Stalked For Love (11 page)

It was such a relaxing drive home, letting my windows down and enjoying the warm salty breeze sifting through my hair. I was only five minutes away from my destination, and my thoughts drifted back to Thomas. All this time I thought I wouldn’t see him again, and within the last twenty-fours, so much had changed between us.

We went on a date, had mind-blowing sex and it all ended with a sleep-over at his place. I just couldn’t believe it, it didn’t make any sense to me at all how any of this happened. Not to mention that we are both now living in the same area. The night of jazz, the sex and his proposal of wanting to be with me, had me thinking non-stop. I was truly living in the twilight zone.

I pulled up to the drug store and sat inside my car for what seemed like hours, before I’d gotten out and headed inside the store. I went straight to the pharmacy, and after a brief chat with the pharmacist, I was now leaving with two little pink pills and a mild migraine.

I took one of the pink pills immediately, with my bottle of water I had in my car, and began the rest of my journey home. When I arrived home, I parked my car and went inside. 

My building was small and quaint and only had three floors, and there were four apartments on each floor. It seemed pretty quiet around here from what I could already tell, and I loved that.  Once inside my small apartment, I dropped my bag on the counter and grabbed a water from my refrigerator.

I sat on my couch to re-read the instructions of the morning after pill, in more detail. I found myself giggling at the disclaimer, which basically stated that there was a one percent chance it wouldn’t work. Most pharmaceutical companies were scared of that one hundred percent guarantee, and I get it.

They didn’t want to take the heat, if their product didn’t work, which would result in many lawsuits for them. I heard my phone chime and I hopped up and grabbed it out of my purse, and saw that I had a text from Thomas.

“
Please tell me that you’re alright?” -PB

I hadn’t planned on talking to him until I knew what to say, but what the hell. I might as well talk to him now, since he’s reached out. I couldn’t just leave him hanging. I honestly didn’t expect to even still be on his mind, but I wasn’t mad that I was. He was so caring and attentive, and those were qualities that I really liked about him.

“Yes, I am okay. How are you?” -JM

“Good. Thinking about you, I want to see you again.” –PB

“I want to see you, too. –JM

“Which day would be good for you?” –JM

“Whichever day is good for me. –PB

“Have you taken that pill?” -PB

“Yes, I took it twenty minutes ago. I’m due to take the other in exactly twelve hours, so I’ve set my alarm to get up early. –JM

“How early are we talking?” -PB

“Eight o’clock early, why?”-JM

“Can see each other for dinner tomorrow night?” -PB

“Okay, an early dinner sounds good. I do have a new job to start on Monday.” -JM

“I haven’t forgotten. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow evening, sleep well, baby.” -PB

“Goodnight, Professor ;)” -JM 

I set my phone down and took a very long shower, washing my hair and cleaning my skin a few times more than necessary. I was still in a funk over having to take these pills, while wondering what was happening inside of my body right now. I finally made it out of the shower and made a toasted peanut butter and jelly sandwich, before climbing into bed with a glass of milk and started watching television.

After I’d eaten, I closed my blinds and got back into bed. I had drifted off to sleep rather quickly, while dreaming of a certain professor.

***

I groaned while awakening to the light that was shining throughout my bedroom. A light so bright, that it had literally made it impossible for me to continue sleeping. I knew my blinds were thin, but they should have been able to shield some of that blinding light. I groaned again and covered my head with my pillow, but the light still seeped through somehow.

I cracked my eyes open and looked over towards the window, to see that my blinds were up and open.
What the hell?
I sat up, slowly, while staring at the open blinds. Knowing for a fact that I had closed them before bed last night.

My eyes slowly roamed around my room, as I started to be consumed with doubt. I could sense that something was wrong here, something was out of order. I felt uneasy and very disturbed about the blinds being open. But maybe it was nothing, maybe I opened them in the middle of the night.
Yep, I will go with that before I drove myself crazy.

These feelings of paranoia were still new to me, but since moving, I am trying not to let them overwhelm me anymore. I raised my hands high in the air, as if I was trying to touch the ceiling, from my bed. I always stretched that way, every single morning. After a few seconds, I flung my arms back down on the bed, and something pricked me on the hand.

“Oww,” I squeaked, as I grabbed my other hand, and saw a red bruise forming and it hurt like hell.

I glanced over my bed, looking for what poked me. My mouth fell open, as I slowly picked up a single white rose with thorns lying on my adjacent pillow, while the color drained from my face. I quickly looked around my room again as panic seized me, I knew that someone had to have been in here.
What the fuck!!

I hopped up and grabbed my cell phone, as I awkwardly put on my pants. I quickly dialed the police, as I rummaged my nightstand looking for my mace. Once I found it, I slowly walked towards my bedroom door, with my phone pressed to my ear.

“Nine-one-one… what is your emergency?” A female operator answered.

“Hello, yes I need some help. Someone was in my apartment while I was sleeping last night, please, I’m scared,” I rambled on, slowly peeking out of my bedroom door. I was scared to death, and panicked.
Was someone still in here?

“Are you sure, ma’am?” The operator asked me.

“I am positive. Hurry, I don’t know if they’re still here. Can you send someone, please?” I cried.

“Okay, we will be right there ma’am, just try to stay calm. What is your name, and where are you now?” She asked.

“Jessica Moore, and I’m in my bedroom. I was going to search the apartment.”

“No, stay inside your bedroom, and lock the door until we get there,” she ordered.

“Okay, can you stay on the phone with me, please?” I asked.

