WHO? | The Alpha (Book One)

III

I walk straight to my house.

"Behold. It's done, my masterpiece!"

It's three in the afternoon, and I'm starving.

"Violaaa~"

I sing in my high-pitched voice while serving the freshly cooked spaghetti in a grand white bowl with pandas on it. I eat at my dining table. I'm facing Jared's kitchen window. I have never seen him step outside the apartment yet.

It's not like I'm watching him, though.

"Is he a caveman or something?"

But I also rarely go outside.

I look at the spaghetti I cooked and realize that I cooked too much. I get another bowl and fill it with spaghetti.

"You are doing this because you cooked too much spaghetti," I say to myself.

"Hi, Jared! I cooked spaghetti for you," I practice in a cheerful voice.

"Nah, why would I say that? I cook this for myself, of course," I argue with myself while walking towards his house.

"Uhh...wait...hey dude, you want some spaghetti? Is that good? Hmm."

It's been five minutes, and I'm still here, standing in front of Jared's apartment. I'm holding a lime-green bowl with spaghetti and looking like an idiot. I keep on arguing to myself about why on earth am I doing this.

"What if he asks you? Like, 'Why are you doing this?' I don't know! Damn it!" I whisper through gritted teeth.

"Why are you doing this?" I whisper to myself again.

I stare at the bowl of spaghetti.

I have an excess spaghetti. I'm giving it to him.

That's it.

I really don't know how will I give this to him. I just usually hand the gift, saying nothing-no gift wraps, no letters. Then, watch their reactions and leave.

But this is not a gift.

"Okay, the usual," I take a deep breath, "Hand it and say nothing, like this."

Suddenly, the door flew open. A petite blonde girl greets me from the entrance of the house. Looking at her, I guess she's around seventeen or eighteen like me.

The tight black tank top and the pink fitted miniskirt she wears hug the curves of her body. She stands the same height as me. Thanks to the pointy beige heels she wears. I am offended at how her yellowish-brown eyes scan me from head to toe. She wears a black choker around her neck. Her huge hoop earrings can be my bangles.

My gaze drops to what I am wearing. The fabric of my favorite oversize white pajamas with fries design falls loosely on my curvy body. I look down and saw my fluffy panda slippers. My wavy brown hair is tied in a ponytail, which shows my full bare face.

My arms, holding a bowl of spaghetti, are stretched out.

"Honey, there's someone at your front door!"

My lips parted.

Honey.

"Who?" Jared's husky voice asks.

The girl stares at me. An awkward tension eats up the atmosphere. I move the bowl away from her and take a step back.

"Uuuhhh... Hi?" I greet her with an awkward smile.

"Hello, you... are?"

"George."

"I'm–"

"Who is it, Stacey? The delivery-Oh, George," Jared's broad shoulders replace Stacey's small frame.

He wears a pair of plain red silk pajamas. A peek of his collarbone shows from the first two-unbuttoned opening of his shiny top. He combs his messy blond hair with his fingers and fixes his glasses.

Stacey wraps her arms around his waist and hides behind him. His blue eyes land on what I am holding.

"What is it?" He asks as his sapphire gaze met my emerald one.

"Uuhhh..." I hand him the bowl, "For you." I look down and see his bare feet.

"What is this f–"

"Just take it," I play with the hem of my top.

Embarrassment takes over my emotions. If only I could punch my face right now, I did.

Stacey clears her throat and rests her chin on his shoulder. She tiptoes and snuggles closer at the crook of his neck.

"Oh. George, this is Stacey. Stacey, this is George. She's my neighbor. She lives there," he points at my apartment. "Yeah, there, next door."

"Hi," I say, scratching my arm.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Jared's girlfriend."

I slowly look at Jared. There's no emotion written on his face.

"Oh, Nice meeting you, Stacey. Bye, Stacey. Bye, Jared."

"Bye, George," Stacey says. A sweet smile is plastered on her small face.

She let go of him and waves goodbye to me. I smile and walk away. I glance at them and see Jared closed the door.

"I'm Jared's girlfriend."

I click my tongue and shut my eyes firmly. "Girlfriend, hah," I breathe out before opening my eyes.

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