For a long time both of them stared at each other. Until Neil finally spoke, "Shelsus, you're a girl? How come you never told us about it?" Shelsus ran back inside the bathroom along with her clothing without waiting for him to finish what he's saying. Neil really needed to get his 5 RoBuxes back from Mitch. He also feels like spreading the news to Mitch and Connor about the discovery. His hands quickly went into his back pocket to get his phone. Neil started dialing Mitch's phone number as fast as his fingers could allow him (Quite fast actually because Neil always plays online FPS games with his friends and he is really good at it) and pressed the 'call number' button.
The bathroom door opened, showing Shelsus fully dressed in her usual clothes but not wearing her scarf, goggles and beanie, revealing her face and long black hair. It makes Neil wonder why Shelsus would even want to cover up her face. She stared at Neil holding his phone, Mitch already on the line. "'Sup, Neil! What's the problem right now? Someone broke into your house? Your mom told you that you're a disgrace?" Neil looked at Shelsus's face, showing a hint of fear in her eyes. He didn't know what to do. It's either he inform his friend of the exciting news or just keep a secret from his friend. He made up his mind not telling Mitch about his finding. After all, keeping secrets never hurts anyone. An addition to that, he couldn't stand facing the guilt if he let the cat out of the bag.
"Uhh, Neil? You still there? Cat got your tongue? Should I keep quiet because there's someone's breaking into your house?" "Yeah. I'm still here." Neil answered back, not taking his eyes of Shelsus. "You know what, I forgot what I was about to say." "Oh, then try remembering. Then tell me tomorrow," Mitch said with a tone of disappointment "Alright?" "Naw, actually this is just a prank call. I'm just playing with you." Neil lied. Shelsus's tense face turned to relief once hearing what Neil said. "Dammit!" Mitch laughed "You got me. But you better watch yourself tomorrow, because you're going to get owned. See ya tomorrow Neil. Say goodnight to Shelsus for me, will you? Bye." And with that, he hung up. "Thanks for keeping my secret safe Neil." Shelsus took a seat on the couch next to Neil. "Just doing what friends do," he shrugged "And now you have to tell me why you kept your whole head covered up as if it's something to be ashamed off."
Shelsus began explaining, "Did you know about Nathaly Vanderhogg? "That freshman girl in your class during your freshman years?" Neil's forehead crumpled as he forced himself to dig deep into his memory. He nodded his head. Shelsus continued, "Nathaly Vanderhogg is Shelsus Keyvin. I am her." "Now that you,ve mentioned it, you do look like Nathaly." Neil said while studying her face closely. "But why did you suddenly move away?" Shelsus's voice dropped to a murmur "Because of a stalker problem." "Stalking you is quite a reasonable thing to do. I mean, who wouldn't want to stalk a good looking gal?" Shelsus shoved him playfully and said "How would you like it if someone is stalking you while you're taking a shower, eating, using the computer or studying?" Neil joked "I would like it. It shows that someone is into me and I have a die-hard fan." She rolled her eyes and continued "Well, I wouldn't like it, 'cuz my stalker was Mr. Bert."
Neil was knocked off his sense "Mr. Bert? Our substitute teacher?" Yes, Neil still remembered Mr. Bert. A pretty tall guy, a favorite teacher among the students, especially Neil, Mitch and Connor, cool and a perverted mind he has. Has hair that seems to stay just the way it is (even when you hit his hair with a baseball bat, the hair will be still standing proudly. As if it's constructed out of iron. And ten year old dandruff), always wearing a brown leather jacket. He left school a month ago on a trip to Las Vegas. Mr. Perch Bert was their fifth member of Neil's group of friends. Always hanging out with them, doing awesome stuff with Neil and his friends, and plenty of other things too. He knew how Mr. Bert behaved around females but seriously? Stalking? Neil never heard about him stalking people. That's just plain, grade A creepy. He asked her "How do you know that Mr. Bert was stalking you?"
"He once followed me to my grandma's funeral and I saw him." Shelsus answered "I would know he's following me because his distance from me was just about one yard!" Neil muttered something about the worst stalker to ever exist since time. Shelsus kept on going "Then a few weeks after the funeral, I went to my swimming lesson, and guess what?" "What?" "That lousy Bert was swimming right behind me! Not only that, he also followed me into my dad's office. I went into an elevator and he went in the same elevator with me. I went to the roof of the office and pretended to jump off the roof. But the asshole ran after me and jumped off the roof before I even did." Neil facepalmed himself and laughed "So that's why Mr. Bert went to the hospital for 2 months!"
Neil managed to control himself and asked Shelsus "So that's why you keep your face covered at all times?" She just nodded and told Neil "Promise me you won't tell anyone about my little secret?" "Yeah! Promise her you peeping tom!" SAM screeched and startled him. He almost forgot about SAM "I promise you." he swallowed hard "I promise you on my life and soul that I wouldn't tell another human being about your secret." SAM praised him "That's the most sincere promise I've ever heard. But make sure you keep it." SAM glared at Neil. "But promises are meant to be broken. The same goes to all general rules. I don't know if I can keep secrets" Neil thought. He took a quick peek at his wristwatch. "Oh! Look at the time now. We're supposed to hit the sack by now." She also looked at her watch and agreed "Yea, we really need to sleep now." "You can take my bed for the night. I'll sleep on the couch." Neil said as Shelsus reached for her schoolbag on the couch. "Just don't look in my closet and under the bed. And don't ask why.
Shelsus went into his room and he undressed himself, leaving only his black boxers and grey tank top on as his sleeping apparel. As he lied himself on the couch gently, he thought about Heather. And how she left he and his friends just like that. "Maybe she's just forced to go along with Mark. Yes, that's it. She's just forced to hang out with Mark. He is obviously doing that just to make me jealous. But what if she did it on her own free will?" he thought. He can't imagine how things would be like if she hung out with Mark by her own decision. Neil's thoughts flowed through his mind like a thick soup being filtered through a huge hairy moustache into a hungry mouth. Finally, he found peace and retreated into a deep sleep (after a long time thinking) as the moon shines bright in the dark night sky, along with the stars (and the occasional flying saucer which is unrelated to this story).