“Sure, breathe Jessica, we’re on the way,” she confirmed. After hearing the police bang on my door, like the four horseman of the apocalypse. The operator confirmed that it was okay to exit my room, and then I ran to my door and let them in. They searched the entire place and found nothing. They took the white rose for evidence, and dusted for fingerprints around my windows and doors. After they took my information, they told me that there wasn’t any evidence of a forced entry. Which didn’t make me feel
any
better, at all.

They then recommended that I stay with a friend for a few days, until they get back to me. I was so shaken about the whole thing, that I felt sick to my stomach. I didn’t know how or why anyone would want to break into my apartment, but I had idea who this may be.
Who in the hell was stalking me?
How did this maniac know where I lived? How did he get inside of here?

I told the police that I had a stalker while in school, but since I never filed a report, it did nothing for my claims on the matter. Nothing at all.

Almost two hours later, they were gone and I was packing a suitcase with no destination in sight.

I just knew I couldn’t stay there. I contacted the rental office and informed them of everything. They suggested that they could move me into another apartment, but it wouldn’t be for another month or two. They were fully occupied at the moment, and that was not good news for me.

After packing some clothes and a few outfits for work, I headed to my car. I sat there wondering what I should do. I didn’t want to worry my parents, or my best friend with this just yet. Because I needed to find a place to stay, and I didn’t know where I could go. I didn’t have money to live in a hotel, but I could stay there for a few days at least, until I figured something out. I grabbed my phone to google the nearest hotel, when I saw a text from Thomas.

“Making my special chicken for you tonight. I have it marinating now. Can’t wait for you to taste it, baby. I miss you.” -PB

I stared at his message, as tears began to fall down my face. Why was it that
now
I could cry about all this? Instead of texting him back, I called him and he answered on the second ring.

“I’m so happy you called, baby,” he answered.

He sounded so happy and carefree, and I realized that I was the complete opposite. My words were taken from me in that instant, and all I could do was sob harder. I sniffed and whimpered into the phone. “Baby? Jessica, are you crying… what’s wrong?” He blurted.

“Everything,” I cried. That was all I could muster up to say to him, I felt so lost.

“Where are you right now?” He yelled. I could hear him running down the stairs, his keys jingling into the phone. I swallowed and tried to stop my heaving to talk to him, but it was proving to be difficult.

“In, my, parking lot. In, my, car,” I heaved.

“I’m coming. Stay there okay, baby?” I heard him start his ignition and then I heard his tires screeching. I dropped the phone on the floor of my car, and wrapped my arms around my steering wheel, lowering my head onto it and just cried. It was all I could seem to do, until I heard a car screech to an insane halt beside mine. I’d kept my head down because I knew who it was already. As he began knocking on my window, I lifted my head and when we made eye contact, he looked sick with worry.

I unlocked my door, and he opened it and slowly lifted me out the car. I wrapped my arms around his neck and sobbed into his shoulder, as he kissed my head.

I closed my eyes and tightened my hold on him, as he walked me over to his truck, and set me inside the passenger side. I looked up at him and gave a slight smile, and took a deep shaky breath, as he gazed at me in panic. He then wiped my tears with his thumbs, as he held my face in his hands.

“Thomas, I’m being stalked,” his eyes widened, as I heard his sharp intake of air.

“What do you mean,
stalked
?” He demanded.

“It started while I was in school. I felt that I was being followed, but I didn’t think much of it. Until I saw the guy myself one day, after leaving the library. I couldn’t see him clearly that night, and before I got any closer, he vanished. I saw him again and he pulled me from the street, and saved me from being hit by a truck. He saved my life. Now, someone has broken into my house last night while I was sleeping, and left a rose on the pillow right next to me and-and… I’m freaking out,” I cried, the unstoppable tears flowing again, down my face. He grabs my hand, holding it tightly. “I have no place to go, and I need to—”

“You’ll move in with me. We will handle this together,” he stated.

“Professor, I don’t want to impose on you like that,” I muttered.

“Baby, I want you there, where I can keep you safe. I can’t let anything happen to you. I want you safe. I need you safe, okay?” He pleaded, I knew I needed his help, so I just nodded my head.

“The police will call me in a few days if they get prints or anything. I may have to move from here, I just don’t know what—”

“Jessica, stop worrying. You can think about all that later. Let’s get your things and go back to my place.”

“I have a suit case in my trunk, but I didn’t pack much. I was rushing to get out of there.”

“Let’s go back inside. We’ll pack properly so you can have what you want with you. Or we can buy you knew things, whichever you’d prefer,” he offered.

“I can’t go back in there yet. I need to stop crying first,” I sniffed.

“Okay, I’m here, and I will take care of you,” he promised, as he placed a soft kiss on my face, both my eyes and my lips.

“Thank you, so much.”

“Jess, I’m sorry this happened to you, and I hope they find whoever did this. But don’t worry, you don’t have to stay here, you have my place now. I’ll get your suitcase out of the car and we’ll go,” I nodded and he went and grabbed my suitcase and drove us to his home, which wasn’t that far away. Once there, he took my things to one of his guest-rooms, and I looked over at him, somewhat shocked. “Would you prefer to stay in here, or in my room?” He asked.

“I’ll stay in here, I don’t want to crowd you too much,” I smiled.

“You won’t, Jessica, I assure you… but it’s your call. My door is always open for you, any time of the day or night, alright?”

“Okay, thank you. You’re so sweet, Thomas,” he smiled, and kissed my cheek, and set my suitcase down.
The woman who snags this man will be a very lucky lady.

I started to unpack, while he opened the blinds and cracked the window, in this dimly lit room. He opened the closet door and turned the light on, and was now making sure the bathroom was stocked with the proper necessities.