CHAOS THEORY

The morning had struck my face through the window and lighted my face, highlighting the dark crescent shades under my eyes.

He left quite the impression last night. Kaley Browns. All I could think was the thought he wasn't a girl. Now that I think about it, it really isn't that weird, people name their kids' weird names these days, it might've been the same before.

I've grown accustomed to the ways of the man. By today's standards, I don't think anyone really knows what's normal anymore. End subjective terms, am I right?

I swept the blanket off me and grabbed my glasses from the nightstand. "These days keep on getting strange by the minute."

I walked out the halls barefoot, not giving any care whatsoever about indoor sandals. I reached for my keys hanging near on a nail attached to the wall by the door. I locked it. "Prevention is better than cure after all."

"Did you get a good night's sleep?" Mrs. Holst said. She sat on one of the chairs by the kitchen table. She stood and took off the plate covering another plate. I'm amazed by the difference I'm seeing. I played with my keys and eventually placing it to my back pocket.

"I've prepared breakfast for you two. Here, take a seat," she tapped on one of the chairs as she moved past them to reach the fridge. "Have you been well?" she spoke and took a pitcher of water. "I could come by later and help you unpack," she said as she was searching for the glasses. "Oh, looks like Kaley hadn't washed any of it."

I'm amazed by how much of a busy woman she is at this age. "Don't worry, tita. I can take care of it. Everything is great." I guess dealing with a roommate like Kaley is better than to--

"Kaley is such an eccentric man, but don't worry, he's harmless."

The very mention of the phrase he's harmless kind of contracts the soothing effect you are going for.

"Yep. Met him last night. Hanging."

"What?" she looked at me with a concerned look. "Must be one of his experiments again."

What's terrifying is that your expression masks it as normal. Is this your reality?

"You didn't mention that he was a guy."

"The name Kaley doesn't really give that away, does it?" she giggled and washed the glasses. "But you're both adults now. Eighteen, right? You two are probably mature enough to handle this kind of situation."

"You say that but," ...but living with a strange male is still alarming. I didn't continue my phrase as the food had already taken my attention. I grabbed the hotdog with my bare hands. I realize this is the first time I did that.

"There is bread on top of the fridge, just help yourself 'kay?" she looked at me while she dried her hands with the hand towel hanging beside the sink. "Don't worry I'll take care of things for now," she said then she looked on the halls leading to the room. "Kaley, breakfast!"

"I'll be going off now. I need to attend to a friend, I'll be back by noon," she gave me a smile and she turned to the main door. "There's food on the fridge," she said and she closed the door.

So that's what she meant by taking care of me.

From the walkway to the rooms, I heard the madman.

"Hey," I greeted him.

He only answered with a stoic face. He walked around the kitchen, grabbed some utensils and of course, a plate. He sat in front of me. At least he hasn't learned to be human yet, it will be years before the machines take over.

The silence with him makes things feel awkward. The air feels tight, the atmosphere is heavy. He chowed, I mean literally, he chowed the food on his plate. He stands and places the dishes on the sink, and went to the bathroom. It's like commenting on a rat while it is eating pellets.

Isn't he going to wash the plates? He'd better not be thinking that I'd do it for him. I wiped my hands dry and proceeded to the sink.

I checked the lower kitchen cabinet for other tools, it appeared to be empty. I fixed the mats and placed the pitcher back on the fridge. As I shut it, I saw someone in a deerstalker hat and what appears to be a blazer. Oh, that's the image I painted of him. "Santa Maria Purisima!" I exclaimed.

He walked past me and bumped me a little by the shoulder then he crouched to look for something on the lower cabinet. I resumed what I had to do and headed for the bathroom.

What caught my attention was he scratching his head with both hands while he paced the floor.

"Is something wrong?" I asked.

"Thinking!"

He sat on the sofa and from where I stood, I could see him tearing a piece of a paper. He reached for one of the drawers underneath the television stand. Adhesive Tape?

I entered the bathroom and checked my face for any dirt. I swayed my hair to see the almond streaks. "Ah, aren't they cute?"

I walked outside the hall and I couldn't hold my thought, so I sat by him on the sofa. "What are you doing?"

Another one of his silent games. Though quiet is the best to go. He placed what he was holding back to his pajama pockets. I didn't know how to go on with the conversation. There wasn't really even one.

