There was nothing much to talk about after me and Duncan had the time to ourselves.

I was baffled when he made a drastic move earlier and pushed me against the wall at the Fire Exit of the apartment where I am in.

Ylona was with Emmy inside my unit. I excused myself that I will talk to the landlady about my monthly rent to explain my current situation and heed for her understanding.

It turned out that Duncan wanted to come over too and without Ylona tagging along. He said that he wanted to talk to me in private so I let him. While Ylona invited herself over to play with Emmy, he made a surprise visit which I couldn't turn down to.

"I am so glad I came here just in time." Duncan said as soon as he saw me at the fourth floor of the Fire Exit. We agreed to meet there privately and he approved of it although he sounded skeptic over the phone.

"What do you mean?" I frowned and we sat by the staircase.

"Just don't trust Ylona too much. I have a bad feeling about her." He blurt out in a panicky voice.

"Huh? Where does that come from? Ylona is our friend! She is a nice person and we have known her since college days!" I exclaimed but he shushed me. "What the hell are you saying?"

"I know it's hard to believe but I saw her a couple of times.. S-she was trailing you from your office to Emmy's school and all the way here. I just don'f feel good around her lately." He said nervously which is so unlike him.

"Look, I do not know what is really going on with you two, but don't you think it's kinda unfair that you are judging her without even asking her why she did those things?" I hissed at him. "What if she was just concerned about us? About me? Or Emmy? Or —"

"— but what if she's not?" He cut me off and leveled me with a stare. "Just please, be very careful around her. D-don't look too observant or else, she might get the feeling that you know that she's after you." He instructed me and I looked at him in bewilderment.

"Alright! Fine! I will! Okay! Thanks for the warning even if there's nothing to make a big deal about it!" I nodded just to calm him down. "Relax, alright? You look so different today. You had me worrying about you instead!"

"I'm sorry. I was so worried about both of you that I cannot wait to tell you about what I saw." He blabbered on and I can feel him tension rising that I am scared that his blood pressure will shoot up.

"Hey, hey. Slow down." I said to console him. Between the two of us and having known him for so long, he is more likely to exaggerate things and get himself involved. "Take a deep breath. Follow me, alright. Breathe in. Breathe out. Relax." I instructed him and he followed what I said. When he was sobered up, I asked him one last time if he wants to come up with me but he refused.

"If she is there and she sees me looking like this, she'll get curious and won't stop asking us what happened. I better not." He exhaled and managed a small smile. "Just be safe. Okay?"

I nodded and watched him go before I climbed up to the unit. As I went out of the Fire Exit, I almost jumped back in surprise.

"Where were you? Emmy has been looking for you and I cannot console her when she began to think that you have left her." Ylona asked me with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Uh, I.. I stopped by at the convenience store and bought us some ice cream." I thought quickly and handed her the plastic of a half gallon chocolate ice cream. Yes, I had thought of that earlier as she will be asking what took me so long when the landlady lives only two floors down my unit. "Where is Emmy?" I asked as we walked back to my room.

"She has fallen asleep crying. Next time, tell me how long it will take you to talk. I still have plans this afternoon." She said and I gave her a shy smile.

"Sorry, Ylona. I appreciate you coming over to play and spend time with her." I said sincerely trying to push away the warnings Duncan gave me earlier.

"Don't mention it. I just miss my younger sibs and she's the closest I got." Ylona finally smiled at me. She stepped forward and hugged me. "I can't stay long. Have to run and meet a friend."

"Alright. See you around, sis." I said and bid her goodbye.

"Oh. And one more thing. Don't forget to lock the doors." She said and winked at me before going away.

Lost in her words, I bobbed my head in agreement and closed the door. I also made sure I had locked it too.

Stepping towards the fridge to place the ice cream, I sighed and tried to process what happened today.

What's up with Duncan's warning?

And with Ylona's?

Of course, I will lock our door! That was a nonsense reminder!

But who was telling the truth?

Who should I believe in?