I found him on his bed, and his bare chest was obvious from the door, but at least a blanket covered him from his toe up to his stomach. “We need to talk,” I said, and he motioned his hand that I should go to him. “About earlier, why did you try to scare me?” I asked him while standing near his bed.

“Sit down, Ariana.” He ordered.

I tightened my lips as I weighed in my options whether to obey his command or to remain standing and I chose the latter.“We only need our mouth to talk, Mister Kit. I don’t have to sit down,” I defied his order.

“Okay,” he said, and then he turned his back from me. I wondered why he did that, and then I assumed that he was just trying to be comfortable. I waited, but then I heard him snore.

Hah, did he just sleep on me? The man was amazing and knew too well how to piss me off! If the glare on my eyes could kill, Kit would die in an instant. How dare he ignore my presence? “Mister Kit!” I shouted, and when he continued to pretend that he was sleeping, I grabbed the blanket that covered him, and I was deeply shocked and immediately turned around. “You’re not wearing anything!” I covered my innocent eyes with my hands and asked him to cover himself, or maybe it’s a wrong idea to confront him at the moment. “We will just talk in the morning,” I said, and hurriedly left his bedroom.

I skipped my dinner because I was afraid that Kit would be in the kitchen if I would go out. However, the scene that my innocent eyes witnessed earlier prevented me from sleeping. It kept on flashing back into my head, and I couldn’t forget it no matter how much I tried.

While lying on my bed hopelessly, I wished that I got some friends whom I could be open about everything. Sighing loudly, I forced myself to sleep. Oh wait, I got up and went to the side table and set the alarm clock into four in the morning. I didn’t want to encounter Kit in the morning, so I had to prepare his breakfast in advance.

It was late in the afternoon when I heard a commotion outside and I was tempted to peek from the window. Judging from the truck that unloaded several boxes, I could tell that someone would move into the next door. I waited by the window to see my future neighbor, but I was only disappointed. After the truck unloaded everything, the driver just left. Maybe later…

He was supposed to come home around six in the evening, but it was already almost eight, and he was not home yet. I started to worry about him, just in case, he was involved in an accident. Wild thoughts ran on my head as I waited for my master, and then I heard a knock on the door. Kit must have forgotten to bring his keys…

“Mister-,” I was lost for words when it wasn’t Kit who knocked on the door but someone else – an extremely handsome man with long black hair in a ponytail. The stranger smiled at me and I was instantly captivated by his killer smile. He was an angel sent by God to comfort me!

“I just moved in today, and I thought to introduce myself to my nearest neighbor. Oh by the way, do you like to have some chocolate cake? I baked an extra just in case,” he said, and the smile on his face lifted me.

“You know how to bake?” I assumed that he didn’t buy those chocolate cakes he offered to me, and when he nodded, oh my gosh, I felt like collapsing to the floor. How could someone so gorgeous and talented at the same time? Or maybe it was still early to tell when I haven’t tasted the cake yet. “I love cakes, especially if it’s chocolate.”

“Good. Pardon my manners, I forgot to introduce myself first. I’m Carl,” he said and extended his right hand to me for a handshake.

Should I accept it? “You can call me Ariana,” I told him my name and accepted his handshake, and damn, his hands were strong and smooth at the same time. When he smiled at me for the second time, my heart melted.

“Nice meeting you, Ariana. So, I’ll just get the cake and be back in a jiffy.” He said and walked away from the door.

My eyes followed him as he got inside his house, and I waited until he came out with the cake he promised to give me. Even from a distance, I could already tell that it’s properly baked and yummy. “Thank you,” I said when he handed it to me.

“Don’t forget to share it with your family,” Carl mentioned before he returned to his unit, and I was like a schoolgirl who was being crushed back by my crush. I was ecstatic as I closed the door to start eating the cake which Carl gave me.

I was on my second slice when Kit came home, and as usual, a scowl was on his face, and as if he dreaded to come home and see me. I wasn’t usually a thick-faced person but I had to learn for my survival. “Mister Kit, have some cake if you’re feeling down.” I teased him, and he just ignored me as he went upstairs. He must be furious that I refused to wear the overalls he bought for me as my uniform. No way! What the hell was he thinking when he chose that horrible outfit as my daily clothes?

Shrugging off my shoulders, I finished the cake hurriedly, and after his dinner was set up on the table, I returned to my room and didn’t go out until the following day.

In the morning, I was surprised to see some bag with my essentials outside the door. I was so glad that I hugged the bags before I returned inside to check if the dresses he bought would fit me, and I was surprised that there were underwear too. How embarrassing that the man had to buy me those things!

Still, I was flattered!

I hummed to my favorite song while I fried the spam that’s going to be his breakfast, and when everything was done, I went to the bathroom and took my time in the shower. It was now complete with hair conditioners, shower gels, and everything else that a woman would usually need while having a shower, and I was grateful that Kit changed his mind.

“Didn’t I tell you to stay inside all the time?”

Kit’s angry voice startled me and I was embarrassed to be scolded while Carl was looking. I bit my lower lip as my eyes pleaded with him to be considerate even just once, but he didn’t understand my intention and hauled me inside. “Hey, do you have to embarrass me in front of Carl?”

“Carl? Who’s Carl?” Kit asked and he looked menacing even if it was still early.

“Didn’t you see the man next door? He just moved in and he was kind enough to share the cake he baked yesterday.” Speaking of the cake, I thought to have just cake and coffee for breakfast. I took a slice and prepared my coffee when Kit loomed in and threw it into the trash bin. I was horrified by his action and stood up furiously because it was too much!

“What if it was poisoned?” He suspected the cake to be poisoned and took the remaining baked goodies from the refrigerator and threw it in the trash bin as well.

“If it was poisoned, then do you think I’m still alive now? You’re just being jealous because you don’t know how to bake,” I said, and stared at the trash bin with longing eyes. The cake! Then I glared at him vehemently.

“I’m not jealous, Ariana. I’m just being vigilant. You said he just moved in, so we don’t know what kind of man he is, and you dared to go outside in that dress?”