5 Name Revelation

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Knock.

Knock.

Knock.

It's the first time I've done that. No, not knocking. Gods knows how many times I've done that, sober, high and drunk. What I've mean was, it's the first time I've knocked on my strange neighbor's door after knowing her and the chaos it brings.

Man.

All those ridiculous shits she put me through in just a span of a few weeks.

Just like how I chased out a huge damn mouse that came out of nowhere in the middle of the night for her. The thing followed her when she went to me for help and we somehow ended up in the near back alley of our block. In our pajamas, her wearing a face mask and my hair still wrap up in a towel.

Apparently, woman's just a smart one, but not a fighter. M is like a princess that literally came out of Disney's ass. No doubt.

So you can't really blame me when I'm hesitating to be even willing to step foot in her house again.

Although, it's usual for her to come and go to my flat like she owns it. I haven't lose the stupid bet and it already feels like she's living at my place.

I scrunched my nose and preparing to back out, when the door opens and showed M once again.

Clad in her long shirt beneath an apron that she usually wears with the usual smile plastered on her face. I swear, she has them in different colors, the long shirts, I mean. They always have the fancy letter M sewn on top of her chest.

"You like what you see?" M starts, crossing her arms. I realized I was being a pervert when my eyes raised up to meet her teasing stare.

"I-!"

'Wow, Athena. What's with you and her boobs?'

I wasn't staring at her chest!

'Yea, you were staring at the boobs with nip-'

NO! STOP!

'Heh.'

"You okay there?" I felt a hand on my shoulder and another one on my face, bringing me back to reality, "You look a little...flushed."

"..I- I'm fine, Jungle Gym!" I blurted out while entering her apartment. I facepalm immediately at what I've said and blindly sat on the couch muttering in my regrets.

I know M is beautiful with a body carved by the gods themselves but jungle gym?! Seriously?

'Do you want me to answer that?'

No.. I'm smart enough to know. It's a rhetorical question. I'm tired, can you give me silence for awhile?

'Well, I'm not that mean...so sure.'

While I was talking to the voice in my head, I can feel eyes watching me, judging me, yet no complain fell out of the owner's mouth with how I barge in and why the fuck I'm so awkward.

Although, honestly...

I peek through my fingertips until I entirely removed my hand that's covering my face.

...I'll be surprise if M even complains. Lady loves company. I mean, I'm still here.

"Not the first words I'm expecting to hear from you...so does that mean you wanna climb me?"

The brunette let out a small laugh and closed the door, tying her hair in a simple ponytail after. Then, for some reason, time went painfully slow right before my eyes while I watched her from the couch.

Literally. Like everything slowed down except for me. I think. This is weird.

She's just tying her hair for gods sake. I see people do this all the time, what makes her apart from anyone else that does the same to make time slow down? This is some biased shit.

Or maybe it isn't me? But that's ridiculous. There's no such thing as magic. Weed yes, but a person that can turn time into a sloth? Nah.

Only thing I know for sure was time slowed down but my heart beat went a bit faster. Just a bit. Like when you fall down in your dream and you wake up in a jolt. Fuck me.

'Your homosexual behavior is showing.'

You saying something?

'Nope. Just silence. Krkkrkrkk.'

What's that sound?

'Cricket.'

"So..?" A voice cut me from my thoughts and suddenly M is right in from my face. Like whenever Mrs. Reha, another neighbor, ask me if I'm finally dating a person or anything. Sometimes, for some reason, she sounds desperate. Like a mother, but maybe that's just how old people are.

"Ah!" I pushed her away on reflex, my body feel like it's burning. "Stop doing that."

I didn't notice her moved but I was watching her the whole time.

Am I that tired that it's causing hallucinations?

M laughs it off, her eyes twinkling, "How can I? When you make it so hard for me not to."

I rolled my eyes, trying to bring down flustering heat that I'm feeling. I don't want a permanent blush on my cheeks. I'm not Pikachu.

"It's creepy."

"And your staring isn't?"

"I wasn't staring!"

"My hidden camera tells me otherwise."

"You- you have a camera in here?!" I scanned her living area, suddenly cautious.

"Yeah, you wanna guess where it is?" She says so suggestively, I might just run out of here.

"No... anyways, I'm just here to win the bet." I move further away from her on the couch.

Despite saying no, I scan the area hoping I catch a teeny tiny camera that she says that's present.

"Looks like I already won, you got a few minutes to guess." M claps, confident.

I've been guessing whenever she meets me. I spout out some names that starts with the letter M and I was always wrong.

"I haven't lose the bet."

"..yet." M says in a sing song voice.

My brows furrowed. Now, I'm thinking about it, there's another thing that's bothering me about her.

