Why I'd Rather Be Wrong

Chapter 5: Making a Move

Jaze D'Angelo

Knock! Knock!

     I suddenly got woken up by the knock on my bedroom door. I stretched my arms out in my bed and sat.

     "What is it?!" I yelled, I looked at the round clock hanging on my wall and it's just around 8 AM, meaning that I've only slept for like 6 hours since I've been up until 2 AM earlier finishing my thesis and collages that I have to submit.

     "Hey, Harris, are you up?" even though I'm still sleepy as heck and the difficulty to hear the voice from the other side of the door, I still recognized Trenton's voice.

     "Well, now I am, thanks to ya," I replied sarcastically. I stood up and opened the door halfway and peeked my head "What do you want so freaking early in the morning?"

     "Someone sent you a package on the door and I've already brought it inside, it's the small box on the living room table," he explained and pointed at the living room. "Anyway, I'm headin' out, I have an appointment today, I made breakfast though," he said while he tucked in his black polo shirt in his gray pants.

     "Aight, thanks, see ya," I replied then closed my door and laid in bed again to continue my sleep.

     It's already been an hour or two, and I'm already satisfied with my sleep. I walked out of my bedroom and no one's around in the house, which was weird. I was about to make myself a cup of coffee and I just saw a note on the kitchen counter and there's something written on it. I grabbed it and it says "To Harris: We've already venmoed you the money you've asked for. From: The Guys" I immediately looked at my phone and yup, there it is, there's the notification. I just sighed in relief while I leaned back against the kitchen counter, like the satisfaction and relief of removing a splinter without breaking it, feels so freaking good.

     I don't have anything else to do today but to sit on our couch and watch a bunch of movies, since I also don't have school today. I'm not that hungry yet so I already grabbed my coffee and headed to the living room and there I suddenly saw the package on the living room table that Trenton mentioned earlier. I walked towards it and it's a pretty decent package, to be honest, I wonder who sent this to me because I haven't received anything from anyone else but my friends and Clare for years now, so this is pretty strange. I looked around the box for the note of who and where it came from and there's none, there's only our address, and my freaking full name. I suddenly had a bad feeling about what may be in this freaking box. I brought it outside our house and placed it on our porch because this might be some type of prank that someone's trying to pull on me. I didn't even bother to go back to my room and wear a shirt because this might be one of those things that after opening, there'll be a ton of glitters that'll bombard you and that's so freaking annoying. I grabbed a box cutter and decided to cut the tape on the top, I've already sliced the tape and was compelled to open it already. I slowly lifted the cover while I squinted my eyes, I hastily opened it all the way and closed my eyes...nothing happened. I looked inside and...it's a freaking Phase One camera, the camera that I've always wanted to get! This thing's absolutely expensive, who the hell among all of the people I know would send me this?! I carefully grabbed it, made sure every finger is grasped onto it, and I suddenly saw a small navy blue envelope at the bottom of the box. I placed the camera on the small table on our porch, then I grabbed the envelope. I leaned back against the fence of our porch and inspected the envelope, it's so freaking neat and unscathed. I opened the envelope and I stumbled upon a name written on the top flap of the envelope after I lifted it and it's from...CASSIUS CLIFFORD?! I immediately closed the envelope and placed it beside the camera and I started walking around in circles on the porch while I think about how the hell did that guy know my address, my whole freaking name, and the camera that I've always admired but couldn't get? This is creepy as f**k but some part of me doesn't really mind at all, like what the heck. Wait, I forgot that I saw something inside the envelope. I grabbed the envelope back while my legs started to tremble and I'm f*****g sweating! It's like I've already gone for a run this morning. I opened the envelope and there's a piece of paper, kind of like a letter. I pulled it out and yeah, it is a letter. I could already see handwritten text marks from behind the folded paper. I unfolded it and it was just a brief message though.