"As roommates, I think it would be-erm- more comfortable if we knew each other," I trailed off as he looked at me. "...more?"

He only stared at me with a blank face. Then curved his brows. He then returned to his normal face- miserable, stressed.

"For starters, how about telling me how often you do those kinds of things?"

He gave me the fish hook this time. "On occasion."

"Right, right. I mean isn't what you did kind of... strange?"

"No. It's just plain genius. What might appear strange to you is absolutely normal."

No way, Jose! You're not going to pull the Jedi mind trick on me. "'Right, 'right. How 'bout you just tell something about yourself and I'll tell something about me."

His eyes sharpened. Then he shook his head like he waived a thought in his mind. "I'm bored."

"Wh-What?"

"Bored."

He only stared at me with a bland face, reminding me of refilling my almost empty cup of coffee with water. "Erm," I scratched my throat to signal composure. "Oh, okay. I'm from Manila and—"

"Already knew that, next."

"Okay. I'm going to university to become a forensic nurse."

He looked at me and said, "Huh. Okay."

It was awkward telling about myself to someone like him. "I'm guessing from how much you told me about myself yesterday, you already know a lot."

He raised his right cheek to suggest a phrase like Yep. Pretty Much.

"Anything you'd want to know, that you haven't—"

"Will you be going out today?"

"I don't know, why?"

"Hmm."

I didn't understand where he was going with the conversation. So, I ended up asking a question to offset the awkwardness. "Why is your name Kaley?"

All it did was make things worse.

"Ask my parents."

"Did you know your name is of Gaelic origin? Meaning beautiful or slender?"

"It also comes from old English meaning keeper of the keys," he took a pair of chained keys and presented them to me.

Again, I didn't understand what he was getting to. Hold on, those are my keys.

"You didn't even notice that I didn't get anything from the lower kitchen cabinets? And you knew they were empty."

"It was from a sudden appearance earlier!"

"You've got a good memory, good for you. I guess that did play a role to put you on a lag. But the shoulder bump was more of- to misdirect your haptic attention as I reached for the key on your back pocket. Your habit tipped you off again."

Okay, impressive. But why on earth would you do that?

"Humans are creatures of habit after all," he said and reached the keys to my hand. "I'll be out for a while. If you go out, remember to keep in mind your keys. I don't want you disturbing me to open the gate or apartment for any matter."

"Why would I call you? I don't even know your number."

"Yes, you do." He stood and fixed his blazer, and moved closer to the door.

"Huh?"

He waved his arms in the air walking out of the apartment.

I looked on my palm and saw a small note taped around the head of the key. It read: 09********* yes, you do.

Huh.

~

The pastel orange sky through my window reminded me that it was already noon. I slid the drawer forward and grabbed my diary and proceeded to the kitchen. Though it must seem that it is incredibly quiet in here, the great pay is that Ilocos, like Manila, have very hot afternoons.

I sat on my usual spot on the table and slid the pen on the side of my journal. I jumped ten pages from my last entry as I wanted to start over.

Entry 1 The Hanged Man

I haven't had an attack in days except for the time I've met an eccentric man hanging in my apartment. Weirdly though, I thought this would be less helpful to my health. I haven't spoken to anyone much and it is going great. I've been requested by my former therapist that I would detail the encounters I've had ever since moving out and send her an email every now and then. I must confess that even though I haven't really followed her advice to consult with someone here, I'm much better. Whether it is because of the environment I'm in or the extremities my mind had comprehended that numbed me, I'm actually quite well. I've not had nightmares in a while, fingers crossed, I would never have to see those images again. I know my therapist would be worried about the first line of this draft, I'm actually better seeing that, I wonder why? Too many I's before?

I finally got my breath as that was an exhilarating narrative. I placed my pen and slid it back to my journal's strap and I returned it to the nightstand. But that notebook filled with every single detail about my past felt heavy.

As I've pondered about life, it led to me thinking about my living situation, not about Kaley Browns, the other thing. How to pay for my expenses?

I looked at some openings nearby through the help of my laptop and started searching for jobs that would work well if I went to school here. No such job had opened, no vacancies. Just one Personal Assistant Job posted on a webpage called wrokfindr.co.

