“Stop freaking out about that stupid note! Someone’s probably just messing around with you. Probably some kids who saw you moving in yesterday,” Rian repeats for the fifth time that day.

“But how did they know that I thought about this place being creepy at night?” he still holds the note, looking at the words. The words that are just like pulled out of his mind. Almost the way he thought about this place last night. Almost like someone would’ve…

“Because everyone feels weird spending first night at new place,” Rian states without looking at Jack, instead picking up some box from the corner of the room, “gosh, what is in here! Why is it so heavy?”

Jack doesn’t answer. He can’t remember what he put in which box. He looks down at the note, thinking of what Rian said. Maybe that’s how it is. Kids saw him moving in, thought it would be fun to goof around with new neighbor. Of course, everyone feel weird left alone for the first time in new apartment and everyone gets used to it after a while.

“Stop your daydreams and get your ass over here! I’m not going to unpack all of your stuffs! You bought coffee? I think I need some,” he said while making his way over to kitchen.

“Yeah, it’s somewhere in the kitchen, just look around, you should find it,” Jack’s answer was distance, like he would still be lost in his thoughts, but he got up from the couch he was sitting on and, leaving the little note on the coffee table, started to get his things out of the box.

When Jack found something that should be put in his bedroom, he left the room, not noticing concerned look on Rian’s face. He walked over to the coffee table and took the little note in his hand. It looked just like the other notes all those years ago.

You see, the problem is that this was not the first time when Jack received notes like this one, but this was the first time when the note actually got to him, this was the first time when he found it first. Rian remembered how he’d freaked out when he found note like this on the table next to Jack’s hospital bed. Jack practically lived in the hospital for two months and every day there were new note left on the table, but Jack didn’t find any of them, because Rian took them. Jack was already in a pretty bad state, he didn’t need to freak out because of this. He remembered how he asked his doctor and nurses if someone had been in his room besides himself and his family, but they said no, no one has been there.

The notes never said anything mean, they didn’t threaten Jack or someone else. They were more like encouraging. They always said that he’ll be strong enough to get through this, that he’s already getting better and soon he’ll be out of there. There were many times when Rian wanted to show these notes to Jack, but something always stopped him. This something being the fact that no one had been in his room. Then where were the notes coming from? Someone must’ve been there, there can’t be any other explanation.

This note looked just like the ones back then. Written on the same type of paper and the letters looked just as messy as then. Only thing different was that Jack had found it and he was freaking out about it just as Rian had thought. What would he say if Rian told him about the notes before? Would he be angry that he didn’t tell him back then or maybe he would freak out even more? Rian had to admit that it was creepy. He had to admit that there were some person out there who knew about Jack more than he would like. Of course, it’s nice to have someone who cares about you, but if they show it in this way then there’s something wrong with them.

“Hey, I think I left at yours some of my shirts. Can you…what are you doing with it?” he saw Rian staring at the note, like trying to read something that wasn’t there.

“Oh, nothing. Just looking at it. It is weird, but…what were you saying?”

“About my shirts. Can you bring them to me? Tomorrow, maybe.”

“Yeah, sure, I’ll look for them, but you’re sure they’re not in some of these boxes?”

“I put all my clothes in one box, I’m sure they’re not in there.”

Two hours later and there’s only few boxes left in his bedroom.

“Okay, I’ll take care of them myself. You don’t need to know what’s in there,” Jack laughs, pushing Rian out of his room.

“Now I want to know! I didn’t know you keep secrets from me! We lived together for almost two years, I know everything about you!”

“That’s what you think,” Jack answers with smirk on his face.

“Tonight, when you’ll be sleeping I’ll sneak in and find out what’s in them.”

“You had that opportunity for two years,” he chuckles, opening the fridge and looking for some ice cream, “you want some?” he asks Rian holding up his hand with ice cream.

“No, I think I should get going. You remember that you have class tomorrow, right?”

“Mhm,” Jack mumbles, mouth full with ice cream, “there’s nothing wrong with my memory.”

“Whatever,” Rian waves and walks to doors, “but remember, I’ll be here at night and I’ll find out what you’re hiding from me over there,” he motions to Jack’s bedroom, smiles his well-known smile and leaves him alone with ice cream and mysterious note.

---

Next morning he was up early, he was tired and hungry, but he didn’t have time for food. He was already late and if he’ll stop to get some food, he’ll be even later and his professor didn’t like anyone who was late. It was understandable, but not in this case, not when Jack was the one who was late.

As he entered the room he was greeted by more than twenty pairs of eyes, interested who’s rude enough to interrupt them.

“Aahh, Barakat! I thought I didn’t see you! Nice of you to join us!” his old professor said, still standing in the same spot where he was before Jack entered the room, still holding the book opened on the same page.

“Amm, yeah…sorry…some problems with my alarm clock and…” he mumbled rushing to get in his seat and disappear. He hoped to have a nap, because seriously, there wasn’t any problems with his alarm. He did hear it, he just fell asleep again, that’s it. He knew he shouldn’t have watched that movie till 2am, but he needed to know how it ended! Well, it seems it ended with Jack being late and hungry the next morning.

He opened the book on some random page and pulled out his notebook to write down something if needed. He looked over at his professor. He was as old as the history he taught. He was extremely thin man and looked like he was close to death. His skin looked dry and his clothes always a little bit too big, looked like he will drown in them one day. But yet he was always here, always wearing one of his big suits, always pushing his glasses back on his nose, always touching his head in a manner that would be totally normal for someone who had hair. He always brought his hand up to his head ready to run his fingers through his hair, but then remembered that he has no hair and always looked disappointed when he had to put his hand back on the table or his book or whatever he was holding that moment. Today he was wearing light grey suit, obviously too big for him. It looked old and dirty, but actually it was checkered, the pattern making it look dirty. He was rambling about French Revolution, what has caused it and what happened after.

Jack sighed resting his chin on his hands. Everyone knew about French Revolution, but no, obviously there’s more to know. He let his thoughts wander back to the little note, still on his coffee table. He wanted to check his mail box this morning, but he was scared (and late). It’s ridiculous, but he didn’t want to find another note. But to make sure that there’s no note he needs to open the mail box. He’ll do that when he gets back home, but before that he had to meet Rian to get his shirts. Not that he needed them now, but he’ll need them at some point.

He met Rian after four hours, but didn’t get much time to talk to him. Apparently he needed to get to department store to buy some kind of pipe for his kitchen sink. Jack didn’t pay too much of his attention to it, he don’t live there anymore so it’s not his problem.

He got out of his car and walked few steps to the front doors, his heart beating faster at the thought of the mail box.

“Come on, Jack, don’t be a coward!” he muttered to himself as he reached his hand forwards, his fingers slightly shaking.

He slowly opened his mail box and felt like his heart could jump out of its place. There it was. Little, white sheet of paper, gently folded, keeping a little note for Jack. For a moment he wanted to close the mail box and pretend like the note wasn’t there, but he knew he won’t be able to forget about it so he took it with trembling fingers.

It’s silly to wait for an answer if you don’t ask any questions, but I have to admit that I waited. I guess, to get an answer I have to ask something so here it goes – how was your day? I know, it’s not the best question, but we have to start somewhere, right? I heard that you were late today and I’m sorry to hear that. It never feels good to be late.

Notes

wooo, another note!! wooo, another chapter!!!
I wanted to post it earlier, but my laptop had different plans so here I am...few hours later than I planned ;D