2 Chapter 1 | Confessed

I scrolled down the screen as I lazed on my billowing cloud bed.

"Ugh! No updates." I sighed and stood on my feet to lean out of the window, shouting to Zen's room that was on the other side of the road.

He was my best friend and had always been. If there was anyone in this world who was aware of his every single secret, then that was me. He was whatever I could ever need in my entire life.

An older brother. A guard. A company. A parent. A teacher. A friend.

He was the only happiness left in my life after my mother's death.

"Zen," I said, but it was as if I just blew some air. I wouldn't shout. Never. The last time I screamed to call him was about a year ago. Almost all the neighbors had thought I was being kidnapped and shouting for help. It was so embarrassing. My face was hot as a frypan that you could easily fry an egg on it. As I'd always said: I never repeat the same mistake twice. Three or maybe four times, but never twice. And this time, I was pretty sure that if I screamed, they would think some dark vampires have attacked me.

I leaned out of the window.

Stars lighted the sky like snowflakes in the night, yet appeared still, like an old photograph. I smiled, feeling the wind blow my hair into a tousled mane. I made one last try.

"Zen!" No reply.

His window was shut. Our windows faced each other's while a wide road separated them. People often thought of us as anti-technology-creeps. It was a perfect title because we were. We would have conversations for hours, by gestures, through these windows. Like, tapping on window meant, Can I come over? This one gesture was special for Zen. He had spent most of his life in our house. Sixteen and half years of his life were spent here and a half in his own.

It all started after mom died and I needed someone besides myself. Dad would be busy with his job and I'd sit home sprinkling tears. And that was when my savior appeared—Zen. He hugged me tight whenever tears welled up in my eyes. He wiped them with his sleeves. He sketched a smile on my face when I'd no reason left to be happy for. He made up jokes for me though they were weird sometimes. He didn't know it, but he was the most precious one to me. Losing him was my worst and darkest nightmare.

I finally gave up calling for him and decided to use the twenty-first-century technology: The phone.

Hey..you alive? I texted him.

No reply.

"Boy, since when do you sleep this early, "I mumbled, laying on my bed again. This early actually meant three of midnight. Our parents also called us night owls. We would play the entire night and snooze during the day. That was how our life went on until college began. It was difficult at first, but then we got used to it.

Not getting any reply, I finally rested in peace — sleep. I slid my finger to the top right of my phone to press the power button.

Drop.

My phone rang.

"He finally replied!" I checked to see, but it wasn't Zen, it was an email.

I tapped to open it. My brows netted in confusion. It was from someone named 7734. The only person who texted me was Zen, always.

"7734?" Never in my life, I'd ever heard any such number. I tapped to open the mail.

Hey Autumn!

"What..how?" I tried to make up for words. I didn't even know this person but my name..

Are you sick of living this normal life? Not a chance!! Because even if I were you, I would get sick of such a repetitive life. That's why now you should dig into others' lives.

"Others lives?!" The word kinda freaked me out. Oh, we're strongly sorry about your Christmas gift.

So here it is:

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD CONFESSED

Love, 7734

"Huh..confessed?" Adrenaline rushed through my body. The excitement wired my body like I was plugged into the mains. I felt like my brain was on fast-forward and there was no off switch. I quickly straightened up. Without even thinking about the person who sent me this or how did the person have my email and even knew my name and most of all that Christmas was six months ago, I pressed the download.