I LIKE YOU JUST BECAUSE...

The sweet, old, musky scent wafting to my nose as it lingers to every flipping page, reading the book: “I Like You Just Because”, in this little park bench, a wooden seat made of a strong narra tree that is neatly varnished was my best sitting place. The much-needed fragrant, a humbling breeze of air with the sun shining brilliantly in the clear, blue sky giving me the picture-perfect day. Swaying my feet as I sit, and ecstatically reading the phrases “I like you because… and I like you just because”.

It didn’t take an aeon for the changing of the winds, a bizarre atmosphere comes creeping in. Looking left and then to the right, a stare in the scene from my intuition felt so right. 

A crisp of leaves is heard, maybe from behind, to see a shadowy figure from the corner of my eye and looking back to see no one but the heavily disturbed bushes. I know it’s not just from the wind, but of someone maybe just passing by?

The sun is setting and the light is dimming, I can barely see the words on the page I’m reading, assigning a bookmark before closing my book and then I pack my things. 

I’m going home.

Walking alone down the pavements of my street, I can feel the wind beneath my feet. As to every step I take, a double sound it makes, seemingly synchronized to someone else’s steps. 

Alone, well that’s what I think. Alone really? I just hope so.

As day comes to its rest and the moon shines the brightest in the darkest of the night, leaning my back to the wall and a comfy pillow with hello kitty case on my lap, I continue to read the same old favorite book.

A strong blow of wind flew my curtain from an open window of my room, showing me the breezy night outside. Twigs of this weeping willow tree scratching my glass window causing a squeaking sound as its green foliage peeking and waving inside.

Decided to close the window, I stood up from the bed, walking toward the open sill as the wildest of the wind approaches me. The light starts flickering and goosebumps moping in. And as soon as the flicker stops and my hand ready to close the window, a strange man appears on the sight, standing estimately fifteen feet outside my house with his black suit, a hat, with all his formality and hand in his pocket, staring and looking at me.

I am paralyzed in the spot as my heart pounding loud in my ears, blocking every other sound around me. My sudden shock makes my muscle in tense, I wanted to run, but to where? And for a reason, I couldn’t even lift a foot. I held my breath, keeping it steady and trying to make myself calm. I know what to do. I know what I must do! 

Closing the window, covering with curtains as I take three small steps backward, sighing. I’m thinking, I’m thinking. Who is this man? What does he want? And why? 

I have a stalker, a watcher… an admirer?!

NO! That’s crazy!

I try to brush it off, I want to sleep but for this reason, I just couldn’t. The thought of being watch scares me, who wouldn’t?

It’s past midnight, I’m still disturbed from the feeling that really bothers me, foreboding. 

The doorknob creaking at the front door caught my attention, my eyes widened as I tremble. I quickly grab my phone in panic, shaking as I tap the numbers to dial the police station, but I couldn’t even make a text or call. Someone must’ve cut my connection. This is planned, he have prepared for me.

To rush but unable to move, I couldn’t even scream for whatever voice keys I make, I cannot be heard.

He is here.

The man, standing in front of me at the edge of my bed as I grasp on my sheets like a helpless screeching mouse.

“Who are you and why are you here?” I cried as every tear drop brings my life time with it.

“You. I liked you for a very long time. And I don’t know if there’s something wrong with your pretty eyes but you were never able to see my existence, so I present to you myself. Here, I showed up. Tada!”

His arms everywhere, he seems so proud. He psychopathically grins. He is obsessed. He is evil! He is crazy! He is beyond these words described! 

“I like you just because…hmmm”, he picks up my book and start reading it to me as he caress my hair.

“Well, let me give you my own version, darling, okay?

I like you just because… you are alone most of the time, and I am too. Let’s be alone together.

I like you just because… your hair is so warm and sweet each time I sniff at the park bench in a good weather.

I like you just because… you smile as you read your book. You’re such a good reader…”

He took a pause as he pull a gouge from his pocket and cupping my face with the other hand.

“Most of all, I like you just because…” he sighs and smile, studying the gouge to my face.

“-your eyes sparkles from afar, sadly you never see me. You’re far from radar.”

He took off his shades showing his eyes, scary and glaring from the night. Hideous it is!

“I like you because… just because… you have what I like and that’s it, no more other because. And you don’t have to worry, you will always have a part in me.”

He begins. 

Screaming from the pain as he gouges her left eye, she passed out. Leaving her in her bed as he took off his fake eye and replacing it with hers.

“Hmmm I see now, there’s nothing wrong with your eye, it’s pretty and it completes me.”

He look himself in the mirror to see him with two eyes.

“This is me, look at me, you’re finally seeing me right?”

With her eye in his, she is able to see how he look at her.

With her eye in his, she is able to see why he wanted her.

With her eye in his, she is able to see what he saw in her.

With her eye in his, she is able to see him with a part of her.

They are together, two different eyes. 

They are together looking through the windows of their eyes.

She finally gets to see him as she is in his.

Everything about her is beautiful in his sight. Better in both of the sight.

And now she sees.

“You like me. I can see through these eyes, and now I don’t have to question why…

You like me just because…you like me, no because.”

-END-