CHAPTER 24

“Helene!” Adam shouted when Helene didn’t answer inside her house. He peeked behind the blinds, but he can’t see through inside. “Helene? Can you please open the door? This is me, Adam.”

He waited for another fifteen minutes before he heard the clicks on the lock behind the door. Adam held his breath as the old wooden door slowly opened, and Helene’s frowned face peeked behind.

“Adam, what do you need?” she asked, looking as if he disturbed her sleep. “Why are you here? I told you to stop following me, right?”

“Helene, are you alone?” he asked, hoping that she’d let him inside her house to see who owns the shadow that he saw from the window. “I just want to tell you something.”

Helene paused to think about what he said. Then, after a few moments, she widened her door. “I’m with someone,” she said. “We can talk outside if it’s fine with you.”

“Someone?” Adam asked. So Helene is not alone inside her apartment. “Who is he?”

Helene knotted her forehead. “Why do you want to know?”

Adam thought of an answer that would not offend her or make her closed her door again. “Helene, I’m your friend. I’m just concern about you.”

“Friend?” she smirked. “I stopped treating you as a friend when you make believe that…” she trailed, then looked away from him. “Go away, Adam. I don’t want to talk to you.”

Before Helene could close the door, Adam stopped her. “Helene, I like you, and it’s the truth.”

The woman looked up at her, lips parted in surprise. “W-What did you say?”

“I like you, Helene…” he admitted, “that’s why I’m here…I just want to make sure that you are safe.”

Helene curled her lips. “Then, how about Bela? She’s your girlfriend, right?”

“Bela isn’t my girlfriend—” He shook his head. “Can I come in?”

“Malcolm is here,” she said and looked back inside her house.

“Who’s Malcolm?” Adam tried to look at her living room, but Adam couldn’t see well inside because of the door’s narrow opening.

“Malcolm is my friend,” she said. “He’s my someone.”

Adam felt a painful pinch inside his heart. To know that Helene is with somebody else now makes him feel regret for all the chances that he let past him over the years. “Where did you meet him?”

“Is it important to you?” Helene’s tone of voice is like a knife poking its sharp point to his heart. “Can you leave now?”

Adam nodded his head. “I’m sorry if I disturbed you,” he said and sighed. “But, Helene, please take care of yourself. And don’t easily trust anyone, especially if you just met them.”

“Really?” she laughed as if what he said is a joke. “How ironic,” she added. “You know what, Adam? Most of the times, the people that we’ve known for a long time is the one that stabbed us behind our backs. They can be the ones that are taking you for granted or simply the kind of people that hated you for a long time.”

Adam didn’t answer. He’s studying Helene’s expression and noticed that something has changed in her. He can no longer see and feel the lightness that she brought every time they’re bumping with each other. What he sees now are hatred and sadness.

“So don’t put all the blames on those who recently came into your life because who knows, they might be the ones that could save you,” Helene continued. Her eyes didn’t leave him.

“Okay, but please, Helene, take care,” he insisted and tried to reach for her hand, but she avoided him.

“Thanks, Adam,” she said and shut the door in front of his face.

***

“Where’s the picture that I’m asking from you?” Minerva asked her immediately as soon as she saw her entered the gate of the University. “Come on, show it to me.”

Helene forgot to take a selfie with Malcolm last night. Aside from Adam’s sudden visit to her apartment, Malcolm’s sweetness towards her occupied her mind. He never let her get silent on a corner. Instead, he permanently joined her and made her laugh at his funny stories and jokes.

The kind of happiness that Malcolm is giving her is the type that she thought never existed. Helene already forgot how it felt to be taken care of by someone who loves you. Since she started to live alone, Helene learned to depend on no one but only herself. And, besides, no one had shown any care for her until Malcolm came into her dark life and put bright colors into it.

“Hey, Helene, where’s the picture?” Minerva nudged her in the waist. They were both sitting on one of the bleachers and just waiting for the bell to ring, indicating that the first class is about to start. “You looked in a good mood. Is it because of your lover?”

Helene laughed at Minerva’s term for boyfriend. “You’re so old-fashioned,” she said, then heaved a sigh. She can’t find the right time to tell Minerva her decision about her job at the agency. “Ah, Minerva…”

Minerva looked at her. Both brows were raised in confusion on how she acted now. “What?” she asked and studied her face. “Hey, don’t tell me that you’re pregnant?”

Helene glared at her. She didn’t expect that she thought as advanced as Science. “I’m not pregnant,” she said and took her hands. “Minerva, I have made a decision…”

Minerva’s expression changed, and before she could counter her, Helene continued.

“I wanted to quit doing camera shows,” she said without any introduction. “I’ve thought about this a thousand times, Minerva. I really couldn’t digest to do it again.” She took out the money from her skirt pocket and gave it to Minerva. “Here’s the money that I borrowed from you. Thanks—”

“Why do you want to quit?” she asked in a stern voice. “Why so sudden? Is your boyfriend told you to stop? Did you tell him about the agency?”

“No, of course not,” she said while shaking her head. “I just can’t do this again…I hope you understand, Minerva.”

Minerva looked at her for seconds. Helene can’t read what’s on her mind because her expression was just neutral. “Okay,” she said. “Then, good luck with your decision.”

***