My Ex Next Door

Ken smiled at Alexa and opened the bar of chocolate she handed. He slowly ripped the side of the plastic and when he took it out, Alexa's eyes were following his movement.

In slow motion, Ken moved the chocolate closer to his lips and the moment his lips parted to eat it, Ken took a bite and chewed it gently as if it was the tastiest chocolate he ever had. When he gestured to swallow it, he could see Alexa swallowing too.

He chuckled and thrust the chocolate to her open mouth.

"Fine, it's our little secret and since you save me money from the ticket, I will give you the half." he could see her eyes shining as he handed the chocolate to her and just like a kid that didn't have a meal for weeks, Alexa devour the chocolate with no mercy.

Ken cleaned the remaining chocolate in his finger using a tissue and patted her head. He's glad that Alexa was no longer throwing him a deadly look and the war between them had ended with no casualties.

The girl was smiling at him while chewing on the chocolate but after a minute, Alexa's face frost while her eyes widened as she stared at him.

Ken creased his brow in confusion. He was about to ask her what's wrong when Alexa signaled him to get her a tissue.

Without wasting time, Ken grabbed a tissue and handed it to her, the girl unfolded the tissue and spluttered the chocolate on it.

Seconds later, Alexa got down from her chair and walked towards the tree next to a trash bin. When she came back, she took another set of tissue and wiped her lips.

Ken tilted his head in confusion, he was about to ask when Alexa drank the water they had on the table and looked at him.

"what's wrong Lexi?" he asked in concern.

The girl stared at him so deep, and her lips parted to smile.

"I lost two of my teeth uncle Ken. Phew! I almost swallowed it" Alexa spoke in a relief tone and wiped her forehead even though there was no sweat on it.

Ken stared at her parted lips, and the two teeth missing in front. There were some stain of blood but there was no sign of pain in Alexa's expression.

When the girl smiled again, and he saw her look, he could not help but to laugh, his whole body shook in laughter while tears formed in his eyes.

Alexa face was so funny and seeing her forehead and missing teeth made his body bent in laughter.

He kept on chuckling that the other people around stared at him like he was a psycho, he tried to calm down but the girl still had her smile that showing the blank space between her teeth which worsen his state.

He got up and tried to walk back and forth to remove the picture in his head.

"Uncle Ken, do I look pretty without teeth?" Alexa said which made him look at her, seems like the girl figured out he could not stop laughing because of her teeth.

The moment his eyes laid on her, the girl widened her smile which made him explode.

"Uncle Ken, stop laughing now I can't stop too" Alexa spoke in between her laugh, seeing how her uncle laugh was amusing in her eyes.

They wiped their tears at the same time, and Ken sat back on his chair.

Without looking at her, Ken grabbed the water and about to drink it when Alexa giggled once again which made him laugh again.

Ken didn't mind the people around watching them, the picture of Alexa's missing teeth was in his head and no matter how hard he tries to compose his body the girl continuously teases him by smiling.

In the other side…

Novie and the two boys rested on the wooden bench under the tree after a long walk, because of Ethan and Leo running to a different direction, Novie forgot to call Ken and inform him where they are.

She felt her phone repeatedly buzzed with all his messages and phone calls but, she's too busy and afraid that if she looks away for a second, she might find the boys behind the cage.

"Aunt Novie, let's go to the lion," Leo asked, the boy had a water bottle in his hand which he slowly drinks.

Novie plucked her lips and looked at Ethan. "do you want to go?" she asked.

The boy didn't reply instead he got up and patted his pants.

Novie got up and held each of their hand, as they walk their way to the lion cage, a woman shouted a girl's name which made the two boys look at the girl's direction.

When Novie followed their eyes, she found a small girl sitting on the ground, crying. Seems like she tripped and hurt her knee.

When a woman shouted the name 'Stephanie' once again, the boys beside her suddenly disappear.

Ethan and Leo ran to the girl direction and squatted on the floor. Leo checked on the girl's leg while Ethan took a small box from his bag which had a medicine sign.

Novie rose an eyebrow and wonder how did it fit in Ethan bag but what shocked her the most was the concern she saw in the boys face.

Leo took a wet tissue and wiped the dirt away from the girl's knee while Ethan sprayed something to her knee.

Novie signed and shook her head in disbelief. She knows that the boys were only sweet to Alexa but seeing them too close with another girl made her feel touch.

"Your name is Stephanie, right?" Leo asked while wiping the girl's tears.

At that moment, Novie flattened her face, realizing that the only reason the boys helped the girl was because of her name.

Then an old woman came to check on the girl.

"thank you" the woman expressed and patted Ethan and Leo head.

Novie went closer and smiled at the boys.

"That's sweet of you Leo and Ethan. Why don't you introduce yourself to the little girl?" she teasingly said and winked at them.

The boys lowered their head at the same time but, their blushing cheeks didn't escape her eyes.

"Hi I am Leo," Leo said and waved a hand in the air while a shy smile was on his lips.

"I am Ethan" Ethan spoke while adjusting his glasses, the blush in his face disappeared and contorted to a cold expression.

The girl switched her eyes between the two boys.

"thank you. My name is Stephanie" the girl replied and gave them a big smile.

Novie looked at the boys and saw their bitter expression. The excitement in their eyes disappeared, and she wondered why.

When she looked at the girl, she found her missing teeth in front, she then realized why the boy was acting so weird.

Without saying goodbye, the boys turned their back and walked away.

Novie felt embarrassed by their rudeness, she looked at the old woman beside the girl and gave an awkward smile.

"they are just hungry so... bye" without waiting for their response she walked away.

When Novie caught up with the boys, they already reached the lion cage, she bent down and asked what's wrong even though she had already an idea.

"Leo, Ethan why did you leave without saying goodbye," she asked.

The boys looked at her with guilt in their eyes.

"she's taller than us," Leo replied.

Novie tilted her head in confusion. She thought the reason the boys were acting weird was because of her appearance.

"so you didn't walk away because she's not pretty but, she's taller than you," she asked.

The boys nodded at the same time and shifted their eyes to the lion.

She didn't bother to ask them more since Leo and Ethan send her a message they are not interested in talking to her by looking at the lion.

Since she has free time, Novie took her phone out and dialed Ken's number.

When the man answered the call, she could hear the distress in his tone. Her brows creased in confusion and asked him what's wrong.

"Alexa wanted to buy a shirt, and we already spent thirty minutes in the store because she keeps on bargaining the price. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!!!"