My Ex Next Door

Ken was out of breath as he put the two kids down.

"Go to your chair and don\'t sneak out again" Ken spoke in between his breathing.

The triplets understood the dark expression he had in his face, they immediately rushed to their chairs and grab their notebooks.

Before Leo sat down, he rested a hand on the back chair in front of him and whispered.

"Hi Cassie" he whispered in a teasing tone, the girl turned her head to look at Leo, when the boy smiled the girl rolled her eyes and changed her chair.

In the other side, Ken sat by the corner, he had his laptop on his lap while squeezing his body in the small wooden chair which can only fit a petite student.

(Who the hell made this?) he blurted inside and pressed the power button of his laptop.

Novie called out the students names for attendance and continued with her topic after she got interrupted by the triplets arrival.

After almost an hour Novie sat down and let the students copy what she wrote on the board.

She tried to focused on the book she\'s reading but her phone keeps on vibrating, every time she checks it, the message was from Ken.

Novie sighed and opened one of the messages, she raised an eyebrow when she saw that it was her picture.

Novie looked at Ken\'s direction only to find him staring at her, she felt her cheeks burning in embarrassment and with that, she lowered her blushing face, unable to meet his eyes.

(Damn it why am I blushing?)

She nibbled on her lower lips while drumming the pen on the table.

"Ms. McSalter are you all right? Your face is burning" one of her students spoke in concern.

Novie looked at the student who was seated opposite to her desk, the girl had her head tilted in confusion.

"Yes," she replied short and discreetly looked at Ken.

When she saw him smirking, her blood boils.

(It\'s all your fault!) She narrowed her eyes and throws him a \'stop teasing me\' look.

Ken shrugged his shoulder and went back to his laptop.

Time passed quickly, the bell rung and everyone got up and rushed out of the classroom.

Ken got up as well. He put his laptop back in his bag and walk straight the triplets.

"Done?" he asked them. The triplets looked at him and nodded at the same time.

Novie zips her bag and turned to Ken.

"I\'ll meet you outside, I need to return this book to the library"Novie lifted a book in the air, showing the book she borrowed last week.

Ken nodded and the four left the room.

Novie watches them as they leave, seeing Ken walking with the triplets, her heart pounded and the thought of her future flashed in her mind.

(Wait. If Daniella and Danny are twins and Daniella had the triplets... wait does it mean!!!)

Novie paled.

(No!!) She screamed inside, thinking about the possibility of her to get pregnant with twins.

(Hm... I better call Anders) with that thought, Novie took her phone out and dialed her cousin\'s number.

When the man answered, Novie didn\'t hesitate to ask the question.

"Anders, the twin genes does it ran to Daniella\'s mother or her father?" she asked while her feet made its way to the library.

"I think from her mother" Ander answered.

Novie stopped and sighed in relief.

"Thank you so much, I can\'t imagine myself getting pregnant with triplets, anyway bye" Novie ended the call and didn\'t bother to wait for Anders response.

Novie\'s eyes widened when she suddenly the librarian leaving the room.

"Wait, I need to return a book" she yelled but the woman pretended not to hear her and ran downstairs.

Novie crinkled her nose in annoyance and decided to return it tomorrow.

–

Before Novie reaches the gate, a familiar figure showed up in front, she lifted her head and saw her ex, Malvin.

She gave a fake smile and greeted him.

"Hi Malvin, what are you doing here?" Novie asked. Malvin stared at her with his deep brown eyes.

"Remember Lina and Anton?" Novie nodded as a response, Lisa was her classmate in college while Anton was Lisa\'s boyfriend.

"Yes, why?" her eyes past through him, looking if Ken\'s car is around, she doesn\'t want to create any misunderstanding between them.

"Well, they want to meet up tomorrow with us, since you ditch me last week can you come tomorrow?".

Novie raised an eyebrow by his tone, but she knows better than what she did was wrong, she didn\'t even bother to message and inform him that she couldn\'t make it.

"Fine, what time," she asked, Malvin\'s face lightened up.

"After your work"

Novie nodded and wait for Malvin to bid goodbye.

"I gotta go," Novie said after they become silent.

