Chapter 3

A loud whistling kettle sound drowns my senses after a long deafening silence that fills up the space. I twist my body to lie on my chest and bury my face down my pillow.

"So noisy!" I grunt

I mean, seriously, it is either the never-ending traffic noise outside or the banging sound from my next-door neighbour and now this? Why did I even turn on the stove?

And that is when it hits me, "shit! Did I just fall asleep and leave my stove lit?" I mumble to myself

That is so freaking dangerous!

The thought of me setting my building on fire caused a sudden rush of adrenaline throughout my body that made me quickly jump off my bed--.

"Ahh!"

"AHH!"

I jump out of bed to turn off the gas stove and I ended up soaking wet.

"Oh good, you're awake." said a woman next to me while dusting the water splashed on her. Apparently, she is carrying a basin full of warm water when I accidentally knock on her. "I was so worried when you felled like a huge piece of log a while ago with your face down," she added

To my surprise, the woman beside me is the same woman who's invaded my dreams for quite some time now.

The creepy lady in red!

Me; still confused about what's happening; just stare at her with my eyeballs almost popping out.

"Don't move," she said and walks out of the room

I did what I was told but was still confused about what was going on. First, I don't remember getting to bed last night. Second, I don't remember seeing her yesterday. And thirdly, why is my body hurt!? Especially my face!

Ms lady in red comes back with a mop in her hand and a tiny pale in the other then starts mopping the floor to get rid of the spilt water on the floor.

"Stop looking at me as if you're seeing a ghost," she said without removing her sight from what she was doing.

I automatically look away and pretend to not stare at her from a while ago.

"If you hadn't wake up for the next couple of hours, I will take you to the hospital myself." she said and finish mopping the floor, "By the way, I hope you don't mind that I wear this shirt of yours" and head out the room.

Now that she said that, I noticed that she is not wearing her red dress like the last time I saw her-- wait!

I get out of bed and follow her to the kitchen. She heads inside the bathroom which is located next to the kitchen.

"Did we have sex?"

There are tons of things that I want to ask her right now but that is the first thing that came out of my mouth. Why? Because I don't remember anything that happened last night and it is taunting that I don't remember a thing about my first time!

She turns off the faucet and turns his body to look at me. She stares at me with a dark aura coming out of her being.

Shit! Now I am scared more than ever. The fine hair on my body starts to rise like a sprout of a plant that's being played fast forward in a nature channel.

"Haha hahaha!" she burst out in laughter. A very heartfelt kind of laughter.

Now, I am even more confused and kinda insulted.

She walks out of the bathroom towards me and grabs my shoulders with her wet hands, "You must have hit your head pretty hard huh?"

I remove her cold hands from my shoulders. I am beginning to get annoyed. "Why are you keep saying that?"

"Said what?"

"That I must have hurt my head, that I felled like a cut-down log. Also, why are you here at my house?"

She straightens her posture and wears a serious face, "You don't remember anything?"

"If you are referring to the thing you are talking about me getting hurt and you being inside my house, no. I don't remember so if you'd be able to tell me, it would be much appreciated."

She takes a deep breath and lets out a sigh while scratching her slim and sexy nape.

Ah, I bet it smells so good.

"Hey! Are you listening?"

I snap back to reality when she snaps her fingers on my face.

Did I imagine kissing her nape just now?

What the hell is wrong with me? Am I a maniac of some sort?

"I said, last night you hit your head after getting knocked off by the guy who tries to take advantage of me," she explains again since I was busy daydreaming the first time. "I thought you were dead but thankfully you're not."

I point my finger to myself, "Me? I save you last night?" making sure I am not hearing things.

"Yes, you" she replies with assurance

"Really? Wow," I gasp, "I never thought I had it in me."

I am surprised. To be honest, I never wanted to get involved in any kind of argument especially a physical one. In short, I am a coward, through and through. I am not proud of it but what can I do? That is how I roll.

"Well, not exactly." she cut in, "You turn around as soon as we lock eyes with one another and pretend to see nothing but I call you. And the guy decided to run off and pushed you out of his way," she explains and smiles, trying not to laugh, "the funny thing is that, you believed that he is going to attack you that you start running away and he pushed you then you stumbled and hit the pavement."

I never thought that I would be embarrassed again; and even more; after the excursion back in college where I have to walk around the campsite, butt-ass naked after the seniors took my clothes after daring me to swim naked on the freezing lake.

I look away to avoid eye contact with her, "So you're the one who saves me and not the other way around."

"Well, if you didn't show up he would have succeeded in his devious plan," she said and kiss my cheek.

I am surprised by what she did. I look at her with a 'what-is-that-for?' look while touching the cheek she kissed.

"Thank you for being there." she smiles

I felt my cheeks starting to feel warm.

I look away again.

I don't want her to see me all flustered because of her simple gesture. Her smile is so much brighter and heartwarming than Julie's.

"Oh shit!" I burst out and stride back to my bedroom.

I almost forgot! I need to go to work. What time is it? Where is my laptop? My clothes, I nee--, "Ah!"

"Are you all right?" ms lady in red follows. She looks so worried.

"Yeah, I am fine. I just felt something on my back." I replied and sat down on the side of the bed.

Seriously. I felt like something is stabbing my back and through my spine.

Ms lady in Red sits beside me and looks at every inch of me, "You should get some rest. I think you were hurt more than you look."

"I guess so." I end up agreeing with her since I don't think I could even walk out of the apartment. My legs suddenly feel wobbly.

She smiles and springs out of the bed, "Great! Now, shall we eat breakfast?" she said excitedly, "I found instant ramen in your cupboard and two slices of subs in your bag. I will get them ready so stay right there and rest."

She was about to take off when I called her, "Can you tell me what your name is? It feels awkward calling you ms lady in Red out loud."

She giggles and pinches my left cheek, "Well, aren't you the cutest." she said like I am some kind of cute furry animal.

It feels so unreal that someone is treating me like this all of a sudden. If this is a dream, I would gladly be in a coma for the rest of my life.

"People call me Jane." she said, "Jane Doe"

Jane Doe? Even her name sounds eccentric even though Jane is such a normal name. It suits her. Simple yet distinguish.

I laid my right palm, "Nice meeting you Jane. My name is Jon."

She smiles and place her beautiful, soft and cold hand on mine, "Nice to meet you too Jon." she said, "Finally."

I didn't quite hear that last thing she said but I bet it is nothing. I am so overjoyed right now being accompanied by her.

She walks out of the room and probably heads straight to the kitchen to prepare breakfast like she said she would.

"Jane Doe," I mumble.

Shit! Her name is like music to my ears.

"Jane Doe," I repeated as I plop back onto my soft bed.