My Ex Next Door

Before they entered the house, Novie seized his arms.

"Is it really fine? The last time Malvin was here you looked pretty upset" she spoke in a worried tone. Ken sighed and put his hand on her shoulders.

"the last time I was not sure of your feelings but now it's different and I trust you" Novie was stunned, she wasn't expecting him to be supportive and understanding.

"Ok" she smiled, when Ken opened the front door, she remembered something. She immediately stopped him from entering the house and dragged him out of the gate.

Ken was shocked.

"What is it?" he asked with confusion.

Novie plays with her finger, unsure how to say what she had in her mind.

"Well… Can we not say to my parents about our relationship?" she asked.

She lifted her face and saw his confused face, "Why?" he asked.

She gulped and avoided his eyes, "They will ask me why I lied to them. And my father might get furious, you see when I introduced my ex-boyfriend to him, he almost killed him" she bites her lower lips, she doesn't want Ken to experience the same thing, especially if her father finds out that they both lied, she can imagine his reaction.

She skin shivered by such thought, she looked at Ken, the man was expressionless.

After some time, he sighed.

"It's fine, I can wait" Ken eventually reply.

Novie hugs him out of happiness, she's glad that he respects and understand her situation.

The McSalter were eating their dinner when the news breaks on the television.

'Five years after the Blue and White Dragon organization dismantled a new group is forming in the central Philippines specifically in Bohol. People are afraid especially the bars and restaurant owner because of the gang war that might arise….'

The television turned off after Brent pressed the off button, Angelo looked at him with anger.

"Why did you turn it off?" he asked with annoyance.

Brent crinkled his nose and continue with his food ignoring his father.

Angelo grunted and turned to his wife.

"Where is Novie? Why is she not eating? And the neighbor I thought he will have his dinner here today" Mary looked at the stairs, "I think she's upstairs, let me get her" then she stood up and went upstairs.

–

Novie's room.

"Close your eyes" Ken whispered. Novie obediently closed her eyes and waits for Ken's signal.

She and Ken have been in her room for hours now, they talked and catch up with the things they missed for five years.

Since their relationship is secret for now, Ken came to her room by climbing the tree next to her room, for her it's romantic but Ken says he got bitten by ants.

"Ok, open it now" Ken whispered once again. Slowly her eyes opened.

(!)

she gasped silently while her hand covered her mouth.

"Omg! You still have it" her eyes glistened with tears, she was not expecting for Ken to keep the engagement ring, it's been five years since she saw the ring.

She gulped and looked at Ken, tears wet her eyes.

"You've been keeping this for five years?" those words slowly let out from her lips. The man nodded and smiled.

Ken took her hand and put the ring on her palm.

His smile disappeared and his face turned serious.

"Yes. I have been keeping it for five years, now it's your turn to keep it. You can wear it once your parents know about us" he smiles faintly.

Novie sighed, her hand reached to his cheeks, caressing it slowly

"Thank you, honestly when I first met you. I thought you're not capable of doing sweet stuff but you're even sweeter than your friends" she giggled.

Ken seized her hands and plays with her finger.

"You can thank Daniella for that. She made me realized that I can feel love" he lowered his lips to her hand and rain it with small kisses.

"Oh yeah! How's Daniella and the triplets?" she has been wondering how Daniella handled the triplets after she left.

Ken lay on the bed and pull her body, she rested her head on his arms while he plays with her hair.

"She's fine, ahm… the triplets they are hm..." Ken stops and stared at the ceiling.

"They have different personality" he continued. Novie lifted her face to look at his face.

"How different?" Ken twitched his lips and looked at her.

"Lexi is adorable, she's my favorite. I mean I love them all but Lexi is Lexi, shes..." Ken was having a hard time finding the right word to explain why the little girl was his favorite.

"Because she reminds you of Daniella" Novie stated, Ken plucked his lips.

"Maybe… Ethan, he's a very serious boy. He always sneaks into her mother's laboratory and plays with Daniella's stuff"

"Wait he's five years old, isn't dangerous?" she asked, worried.

Ken shrugged his shoulder.

"I don't think so, given that they are still alive despite numerous times their house was blown" Ken chuckled after remembering the past.

"What do you mean blown?" Novie's eyes widened.

"Ethan loves to create a homemade bomb or anything that explodes, but he never used it. But once Lexi sees it, she'll call Leo and the two will convince Ethan to test it. And well you can imagine what happened next"