3. My neighbour

Although the sun has yet to show its brightest rays, Garneta seems to be ready in her typical school outfit. Although it was hard for the girl to say that she was very very lazy to go to school. Although she often went out at night, she was one of those students who came early in the morning. Even the school security guard often met her on the street.

Fake friends, seniority everywhere, let alone bullying. He was sick of hearing that word. Even sometimes, there was no wind no storm, still, those sycophants liked to bully and mock her. Even though he hadn't done anything wrong.

If only they knew who she was, Garneta was sure no one would dare to do that. But it was all for naught, wasn't it? The people who hated her didn't believe it, and the people who loved her didn't need it.

"Meow..."

The girl's eyes widened, goosebumps rising as if she heard the voice of a psychopath in her favorite drama.

Since when did I get a cat? She wondered when her two senses of sight caught a cat hiding behind her bedroom door, "Okay Neta. You must have left the house last night, then forgot what happened last night," she muttered as she exhaled slowly. Now she knew what to do.

Her hands were busy looking for the note she always used as a reminder. It wasn't too hard to find. The small note was always kept in the drawer of the study table. Then she quickly read the words written on the small green note in her hand. Her head nodded in understanding after knowing what happened last night and now she remembered why the cat was in her room.

"Okay, since I let you stay here last night, that means you have to leave here," she said as she picked up the animal and put it into her black school bag. It would be dangerous if the people at home found out that she brought a cat into the house.

Luckily her parents were out of town today due to work demands. At least she didn't have to sneak out of the house since they had already left at dawn.

One thing the girl hated every morning. Her next-door neighbor always bothered her. She knew there was no malice in it, but it was still annoying in Garneta's eyes.

Plus she always rode her bike to school, or wherever she wanted to go. That made him even more of a target.

Sometimes Garneta prayed to God to teleport her neighbor to Mars. Or not to the ocean of the Bermuda triangle as long as she never saw him again.

"Hi." The greeting that might have sounded warm to her ears was inversely proportional to Garneta's ears, which felt like they were about to explode. She could have just ignored her childhood neighbor and walked away. But she wasn't going to let the man sitting on her favorite motorcycle win so easily.

"What's wrong with you? You're quiet," the man wondered with his hand resting on his chin.

"None of your business!" Neta replied curtly.

"You must have forgotten, huh, about last night?" Julin teased while rolling her eyes.

About last night? What did Julin mean by that? Yes, her crazy neighbor's name was Julin.

Garneta swallowed bitterly. Damn it! Julin must have seen her last night.

"Stop calling me by that name!" she snapped angrily. She did this on purpose to distract the man in front of her.

Julin furrowed her brows in confusion, "You're mad I called you that. Not usually," He sneered in surprise.

"Noisy!" Garneta retorted sarcastically.

Both of Julin's hands reached out to ruffle Garneta's hair which was tied neatly in a ponytail. But of course, it was immediately brushed off by the owner. Garneta would not let her fragrant hair be touched by Julin's rough hands, "No need to ruffle! I've gone to the trouble of straightening my hair. Do you want to die?" she threatened with a worried expression in the man's eyes.

Even though the two of them fought a lot. But Garneta knew that Julin loved her very much. Even though at school he always pretended not to know her. That was not Julin's will. It was his own will. She just didn't want Julin to be influenced by her.

"Before you kick my favorite bike, this bike of yours," Julin pointed at Garneta's bike, "I kicked it first until it flew into the sky. Do you understand?" he replied, not to be outdone. Her words were impossible because the bike was her own, bought for Garneta as a gift for the girl's fifteenth birthday.

Garneta challenged with her arms crossed in front of her chest, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, no!" then the two looked at each other before their laughter erupted. The laughter Julin had longed for. Secretly the handsome man looked at his little friend intensely. Garneta had changed since they both became teenagers. Starting from attitude, personality, and even appearance. Honestly, he barely even recognized his little friend and Julin knew exactly why.

"Just with me, okay? Let's hurry to school. You must be tired, right?" Julin asked as Garneta got ready to get on her bike. It wasn't that Julin didn't know that the girl was secretly having trouble on the way.

Garneta looked at Julin warmly, "You must already know the answer," she said softly.

"But, you can get off near the school stop, right? With-"

"I hope you understand Jul," Garneta cut in before Julin could continue.

Although a little disappointed, she smiled as usual. Gone was the animosity between the two if it was like this.

After that she rushed to the school, starting her day which felt so heavy.

He missed the times when she was still free to talk, chat, and even greet the girl at school like she used to.

Julin misses the cheerful Garneta and can't deny that he also misses the strong and tough Garneta. Not weak and helpless like this.

Once again Julin misses.