CHAPTER SIX: JAKE

Mona told the Police everything, and they also called Victoria's family informing them of Mona's report of Victoria getting kidnapped. I didn't know that Victoria lives alone with her grandfather who has health issues due to old age. That's why Mona said she didn't think of anything negative when Vicky started cancelling their plans after school, because she thought her friend just needed to go home early to take care of her grandfather.

The police then told us to go home since it's getting late, "Thank you for reporting this immediately, and we will update you if we gain any information regarding your friend's case" said the police to Mona. Mona nodded to the police, as we exit the police station, she turns to me. "Thanks for coming with me, Jake" and a hint of smile from her lips tries to form. But her smile looks tired, and sad, and I may not be the one who witnessed my friend getting dragged inside a vehicle, I am aware of the worry and fear she feels right now.

"No need to thank me," I smile back at her. "Where's your street? Maybe I can walk you home." I insisted. She thinks about it for a second, and then she suddenly panicked. "Oh shit, I haven't called my mom about this," she grabbed her phone out of her pocket and only shit shit shit is coming out of her mouth.

"She called 5 times already Jake, she might be running towards here to the police station now to report her daughter missing." I don't know if that was a joke or just real panic.

She called her mom and told everything that happened, I can overhear her mom saying that Mona should ask me to walk her home right now because it's almost midnight and it's not safe to walk alone. She looks up at me and I just nodded at her, letting her know that I'm willing to walk her home. She ended the call with her mom, and she told me she lives three blocks away from our campus.

"I'm just gonna get my bike. I left it on the park earlier, but I'll walk with you until you get home." I reassure her as we begin walking on the pavement, I don't want her to think that I'm ditching her with my bike and go home myself. Not that I didn't think about it, it's just that I kinda feel tired now and there's still school tomorrow. But it doesn't feel right to not offer walking her home, and if I speak honestly, I don't think I can let her walk alone with the risk of being a woman. Women has it hard; I know that. It's disturbing to think that being a woman can risk their life because of men. It's weird that I'm thinking about that now, considering that I am a man myself. I suddenly remember what my mom told me, 'Be gentle with women, they're tough because the world isn't so nice to them, remember without women, you wouldn't be standing here in front of me Jakey.' Maybe it's because my mother raised me herself, that my respect for women is just beyond doubt.

Mona's walking on the side of the pavement, and I walk beside her covering her away from the main street. We walk not too slow, but not too fast either. "I forgot to ask you earlier but do you wanna pair for the final project in History?" she says without looking at me, still walking looking only forward. I don't like doing schoolwork by group or by pair, but Mona and I have done projects together and everything always went well.

"Sure, it's due in the next two weeks, right? If I remember correctly,"

"Yep."

We just continue on walking, her arm brushes against mine as we walk, and my mind suddenly thought about holding her hand. It feels weird to think about it, I never really thought anything like this before. I look down on her, she puts her hand on her pocket as she walks, and I have this urge to call her name so she would look at me and I'll be able to see her eyes again. But I fight the urge, just as I fight the urge to hold her hand just a second ago. Why am I thinking like this? I thought to myself. Maybe because I am aware how difficult the situation is for her right now, and to imagine her hiding on the bush not being able to help her best friend. As we continue walking, my mind just kept on making excuses as why it's normal to have urges like holding her hand right now and calling her name to see her eyes.

The park is few steps away from us now, and I immediately spot where I left my bike. "There," I pointed to my bike, so we both walk a bit faster than we did going here. I grab the key inside my pocket, and I crouch down to unlock the safe lock for bikes. My head recounted the bikes I lost this year because people just can't get their hands away from stealing bikes, so my mom bought me this safe lock for bikes.

I can sense Mona beside me standing, waiting patiently, I grabbed my bike and positioned it beside me. "Okay, let's go" I blurted out, Mona walks beside me while I'm also holding my bike on the other side.

While we were walking, she starts humming a song that sounds so familiar, "The smiths?" I try to guess the song. "Yes," she smiles looking up at me, "You know them?" she asked. "Of course."

I continued the humming, and she started to sing along, with the noise of my bike's chain as it moves along with us.

"And if a double-decker bus

Crashes into us

To die by your side

Is such a heavenly way to die"

Mona pointed to where she lives, it's only a few steps before we separate for the night and call it a day. I know she's still bothered about her best friend, and all I could do was to be quiet and let her be. I don't think there's anything appropriate to say to comfort someone who might be blaming herself for the situation.

We stopped in front of their house; she turns to me to say thank you. I nodded and told her she's welcome. I look at the gate behind her, and look up to the house behind the gate, it's a big house. The style's so modern, with it's creamy white paint and pastel brown on the edges of the house, I can see one of the windows on the 2nd floor with pink curtains. I'm thinking that's Mona's room.

As Mona starts to unlock their gate, I think about looking at her eyes again.

"Mona," I call her.

She turns around and looks up at me, the moonlight sparks on her eyes. It's so alluring. 'What?'

I keep on staring at her eyes, I notice guilt, sadness, and fear, while looking into it. It makes just as perfect.

"Jake, what do you want?" I snap out of my mind; she's holding their gate open ready to go inside. "Why'd you call me?" she asks.

"No, nothing, go inside. I'll go home now," I smile at her. This feels awkward, she just caught me staring at her, nonresponsive.

"Okay, thanks again. Bye," she waves her hand at me, "Be safe."

When she closes the gate, I ride my bike and pedal my way home.