"..Why do always wear an apron though?"

M looks down at the garment and looked back then winked, "Why? Can't resist me in my super suit?"

I huffed, brushing it off.

"No, I realized being a service worker is your calling." Super suit my ass. She looks more of a pretty housewife.

"Hmm, your way with words really brings out the best in women."

"Nothing less for the hardworking waitress, Mi.."

"Mi..?" She turns to me, interested. I got five minutes to guess her name or I'll lose the bet and she'll live with me for a week while she orders me around. I guess showing her around wasn't enough. My companions are so demanding.

"Minnie." I finished, breathing out. I'm not good with names, but I felt that that's the one...and my last guess was Mickey so I also feel like a dumbass but hey, if it's right, I'm a smart dumbass.

Plus, my so called friends have been shaming me for not knowing, saying contradicting clues that just made me even more clueless. Apparently, they've got to know each other while I was passed out on my neighbor's bed.

Talk about betrayal.

I felt like they just sold me out.

So it'll feel a bit better if I'm correct.

"If I'm Minnie, can you be my Mick-"

"Cut it out." I sighed, tiredly, nudging her a bit with my socked foot. My hands sweaty. Maybe I'm getting sick.

"... this is your last chance, was that your final answer?" M just smiles, tilting her head. Aside from knowing she works in a little cafe, two blocks away, she's strange and she's gorgeous as fuck, I still don't know shit about her.

"Yes." I shrugged, internally freaking out. I don't wanna be a slave, keeps repeating in my head follow up with a dammit every now and then.

"Ahhh.." She sighs, leaning on the couch, extending her arms on the length of the furniture, "You're so close."

"Just close?"

M smirks and sits closer to where I am, "If you just have given in...you wouldn't be just close."

I bend away, looking away. My face feeling hot, "You and your sexual innuendos, M."

M giggles and tilted her head, "Ready to know my name, Athena?"

"Let's just get this over with, I'm tired." And I wasn't lying. It's almost midnight and I got to submit an article first thing tomorrow morning and I need to cool down. Might fucked around and sleep in the freezer or something.

"I won't tell you because of that attitude." The woman stands abruptly and padded her way to the kitchen like a speed of light.

You gotta be kidding me.

"Oh come on!" I followed her and see her eating an ice cream sandwich out of the blue.

That's her dinner? She wasn't even cooking? The apron is just really some kind of fashion to her?

"Say please."

"You're pushing it." I put my arms on the island counter while she eats across from me.

"Nu-Uh."

"A deal is a deal, though. Your name?"

M's eyes suddenly gleams and jumped beside me, still munching the rest of her sandwich.

"Wanna watch that movie before I reveal it to you?"

"Your name.."

It's not that big of a deal, right? Knowing ones name.

I tilt my head, studying her.

"Yeah, do you want-"

But why does it feel like she's hesitating?

"No, I mean, can you spit it out."

"Does that mean, you don't wanna watch it with me?" If she has puppy ears, I imagine them drooping right now.

"I- can we slow down?" I let out a sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose.

"Is watching movie too fast paced with you? We already slept together twice."

I shut my mouth and squint at her. I felt a rush of heat on my face for the nth time tonight despite being expressionless.

"Are you fucking with me, bitch?"

M laughs out loud and slap my arm. I almost flew away because of the strength of her slap.

"Yep, took you long enough to notice," then she slides her hand from my arm to my hand, squeezing it firmly, "I'm... Minerva, pleasure to meet you, Athena."

I rub my arm, painfully. Her slaps stings, especially when she laughs.

Then Minerva steps back and just watch me.

Is she waiting for some kind of reaction?

I mean, not gonna lie, it sounds familiar.

Minerva. I think I've heard it before but I'm not going to tell her that. I'm not quite sure anyway.

So I just let my lips turned into a small smile, "Pleasure my ass, let's get you some real dinner, Minnie."

"It's Minerva."

"Basically the same. You didn't win, it's a tie."

"But-!"

"Tie."

"No, I've won fair and square."

"Isn't Minnie a nickname for your name?"

"I- someone called me that once! It's not alike."

"Still related to your name. Don't be a killjoy, I'll treat you some dinner and you have three days in my home. Suck it up, Minnie."

M deflates, muttering something I didn't quite hear.

"Can you repeat that?"

"I said four days and I'll accept it. Also! Let's watch the movie."

I released a sigh and move behind her.

"Alright, Minnie." I pulled the knots on her apron and untied it, "Let's order and watch the damn movie."

"I take you're not gonna call me with my real name?"

"That's the plan, now move your slow ass."

"..Even my father doesn't treat me this way."

"Well, that's why you're so slow, Minnie. You got spoiled rotten."

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