THE NEIGHBOR

Kitchen is Ezlyn's favorite room of all the rooms in this palace-like mansion. Ezlyn will spend hours in the kitchen cooking because she likes to cook.

Ezlyn even has many cooking books especially in terms of baking. She likes to make cakes, cookies and cupcakes. She had never said this to anyone before but she wanted to have her cake shop. It was her dream since childhood.

Then whether Ezlyn realized her dream? No, because she can't make her dream come true. As people say, dreaming is something that anyone can do but not all dreams can come true. Because the world doesn't always go the way we want it to.

That is a law of nature.

Just as Ezlyn experienced, she could only keep dreaming... dreaming... and dreaming. So many things she had dreamed of but none of her dreams come true, because that's how this cruel world works. And to treat her sadness over her dreams that never come true, she will treat it by making brownies which is her favorite cake.

Just like what she's doing right now. On top of the kitchen bar, there are various kinds of ingredients she needs ranging from flour to eggs. She often makes brownies even by closing her eyes maybe she is still able to make it.

Ezlyn rolled up the sleeves of the sweater she was wearing. "Alright, let's get started! This is going to be fun," said Ezlyn with a smile on her face.

Ezlyn began to open the flour and put the eggs, butter, and other ingredients in the blue bowl. And the most important thing in making brownies is chocolate, you must not forget that.

She stirred the dough using a plastic spoon by slowly pouring the milk into the dough. Then took the mold, poured the dough into it and put it in the oven.

Ezlyn leaned her back to the kitchen bar with her eyes looking at the oven, watching the brownies she had put in the oven. Every human being on this earth must have their pleasure and this is Ezlyn's pleasure, her way of entertaining herself. Since only she can comfort herself because no one else can.

Ezlyn continues to wait.

Three...

Two...

One...

TING!

Ezlyn immediately smiled after calculating in her heart. “Finally, it’s ready!”

She quickly put on her gloves, opened the oven, and took her brownies out of the oven. She took it out of the mold and placed it on a white plate.

Satisfied.

That's how Ezlyn felt right now. She was satisfied to see her finished brownies. She then decorated the brownies as beautifully as possible with whipped cream and cherries. Beautiful, to beautiful to eat.

Ezlyn tucked her hair. "This is the prettiest brownie I've ever made," said Ezlyn with a smile that couldn't leave her face.

“I’m sure Marlon going to like it,” she said excitedly. While imagining her husband eating the brownies she made.

...

Ezlyn walked out of the mansion with her feet only wearing flip-flops and her hands holding something. She continued walking until she came to a luxurious house that was quite far from her husband's mansion.

Ezlyn raised her hand to press a button beside those brown doors.

Ding... ding... ding... dong...

"Wait a moment!" said a voice from inside the house.

Not long after that Ezlyn could hear the sound of footsteps from inside the house, she took a few steps back to coincide with the door of the house opening slowly. She saw a beautiful woman with short black hair from behind the door. "Oh, Mrs. Ryker!"

Ezlyn smiled. "Good afternoon Mrs. Hunter," said Ezlyn kindly.

Louna Watsons, is the name of the woman who opened the door and also the wife of the owner of this luxurious house. That's why Ezlyn called her 'Mrs. Hunter.'

Louna is Ezlyn's neighbor maybe more accurately the only neighbor that Ezlyn knows because Marlon's mansion is in a neighborhood that is quite far from the other houses. In short, Marlon's mansion is the only mansion in this neighborhood.

Louna smiled. "Good afternoon Mrs. Ryker. What are you doing here? Do you need something?" asked Louna kindly. "Ah, please come inside first."

Ezlyn shook her head. "No need, Mrs. Hunter. I just want to give this to you," said Ezlyn who then opened the cover of the plate that she brought.

"Woah, brownies! How beautiful!" said Louna smiling happily seeing a plate of brownies that Ezlyn brought for her.

Yes, Ezlyn came here to give a piece of the brownies she had made to her neighbor, Louna. This wasn't the first time she had talked to Louna. They were quite close but not too close at the same time and this time she wanted to share a little of her happiness with Louna.

Louna tucked her hair. "Did you make it yourself Mrs. Ryker?" asked Louna.

Ezlyn nodded. "Yeah, I made it myself. I hope you like it. I want to share it with you," replied Ezlyn.

Louna smiled, then reached out her hand to take the plate from Ezlyn's hand. "I'm sure I will definitely like it Mrs. Ryk--"

"Aahh!" winced Ezlyn.

Louna who heard Ezlyn's winced was surprised. "Are you all right Mrs. Ryker?" asked Louna frantically, then looked at Ezlyn's hand. "Mrs. Ryker, your hand is bleeding!" Louna saw Ezlyn's hand was bleeding not much but it looked painful.

Ezlyn immediately pulled her hand away and then covered her hand. "Ah, that's fine. I just hurt a little while making this brownie."

"Are you sure Mrs. Ryker? Your scratch looks quite wide," said Louna worriedly. She saw the scratch on Ezlyn's palms which were quite long and wide.

Ezlyn nodded. "I'm sure Mrs. Hunter. I'm used to getting hurt like this when cooking or baking," said Ezlyn casually.

"But still, you have to treat it--"

“No! I’m totally fine!” said Ezlyn suddenly yelling at Louna.

Louna flinched. Ezlyn realized what she had just done. “Mrs. Hunter, I didn’t mean to--”

Louna grabbed Ezlyn shoulder, looking directly at her eyes. “Mrs. Ryker, did something bad happen? I will try to help you.”

Ezlyn removed Louna's hand from her shoulder. "I'm sorry Mrs. Hunter. I have to go, see you next time," said Ezlyn then walking away from there.

“No, wait! Wait Mrs. Ryker!” shouted Louna tried to called Ezlyn, but Ezlyn ignored her and quickened her pace.

Louna still standing in front of her door with her eyes that saw Ezlyn walking away from her house. "She looks empty," muttered Louna. “I'm really worried, something bad must be happened. She looked so sad. No, she need help."

Yeah, Louna saw the emptiness in Ezlyn's hazel eyes and this was not the first time she saw the emptiness. Previously she had seen Ezlyn standing on the balcony of the mansion with a gaze that looked so empty.

It was as if that gaze was screaming to say...

'Save me.'