     "Dear Harris," it says, and I'm already caught off guard just by that because how did he also know about my code name?! If the guys knew about this, they won't be so happy about this man. I continued reading and it says "This is a small gift for you, just so I could convince you to come with me this Friday. I've contacted your number but I guess you gave me the wrong one, someone answered and said that his name was Ben. -" wait, what?"Anyways, you told me about your school expenses, right? With the use of my sources, I was able to find the school you're attending and knew that the principal's one of my acquaintances, David Quebedeaux. I'm sorry for tampering with your problems in life but I just wanted to help you and I've already paid all of your expenses, even the future tuition fees for the next remaining years. -" I just stopped reading for a second because I can't believe what he just said. Like, what the f**k is this man trynna do? I inadvertently granted myself a freaking sugar daddy and that's so f*****g disgusting. Who the hell is he to just make decisions in my life without my knowing? "So please, contact me with the number I've attached below, I'm hoping you'd be able to come with me this Saturday. Also, thanks for your words of wisdom that night, it really helped me and it means a lot to me. Yours truly, Cassius Clifford"

     I just put the paper back into the envelope and threw it on the table. This thing is getting out of hand, and it's complete and total bullshit, even though his intentions were good, he has no right to make such decisions for me. I put the envelope and camera into the box and walked inside. I walked to my room and just placed it on my desk, thinking about talking to that freaking man. But I just thought about going to his own place and bringing this back right into his freaking face, even though I love this camera so much, I just don't like having anything to owe to somebody that I don't even know that much and tampers with my freaking life. Maybe he asked Dylan about my full name and that freaking Cassius checked my social media, and that's where he had some info about me. But, the info I've only put there is my school, where'd he get my address? Nah, it doesn't matter, I'm just gonna bring this back, he's acting like he's someone superior and I felt so intimidated about that, I felt downgraded, and I hate that feeling. Yes, I'm having problems financially but that doesn't mean that I couldn't think about something that could solve that. He's being so weird like a freaking stalker and that makes me so uncomfortable and invaded.

     I opened my laptop and began searching for every single thing about that guy, I for sure hope that there's some clue online about where he lives, I think. I search his name and unsurprisingly, he has a lot of recommended searches. And the first one is...Cassius Clifford shirtless? I just found myself clicking that search and I wished I never did, he's so f*****g hot. Wait, what the heck am I saying?! I quickly closed the tab so that I won't be able to see it. Get yourself together, Jaze! You're not gay, nor bi, or whatever. You have a freaking girlfriend and...fuck... I ended up opening it again, I reopened the tab and browsed through it. It's clear why this is the top and recommended search about him because he does have a nice body. I contemplated some of his images, and most of them are taken at the beach and his balcony. He's very muscly, but not that much, unlike those certain bodybuilders whose muscles are like gonna pop at any moment. That trimmed beard of his actually makes him so...sexy... I just browsed through it for a minute or two and something down there just got woken up, s**t. I already closed that tab again as I realized that's actually not what I'm looking for and I might lose my mind if I continued it. I closed my eyes and just took deep breaths. What the heck's so special about this guy? I typed his name again in the search bar and looked at his other pictures to grab some clue, and thankfully, they're all decent ones. I came up to one of his pictures that he's outside, and I was able to recognize the place, that's just 2 miles away from here. Well, I guess I'm just gonna go there and ask some residents.

     I have already arrived at the area after a 5-minute drive. I parked at the side of the road, grabbed the box, and went out of my car already. I'm just wearing my classic and favorite gray sweatpants and a white tank top in this freaking cold weather. I just walked around while I'm holding this box that I'm gonna return to that guy.

     I saw someone passing by and I immediately ran towards them. I have approached her behind "Hi, may I ask you somethin'?" I said and she immediately stopped and turned back her head to me. She raised one eyebrow, kind of like waiting for me to say the next words that I'm about to say. "I just wanna ask if...you know Cassius Clifford?" I asked and she just covered her mouth, trying to resist her laugh.

     "Uhm, I'm sorry but everyone here knows him, and what about him?" she asked with a grin on her face.

     I kinda felt embarrassed for a second but I don't even have any idea that he's that popular around here. The fact that this is also one of the populated areas in the city makes me wonder about his privacy like maybe he's always visited by some of the people that dare to go to his house just to meet him because he's actually like a celebrity, to be honest.

     "Oh, yeah, my bad, I'm just gonna ask where he lives then?" I asked while looking around, trying to avoid her lustful gaze.

     She squinted her eyes on me "Uh - well, only a few and particular people are allowed to enter the area surrounding his house, since it's also guarded, are you someone he knows about?" she asked, kind of like mocking me too with the tone she just used. Well, yeah, technically we know each other but not that much, and that freaking guy had the literal audacity to pay for my freaking tuition without my consent like a big-old sugar daddy that I've never wished for. Ugh, only if I could say that.

