AVOIDANCE IS HARDWORK

Kaye watched chinese drama when she got back. She wore her headphone to avoid hearing Ivan's movement outside. After watching two episodes which lasted an hour and half, she decided to go out and cook. Her stomach was rumbling and she needed to eat.

Ivan was inside his room so Kaye was relieved that she can cook without him around. She wanted to spend less time outside her room so she went for fried chicken this time. She cooked four pieces of fried chicken, two for each of them.

Kaye was putting the fried chicken on a plate when Ivan went outside. She was in a hurry to finish everything that she burnt herself with the frying pan.

"Shit! Shit!" she cursed herself softly not to let him hear, but Ivan's sense of hearing was enhanced.

"I'm fine. Just take a seat so we can eat." she gritted hear teeth from the pain while running a tap water on the burnt part. It was turning bright red in her white skin.

Ivan didn't say a thing. He went to the cupboard and took the ointment for burns and stings. Kaye walked to the dining table, placed the food and open the fridge to get some ice for the juice. She endured the pain like nothing happened, tear was burning her eyes from pain. It was the same pain she felt when the evil man splashed water at her.

Ivan stood up and walked toward her. Kaye was still trying to get some ice but her strength was greatly reduced. She gave up, closed the fridge and turned around, bumping into someone's chest.

Ivan held her still to keep her balance but when Kaye realized what happened, she stepped back, afraid that he would hear the beat of her heart. Ivan reached out her hand which was burnt earlier. She hissed in pain when Ivan touched it with his cold hands.

"Will you not tell me and just endure it?" he placed her burnt hand on his palm, squeezed out an ointment then spread it over to soothe the pain. Kaye stayed silent the whole time. "If it's painful, just say so. Don't endure it. I promised your parents that I'd protect you." he gave her a gentle squeezed on her hand before going back to his seat with the ointment.

"I will eat inside the room. I need to finish something before work resume tomorrow. I'll join you next time." Kaye took her plate of food and brought it to her room. She was determined in avoiding her roommate until he'll forget that important thing he wanted to say.

Ivan didn't stop her from doing what she wants, but he felt her avoiding him. That's for sure.

He ate his food slowly, waiting for her to get out but after an hour there was no sign of movement from Kaye's room. He started cleaning the dirty kitchenwares but Kaye was still in her room.

"Kaye, I'll be sleeping now. You have to clean your own dishes." he knocked her door, hoping she would talk to him or at least let him wash her plates but she only said, "Got it."

Ivan couldn't do anything and he ran out of ideas to make her talk to him just like how they used to before.

The next morning, Kaye didn't cook food for breakfast. She only drank milk and ate a loaf of bread before running back to her room like a thief. She took out her phone and left a voice message for Ivan.

"Not cooking today. I'm tired. Just eat whatever you want that is available." then she hit send. "Avoiding you is a difficult task, specially that we're roommates. You're making me work my brain so hard in avoiding you." she scolded no one but her voice was directed to someone on the other room.

Ivan was happy when he received her voice message, but was disappointed right after. "Can't we talk like normal?" he wanted to ask her but he's afraid of scaring her. 'Hmmm, you wanted to play hide and seek? Let see what will you do.'

Ivan took a quick shower, changed clothes, grabbed his gadgets and decided to do his work outside. He placed his things on the coffee table, but decided to do his work at the dining table instead. That way, he's closer to Kaye's room.

Kaye didn't have any idea that her roommate was laying trap for her. At ten in the morning, she decided to go out when Ivan stood up as well. She bumped unto his chest, making her dizzy.

'Deja vu?' Kaye thought. Ivan held her while she rubbed her forehead.

"I'm sorry. Are you okay? I was about to knock your door." Ivan said but the truth was, he knew she was walking earlier and was going out from her room.

"Why will you knock my door?" she was on high alert after that nightmarish day with him.

"I wanted to remind you to put some ointment on your burnt skin." Ivan handed him the ointment that he used last night as well.

"Thanks." she grabbed it and poured a glass of water before returning back to her room. She noticed his things sprawled on the table, but she didn't care at all.

She was really hungry now. She's getting dizzy and all she could think of was food. It was one in the afternoon already.

Dingdong! Dingdong!

Their doorbell rang but Kaye didn't want to go out. She stayed in her room and waited for Ivan to open the door. She heard muffled voices outside so she took a peek from the small opening of her door, making sure Ivan was safe.

"Takeouts? Didn't I tell him not to order takeouts anymore?" she whispered softly still peering behind her door.

After a few minutes, Ivan returned back to the kitchen with two paper bags. She also went outside and took some bread and jam to eat.

"Let's eat. I know you don't want us to eat takeouts but you didn't cook for lunch. I thought you might be tired so I bought something to eat." Ivan placed the paper bags down and walked to the drawer to get cutleries and plates.

"I'm fine with this." she would not give him the chance to talk to her about that girl, not even food can be used to bribe her.

"Okay. I'll just save some for you." Ivan said before returning her plate back to the drawer, only taking out the things he needed.

Kaye stuffed the food in a hurry so she could leave from his sight which caused her to choke.

"Water." she could hardly breath and she didn't get her own glass of water as well. Without a choice, she drank the one that Ivan poured for himself which was half full.

"If you want to avoid me, that's fine. If you don't want to talk to me, that's fine. However, don't hurt yourself or choke yourself to death." Ivan calmly said before shoving a spoonful of rice to his mouth, happily eating.