Anybody would think the details of the job would be unreasonable.

Requirements:

· Must be available 24/7 365

· Must be observant and able to take notes

· Author Level writing and reading comprehension

· Always present during my work hours

EMAIL: KB@mail.com

This job that I deemed unreasonable and not fit for my schedule ended up being the job I take because of the series of events that happened next.

As I sifted through thousands of webpages, there was no such luck of a job that makes sense or worked with my schedule. I mean, that's why it's called a job, and it's demanding of course.

I looked dubious while looking at the job I was staring at earlier and wrote an email stating my experience and a resume I prepared. The resume? It was easy, I already had the papers when I moved here.

From our door, a knock had gone through. It felt authoritative. A young woman probably a bit older than me, maybe twenty, stood in front of me wearing circular framed sunglasses pairing it with an off-shoulder dress of pink color and baby blue jeans. She rocked the look with her casual shoes checkered with black and white on the vamp. Her hair vibrant brunette

"Elaine, right?" she kicked it off.

"Yes, who are you?"

"Sophia Browns," She looked tacky and at the same time, in control of her life. She's the princess-like girl who is a closet gangster. "I see. You're the roommate."

I felt my eyebrows lowering of tense. I regained my focus and tried to clear my throat, "Yes? how—"

"Tell Kaley to bring a date for the party. The address is—" she was the type to start strong, but she was cut.

"Don't bother, I won't come," Kaley, who's just arriving said from the gate. He wore his dark-brown blazer and underneath is a printed shirt saying Heat! It was... fine.

"They'll host the evening for the Home Row," she looked down the railings and watched him climb the stairs.

"So?" he gave the so treatment to her sister just like that. In correct usage too.

She went blank on her face. "If you're too bothered to find a date, maybe this girl—yeah. You can bring her. I can contact Fifs to get her a dress ready by--" she looked at her watch and continued. "tomorrow."

"Me? I'd rather not get involved at all," I stepped back. Literally and figuratively.

"Sure, you would," her aura changed. She said it in a way that made me want to do it. Harnessing the power of the basic human need, desires.

"I haven't agreed yet. Besides—" Kaley was cut short.

"They want to talk to you about the letters," her eyes went dark for a moment. Obviously, I couldn't see, but yes. Darkened pupils and shaded under the eye. After letting that sink in his head her face returned to being jolly. She stressed the words they and letters which gave me the chills.

"It's pretty promising."

"I'm sorry but I don't really want to come, so if I may. Excuse me?" I turned around and left them. They are starting to sound very, very involved to that world. I can't anymore.

Few moments of silence from the two had passed before he could answer. "Get her dress ready then," he flicked his coat-at least that's how it looked like to me-as I watched him come through the door from the sofa.

Few moments of silence from the two had passed before he could answer. "Get her dress ready then," he flicked his coat-at least that's how it looked like to me-as I watched him come through the door from the sofa.

"I'll send the car to pick you guys up then," she raised her voice as she walked down the stairs.

"What do you mean get her dress ready then?" I stood from the couch and tailed him as he walked toward his room.

"It means they'll prepare the dress for you." He walked the halls leading to the rooms.

"But I don't want to come. And as your date no less? How is she even going to prepare the dress? She doesn't even know my size."

He might just be joking right? Not once did the girl-Sophia even ask about my size. It's got to be a joke.

"Don't worry about the dress, she's skilled," he grabbed the knob and as he turned it- he said, "She's not called the fashion detective for nothing."

At this point, I'm used to him calling out the unanswered questions in my mind.

"Fashion detective? Anyway, I still don't want to come."

A notification sound had interrupted our conversation and for some unknown reason I felt like I should say: I walked right into that one, huh?

As Kaley had read whatever it was that was in his phone, he seemed to smile as if things had just worked out for him.

"Look at that, looks like you'll be opening the gates for me. The irony,'" he said while showing me an email he just received.

Whatever could he have meant by that, I don't know. But I'm guessing anyway, it won't be a good thing.

As I took the time to read the email he flashed on my eyes, I realized what I really had walked right into.

And that's the story of how I became the assistant to the mysterious hanged man in the apartment.

"You start tomorrow," he said as he closed the door on me.

I walked right into that one,

Huh?