My Ex Next Door

The alarm from Novie's phone woke her up, she opened her eyes and realized that today will be her first day to work as an adviser for the 1st grader.

Last year she took an internship to the elementary school so she can be a public teacher, she realized that it will be more easy to look after the 7-year-old kids than to be a nursery teacher.

She completed her morning ritual and took her motorcycle key, but before she can start it, she saw her friend Mila's car stopping in front of their gate.

She smiled and turned off her motorcycle; she forgot that Mila promised to drive her to school today.

"You ready?" Mila asked and helped her carry the books, Novie nodded and get into the passenger seat.

It only took 15 minutes for them to reach the school, she climbed down and drop a peck on Mila's cheeks.

"See you" she waves her hand.

"Later, don't forget our date" Mila yelled while watching Novie's back.

–

Novie went straight to the principal office, she heard that the school just changes its principal, so she's a little nervous.

The Principal's office is on the 4th floor, the whole elementary consist of five buildings with six floors.

She stopped in front and sighed, "Please let it be a nice old woman" she mumbled under her breath.

She knocked and a man's voice said come in.

As she opens the door, she saw a man sitting behind the principal's desk.

She stared at him, black short messy hair, he's wearing a green polo that complimented his fair skin, her nose caught the manly scent around, and when the man got up, Novie was shocked.

(Am I in the right room?) she asked herself, the man in front doesn't look like a principal. He's young, she's guessing around 35 to 40, he had a baby face and his eyes were narrowed and brown.

She gulped and blinked.

"Hi, I am a new teacher here and I am looking for the new principal" she tried to compose her body.

The man smiled, and she saw his dimples, (Whoa! This is shocking) she said to herself.

The man stood and extended his hand, "I am the new principal, John Castro, you must be Ms McSalter" Novie nodded and accepted his hand.

"Please have a seat" he spoke and pointed the chair opposite to his desk.

Then he picks up the folder on the desk and opened it, his eyes read each page and looked at her.

"Well, then Ms McSalter, you can start today. Here's your schedule and you will be the adviser of 1-A class, the classroom is in the 2nd building, ground floor" he handed her the map of the school and got up.

"Good luck on your first day" he smiled once again, Novie nodded and left the office.

(Isn't he too young to be a principal?) she asked herself.

The day passed so quick; she learned that most of her students were at the age of six and seven and more matured than the nursery she handled before.

After the class, she waited for her friend Mila to pick her up but the girl got a stomachache so now she needs to commute.

There was no taxi around, the island is small and the only means of transportation was the bus or the local jeepney. She waited at the bus stop but after twenty minutes, no bus came.

(Damn it! are they on strike?) she blurted inside, pertaining to the bus drivers.

She was sulking in the bus stop when suddenly a car parked in front, when the window rolled down, she could feel her soul jumping out from her body.

"Malvin" she whispered, the man got down from the car and opened the door of the car for her.

"Can I drive you home?" he asked, she stared at him, he looked the same as she remembered.

His black hair and brown skin, she could see that he has been on the gym based on the muscles in his body. For five years of living in the province, she never saw him. She heard he went to the USA to work, but she didn't ask further as she was not interested.

"It's fine, I can wait here" she stated and overjoyed after seeing the bus coming, (Oh God! Thank you bus driver, you came at the perfect time).

She saw that he wanted to say something, but she has entered the bus, she occupies one of the empty chairs and ignore him.

When they broke up, they both said mean things to each other, that's why she's not comfortable to be around him.

–

Later that night, Novie was busy preparing her lesson plan for tomorrow, she's a new teacher so she wanted to give a good impression.

"Novie, dinner's ready" her mom yelled from downstairs, she closed the book and left her room.

When she sat on the chair, her mother spoke while handing her the food.

"The guest will be here soon. I invited him for a dinner" Novie creased he brows, "Guest?"

Her mother nodded, "Yes, the person who will occupy your auntie's house." Her mother sat on her chair and wait for the guest.

"By the way, Brent and Novie. We must treat the guest nicely, no fights" Novie's father warned them, the siblings looked at each other and both shrugged their shoulder.

