Step to You

FORTY-ONE

Rose's POV

I took Auntie's sharpest meat knife and tiptoed to the hallway leading to the back door. I hid behind the large jar with bushy ornamental plant made of plastic and got ready. I raised the knife in front of me, ready to take attack just in case.

The door opened.

I looked for my phone in my pocket but suddenly remembered I left it upstairsin my bag. Rose Anne! Why did you leave the phone upstairs!

Breathing heavily, I listened with all my might.

"You don't want to use that to me?"

I almost fell. I turned and saw JK standing, his hair messy and wind-stricken. He stepped forward and removed the knife from my hand, then walked to the kitchen.

"I thought you were not--- you were not coming yet," I said as I follow him.

"Things change." He faced me. "Why are you alone?"

"I... Uhm... Well, I was going to spend the night with Elise and Sue but something came up." He is watching me with a blank expression. "I can't call Auntie because I know she's busy. And uhm... I'm really okay here." I smiled. Seeing him now makes me realize I missed him.

"Have you eaten yet?"

"Yes. I reheated the lasagna Auntie cooked," I muttered. "Do you want some?"

He nodded. Then he stared at me from head to foot. I don't know if he just smirked or what because he turned his back and went to the fridge.

"I brought the food in the sala. I'm watching TV as I eat," I said and went to the living room. "There's still some."

JK sat on the couch, and I sat opposite him. He took the remote and turned off the TV.

"Why did you enter from the back?" I asked.

"You locked the front door. I don't have the keys, so I went to the back."

"It's locked too. You could have called me--"

"Mom has a spare key under the plant pot," he drank his juice. "And Rose Anne, do you know what surprise is?"

"You wanted to surprise me?"

"No."

-_- I don't get him.

JK paused, "I don't want to surprise myself."

I stared at JK. He's looking at the TV which is already turned off. Then he drained his glass.

"I might have lost my mind and hug you the moment you open the door."

Did I just... hear him right?

He looked at me. "Do you want to watch the fireworks?"

"Huh?"

JK stood and gave me his hand, "We can see the fireworks from the rooftop. Want to watch it?"

"S-Sure." I reached for his hand. "But how will we...?"

He pulled me and we went upstairs. There is a small storage room that leads to the rooftop. JK led the way, and when we are there, I got a clear view of the sky above the Larrison Plaza.

"It's quite far, but you can still see the fireworks." He pointed at the direction of the plaza. "It's ten minutes before midnight."

We stood there in silence. I looked at him. He seems to be in deep thought.

"JK. There's something I really want to tell you," He didn't speak, which I take as a go signal. So I cleared my throat and continued. "I'm sorry."