearing a hooded jacket and a pair of jogging pants and running shoes.

Five people I found inside were quietly reading a book in one of the chairs. They look like college students. No one looked more suspicious than me. The librarian was so serious about looking at the book and the computer. No one noticed my entry.

I went to the non-fiction section of the library. I was looking for NF 107. One by one, I looked at the spines. Where is that? I'm praying the book is still here. I spent a few minutes going back and forth through the books until I saw what I was looking for. I smiled. I picked up the thick book. I dusted it off. During the period of placement here, the book was not listed in the library. And no one knew that this book existed. It’s been almost a year since I put it here. A dark green hardbound cover. No title. I opened it and took out an SD card. I looked around first before I put it in my jacket pocket.

I slowly walked out without looking around. I walk straight as I open the Uber app and get a ride. When I got away from the building, I was in front of a barber's shop.

I just now found out what Jackson wanted to get. I cupped my palms. My chest tightened for a moment. I inhaled and exhaled in the meantime. I adjusted the hood of the jacket and tucked it into the front pocket. I wanted to get home. What I was wearing gave me a hot feeling. I moved my head, looking around me, searching for a taxi.

The vehicles passing by, a few people showing up at establishments, and a few glances at me. I stopped to look at a car passing in front of me full of passengers.

I turned my gaze to the car that had stopped in front of me and beeped several times. I raised my eyebrows at the man who had come down there without me moving. A tall man in a school uniform approached me.

His face was clear with a smile as if he knew me. Who is he?

"Hi, Ate Vara!" His warm greeting to me.

Vara? For a few seconds, I thought as I remembered. My fake name.

"Are you with my cousin?" His question to me. Who's your cousin? I have no one with me.

I smiled. "Hi—no, who's your cousin?" I asked in a shocked expression.

He stopped in front of me. I could see the surprise on the man's face. He scratched his dark brown colored hair. "Ate Vara, I'm your fiance's cousin. We met during grandpa's birthday."

And suddenly, I remembered his face. Zech introduced me to his family that night. I pretended to laugh and gently tapped him on the arm.

"Yeah, sorry, I'm just thinking. Adrian, right? I'm so sorry again."

He smiled widely and rolled his gray eyes in delight. "I thought you forgot my name, Ate Vara." He turned around. "You're not together with my cousin?"

I shook my head.

"Are you coming home, Ate? I'll take you where you live. Anyway, I am going home."

"Oh thank you, but the Uber taxi will be coming soon..." I looked at the taxi car that stopped a meter from the man's car.

"Here we go, thanks Adrian, just next time," I said goodbye.

"All right Ate Vara, be careful," he waved. I waved at him before I got into the taxi.

As I closed the door, my phone rang in the pocket of my jogging pants. I took it. Speaking of Adrian's cousin,

I swiped the answer call and placed it in my right ear.

"Where are you?" The annoying voice on the other line.

"I'm going home. Why?" I asked as my views were from the window.

"Family surprise visit to your pad. They called me where you were, and they had been waiting for you for a while. So I have to cancel my sleep just to run to your place. And it's been 2 hours since you left," he said.

I sighed. "I hope they said they would visit so I could prepare."

"Family surprised eh. What time will you be here?" I pulled the phone away from my ear when he cursed, "I don't know how to cook this rice," he mumbled with annoyance.

Cook rice, it's so easy. A rice cooker is used and he doesn't know?

"Just be here. I don't know how to cook and my sinister mom and sister insisted that I cook for us since I afsgsgha lie that I cook food for you," he said out of a mood. I heard something fall to the floor. I turned off the phone. I knew he was swearing again.

I texted him that I was near and he should not miss the kitchen. Earlier in the morning, I cleaned the kitchen because I slipped on my hand the cooked adobo by being clumsy sometimes– often. I'm tired of cleaning.

Three minutes later, I reached the building. I took the elevator as soon as I entered the lobby of the building. I fumbled with the front pocket of my jacket and, thankfully, it was still there. I didn’t lose it. The hallway was quiet as I exited the elevator. I knocked on the door of my pad and punched six passwords, six seven. It is easier for a man to remember. Secure lock passwords, no one knows. What a great idea!

When the door opened, I had not been able to enter completely when the man pulled me straight into the kitchen. The two women just stared at the sofa. What was the reason why his family was here?

He let go of my hand. I was in front of the sink, the rice cooker container with only moist rice, and in some sinks, some rice grains, not some rice grains that looked like a cup or two cups were in the sink were thrown.

"Wow, you're great," I taunted him. I could see the change in his face, from serious to blank.

"Yeah, so great. Just... Just cook the rice. I don't know-how," his voice was troubled.

I sighed. I took the container of the rice cooker, filled it with two cups, filled it with water, and drained and filled it with water again. I cleaned the sink before I put the rice container in the rice cooker and turned it on.

Done! I'm still too lazy to cook today. I intend to finish what I am doing on my laptop. But here was his mother and sister. I turned around. I didn’t expect him to be slicing meatballs on the table. And now I just noticed that he was wearing a pink cooking apron. That's my cooking apron!

His face was full of trouble. I rolled my eyes.

"What do you cook?" I asked and approached the table.

"Beefsteak..." he said seriously while slicing the meat.

"Oh," I said in amazement. I've never tried to cook beef steak before.

"Can you help me? I don't know-how. I don't get this recipe instruction on my phone," he pleaded. Her face seemed to be crying.

I laughed a little. "You are asking me? Me?" I taught myself. He nodded.

"I don't know how to cook that. Goodness," I shook my head. And once thought.

"I'll help you, on one condition," I told him seriously. I crossed my arms. His forehead was furrowed. Stupidity.

"And what is that?" full of curiosity, he asked.

"I have a plan, and I want you to agree with it," and a broad smile set on my face.