"Ok, I will pick you up" Malvin offered, Novie who was about to leave turned her back to face him,

"No need, I will bring my boyfriend with me" she smiled, she doesn\'t want to send Malvin a wrong impression just because she agreed to meet with their friends.

The man seemed to understand the meaning behind her words, his eyes lowered on the floor and sadness clouded his feature.

Novie could see the sadness in his eyes but she ignores it, thinking that it will be best for him to move on just like she did.

When Novie saw the disappointment all over her face she could not help but pity him. Her hand reached to his arm while her mind reminisced the day they broke up.

–

Six years ago.

A room painted in white has been tainted with red wine and the shattered glasses were all over the floor, while outside the rain pours in a big drop.

Novie was sitting on the couch with her hand wrapped around her body, her shirt was torn while her face wet in tears.

Opposite to her was Malvin, he had his back leaned at the lower part of the couch, one knee folded and his face buried in it.

Novie\'s cry exceeded the thunder and rain outside while the pain inside was tearing her heart apart.

Her cry stops when she felt the couch moving, her body moved by itself while her eyes stared at the floor, asking herself how could this happen.

"I am sorry Novie" a man spoke in an apologetic tone, Novie looked at him with tears dropping from her eyes. It was her boyfriend, Malvin.

"Sorry? You almost **** me Malvin!" she yelled at him. The man narrowed his eyes, and Novie could see the vein swelled in his neck.

Novie shook her head and tried to move away but Malvin\'s hand seized her arms and pushed her body on the couch, he positioned himself on top of her and held both of her wrists in one hand while the other brushes her face.

"Why? Why couldn\'t you give yourself to me Novie?" Malvin spoke in a hurtful tone.

Novie shook her head, scared of the look Malvin was giving her.

He was never like this, he\'s always gentle and sweet but lately, he started to act weird, asking her to give herself to him even though they have an agreement that he will wait until they get married.

"Malvin… please… don\'t do this" she asked in between her sobs, but Malvin was like a lion in front of his prey, he was not listening and all he had in his mind was to devour the bunny in front of him.

"I will be responsible to you Novie, If you get pregnant, your father will not be against us anymore" Malvin responded.

Her sobs went louder, they\'ve been together for so many years but she just couldn\'t give herself to him, and even herself was confused.

Novie shook her head, the Malvin she once knew had disappeared. Thinking that she decided to find a way to escape despite her foggy mind.

(I need to help myself) she said to herself.

She stops herself from crying and changes her expression, she sniffed and fake a smile.

"Really?" she spoke in a soft tone.

Malvin\'s face lightened up, he immediately let her wrist go and nodded.

"Yes, Novie I will" saying that Malvin lowered his face on Novie\'s neck, leaving marks all over it.

Novie wrinkled her face, disgust by Malvin\'s action.

Slowly, her hand reached at the lamp on the table next to the couch, she grabbed it and hit Malvin\'s head in full force.

When the man\'s body fell on the floor, Novie grabbed her bag and left the house, she didn\'t turn back to check on him, all she wanted was to escape.

She ran as fast as she could, while her mind thought of how can a person be like this, how can a gentle person turned into a monster.

Since that day, she decided to change her life and study psychologist to understand more how can a person\'s personality drastically change in a short time.

--

Meanwhile, in the Su Villa, Anders bent his head in confusion. His cousin ended the call after asking about Daniella.

(Hm... since she\'s back with Ken, could it be that she\'s pregnant?) his eyes stretched in shock, he quickly unlocks his phone to send Brent a message.

(Hey! is your sister pregnant?)

Anders unintentionally pressed the sent button when Selena showed up from behind.

He was about to send another message when Selena took the phone from his hand and smiled at him.

"We need to leave, Maddie said Kirby had arrived at the party."

Selena spoke in a cheered tone, her hand stroked his shoulder and adjusted his tie.

"Now, Once you see Kirby looking at me, I need you to hug me or kiss my head. ok?"

Anders breathed and nodded, he wiped the eyelashes that fell on her cheeks and smiled at her.

"Yes, let\'s go" Ander\'s extended his arm to Selena and they both left the Villa.