     "I'm just gonna...return something," I replied, coldly.

     "Okay, so, you're just gonna go straight this way, there'll be a lot of turns but do you see that red tree right there?" she said while he pointed it out, and I did saw the distant red tree. "You're gonna turn left there and that's the area," she said.

     I just nodded "Aight, thanks," I replied and she already walked off.

     I went back to my car and drove towards that damn tree. I just looked around while I drove, and it seems like this is actually a quiet town. I kinda doubted what I've just said earlier that this is one of the populated areas here because there are just a few people around walking on the pavement and the others are doing some garden stuff. But it makes sense since the numbers of the houses are just...a lot. I finally reached the turn near that red tree and I already turned left and there's a long road towards a big freaking house on the right side. There's actually a guardhouse and a tall steel bar gate in a distance and for a moment I don't think I'm gonna be able to get pass this one. I reached the guardhouse and a guard just came out and headed towards my car. I rolled down the window on my side and he just inspected my whole damn face and the inside of my car.

     "What's your purpose here, sir?" he asked while he rested his arms on the roof of my car.

     "I'm here for...Cassius Clifford, I'm just gonna return something," I replied with a smile on my face, trying to convince him that I'm not a threat.

     He suddenly lowered down his lip for a second, showing disbelief "You got any homeowners' ID?" he asked.

     "No, but -" I suddenly thought about showing him the letter that Cassius wrote for me as an assurance. I grabbed the box and grabbed the letter and showed him the name written on it "Here, this is the only proof that I could give to you that we both know each other," I said.

     He just took a closer look at it and surprisingly, he was convinced. "Yeah, that sure looks like Mr. Clifford's handwriting," he said and he hurriedly walked towards the gate and opened it for me.

     I accelerated my car and went inside, I just saluted at the guard as I passed by him. I just shook my head as I realized how good I am when it comes to pretending to be nice as heck. The houses or more like mansions here are so ginormous, good thing that each one has a sign outside about the name of the person who owns it. I just drove for a whole 5 minutes and I still can't find a sign that has the name Clifford on it. I feel like I've also been driving around in circles. Ugh, what have I gotten myself into...

     Finally, after 10 minutes of driving around circles in this place, I finally located a sign that has Cassius Clifford written on it. I went out of my car with this piece of crap that I'm gonna return to this guy. Good thing that I'm already starting to hate him so that I wouldn't find myself fancying him anymore for a reason that I couldn't even decipher. I furiously walked towards his gate, I put down the box on the ground and subsequently pressed the doorbell. After just a second, Cassius Clifford himself showed up and opened the gate himself. He was surprised about my presence in his area and also for the fact that I brought back what he had just given to me.

     "Hi, I'm here to give this back to you, that's my wonderful present to you, don't even think about taking advantage of me by giving me the camera I've always wanted, it doesn't work, really, so quit trying whatever it is that you're trying to do for me," I said and then kicked the box towards inside. "And I have one question for you, man. Who the heck are ya to do such things that I'm supposed to deal with, huh? Not just because you treat grands as a spare change doesn't mean that you can also meddle with other people's own personal problems, like what the heck, man, you're like my freaking sugar daddy that I didn't even know about, and that's f*****g disgusting," I said, and then I crossed my arms. "So, if you can't undo what you just did to my expenses, that's not my problem anymore, just remember that I don't owe anything to you. You're welcome for those words of wisdom but that's actually not who you think I am. And yeah, I almost forgot. Quit playing with me and stop asking for any information about me or I'll definitely sue you, bitchy-ass motherfucker."

     "Is that all?" he asked. "If that's all you wanted to say, okay, have a nice day, I've still got some crying to do, thanks for making it worse," he replied and then slammed the gate right in front of my face.

     I just moved my head back a little for what just happened, and I suddenly felt a little bit of remorse. For a moment, he did look like he just cried a few seconds ago and that's...awful... Well, crying doesn't really degrade anyone's masculinity, I'm just sort of worried for a second and also for an unknown reason. Well, just like what I've just said, who am I to also meddle with his own problems.

     Totally deserved...