Novie decided to eat since she has more school lesson to finish, she's halfway to her food when the doorbell rang.

Novie got up with the fork in her hand after seeing that all eyes were looking at her, asking her to open the door

She sighed and opened the door.

"Hi, Is this the McSalter Residence?"

BAM!!!

Novie slammed the door closed after seeing her ex-fiance standing by the door. Her heart bursts while her eyes widened.

"Novie, why did you slammed the door," her mother asked and opened the door. Novie wants to stop her, she wants to run away and disappear but she has nowhere else to go.

(Oh my god! What is he doing here?) she was screaming inside.

"Hi, you must be Anders friend. I am Mary McSalter, please excuse my daughter, she usually acts like that when she sees a handsome man" her mother said jokingly while Novie's body turned statue.

"Nice to meet you Mrs McSalter, I am Ken Chu" the man introduces and gave Novie a meaningful look.

Seeing his grey eyes, Novie's spirit wanted to escape from her body.

"This is my daughter Novie, and that's my son Brent and my husband Angelo, Come in," Mary said and dragged Ken's body to the dining room.

Ken shook Brent and Angelo's hands when it was Novie's turned, she extended her shaking hands.

"Hi Mr Chu" she stuttered after she felt his warm hand, her heart was beating like a hummingbird wings

"Call me Ken" the man smiled widely and her mind blows.

"Ok, mama, papa I am… I have a lesson to prepare, I will leave first" without waiting for her parent's reply, Novie ran upstairs. She slammed the door to her room and hide under the blanket.

(What the f*ck is happening) she felt dizzy after seeing her ex. She felt as if she was a mouse trapped in the cat's house.

She tried to focus on her lesson but her mind was floating in the universe.

–

The next day.

Novie parked her motorcycle in front of the church, she finished her class earlier and excused herself.

It was Tuesday Afternoon, but the sky was dark as ink as if it was portraying the distraught in her heart.

Novie folded her umbrella and entered the church. Outside, the street was in chaos while inside it was peaceful and the only thing she can hear was the birds singing around and the gust of wind.

She entered the confession cubicle and kneel down, she wanted to tell someone about her feelings, the pain and confusion that's been tormenting her heart.

Minutes later, the opposite cubicle opened and Novie saw a man in a priest clothing sat down and folded his hands.

"Father I am here to confess my sin" she started and lowered her head.

"What is your sin?" The priest asked.

Novie sighed, "Five years ago, I hurt a man, I left him the next day he proposed" her voice cracked down, remembering the past

"Whoa! That was harsh!" the priest murmured silently, but she heard it.

Before the priest could give his response, she speaks up him.

"I was also hurt but I know that if I stay with him, my family will suffer, so I left. For five years Father I carried the guilt of leaving and hurting him. I mean what I did was right, right? it's for my family" she blurted out without letting the priest talk.

"I think -"

"It's not like I have a choice or anything" she continued and interrupted him.

"We all have a choice, I don't know your reason for leaving him but there must be a reason why after five years you decided to come and confess"

Novie gulped by his words, unsure of what to say next.

"Well?" the priest asked, waiting for her answer.

"What made you confess now, you said you left him five years ago, why now?"

Novie's eyes went round while her heart palpitate.

"Because..." she shut her eyes and exhaled.

"Hmm?" the priest waited for her response.

"Because my ex-fiance is moving next door, and I don't know what to do!, my parents didn't know that I was engaged to him before"

"Are you here to confess your sin or to ask for advice?" the priest asked.

Novie, with her eyes closed, twitched her lips.

"What's the difference, father?"

The priest cleared his throat and replied.

"Well, relationship coach get paid per hour while us, we accept donation" Novie's face flattened by his response.

She wanted to continue, but the priest stood up and opens the door.

"states some prayer and I will pray for you. Good luck!" the priest said and closed the door.

Novie was speechless. "I need to donate?" she widened her eyes when she thought of the priest. "What did just happened?" she asked herself with disbelief.

Novie had decided to leave, she's still confused and nervous. She took her umbrella and walks to the door. She was about to open her umbrella when she saw Ken waving at her.

Seeing his smile, she remembered the dinner last night.