“Look Olivia,” you friend’s muddled voice nagged you over the phone, “we get it, some guy is stalking you… You told us a million times. It’s why you don’t come out anymore… but can’t you at least come out tonight? It’s my birthday for Christ’s sake!”

You listened to the message for a fourth time, convincing yourself that somehow maybe actually going on this excursion would be a good idea. It was a club, and it wasn’t like your stalker was going to tail you there... from what you could tell, he didn’t seem to feel the need to make his presence overbearingly physical. Sure, you felt eyes on you every now and again, and sure that could have been in your head, but at the same time, it wasn’t as though he was coming up and conversing with you. He was probably just a stranger with a sick puppy crush who was unable to put his emotions into words. It was your friend’s birthday, this perceived risk of danger wasn’t going to ruin her night.

You dolled yourself up, something short because you were single with a persistent stalker. You were going to be single for a while. Pulling on your heels, you grabbed your keys and checked your makeup in the mirror by the door before leaving. It was a busy night, as most Friday evenings were. Men were on the prowl for girls to bring home, just not to mom. Girls, were looking for a good time, and some girls were also looking to find a guy. That was sort of how clubbing worked, everyone went for their own reasons, but underlying all the self-deception, more often than not, people went to get laid. Admittedly, this was your intention, because albeit not a huge fan of one night stands, it may be exactly what you needed. A night of freedom to allow your carnal desires to overpower your brain and give you a good night’s rest. Plus, you were likely to overwork yourself in the sheets.

It took a few hours, but eventually you found the guy. He was tall, with lovely long legs and a jaw line stronger than a black dark roast coffee. What more could a girl ask for? He came up behind you, hands on your hips as you looked at your friends for a quick approval of his face. They were more than enamored with his face. Was that a little bit of drool? How unsightly. If only you could see his face, but it was hard in this position since your was ever so slightly brushing against his hips as he bent a little to even out the rather large height difference. Leaning against him slightly, your back brushed against a broad chest that didn’t have all that much muscle, but that has always been your preference. Lanky boys could be just as hot, if not even hotter than buff boys. There was just something that turned you on when a lanky guy got defensive, and you weren’t sure it was because you secretly knew he’d get his kicked for your sake, or if it was because some of those skinny boys had a lot more muscle than their body let on. Either way it was something you wanted to get your hands on.

After a few songs of your back to his front you turned around and faced him, because it was getting hot and heavy despite the lack of communication. Literally, with everyone crammed around you had broken out in a sweat, as did he. The girls were right, his face was glorious, high cheek bones, great jaw line, and the best proportions. In the moment you locked eyes with him you knew he was coming home with you, if you weren’t heading to his that was. It seemed he felt the same way about you because after a couple hours and a small session of making out and testing the waters he leaned into your ear and whispered, “Let’s go?” It was cute, a question despite asserting his dominance. Guys like that were pretty good catches considering that they had the common decency to know that not all girls just wanted to leave right away. He was asking permission instead of making assumptions. This was the kind of guy who didn't a drunk girl, namely because you were quite off your mind and yet still being asked for your consent.

With a quick nod, he whisked you away hand in hand. This resulted in you sending a one handed garbled attempt at a drunken text to your girlfriends attempting to explain where you were. At best, maybe one of your friends would maybe piece it together, but you knew it was likely that you would have to explain yourself in the morning. That much you expected either way. Having a friend magically disappear in a drunken fit with a guy? Yeah, normally not acceptable but you couldn’t say no to him. This was a once in a lifetime chance! This was the kind of face you wanted to split your genes with! Now you were quite sure you could count on one hand the times you’d ever thought that. But it was good, it was great actually. He exerted a gentle dominance over you, which couldn’t help but make you shudder under him. In the cab, he pulled you by his side and you made out the whole way back to his place, and he even paid for the whole thing! Where was this prince your entire life? It didn’t even occur to you that in some statistically improbable odd that he could have been the guy stalking you. Mind you, not that improbable if there was someone following you.

that night had not been mind-blowing, but had been quite enjoyable nonetheless. You passed out sprawled in a mess of sheets and limbs. You felt well rested when you woke up the next morning in a stranger’s empty bed. With tousled hair and smudged makeup, you got up and found some of your clothes. It had been uncaringly discarded throughout the room, and you were quite embarrassed by the mess you made as you tip toed out of the room with your heels in hand. Maybe you could sneak out while he was in the shower, if that was in fact where he was.

“Good morning sleeping beauty…” A soothing voice called from relatively close. You looked over to see that he had caught you not even a food away from the bedroom door from the kitchen, where he was making breakfast. He chuckled, “Escaping so soon? I even made you breakfast.”

Blushing, you bowed your head in greeting, “Good morning…” The food smelled (and you were quite hungry) that you abandoned your original route and found yourself wandering in his direction. The smell of sweet succulence coaxing you to him.

Placing a plate in front of you as you sat down, he smiled and joined you with a plate of his own. “So, what’s your plan of attack for today after eating this?” He asked as you shoveled food into your desperately hungry mouth. You hadn’t really felt like eating before you had left the night before, so this was your first meal in over 15 hours. Needless to say that the food couldn’t get in to your mouth fast enough, but this actually had been enough of a thought provoking question that you let yourself chew and swallow like a real person. You hadn’t really thought past escaping his place. Putting your fork down, you tried to think of plans for that day, but not nothing was coming up. “I’m going to take your silence as no plans if you don’t say anything soon.” He cut off your train of thought.

Looking up, you opened your mouth to interject and maybe pose a question of confusion but really, nothing was coming out. You had the day off work, which was probably one of the main – if not the only reason – that allowed you to spend the night at a stranger’s place. But it wasn’t like you spent much time outside of the house either, not since the laundry fiasco. Y the way, every friend you told about what happened that day questioned you as if it had been a psychosomatic fear.

“Well, since you haven’t said anything yet to tell me I’m wrong, how about I lend you some of my sister’s clothes, and then we can hang out. Does that sound okay? Or are you scared because I’m a stranger?” He smirked and shot you a charming wink. What a babe.

A bashful smile crept up on you while your cheeks flushed ever so slightly. “Sure, that sounds good.” He grinned widely as he got up and left his full plate of food to retire into a room that had not been used the night before. Emerging, he had a large bundle of clothes, assuming that he couldn’t decide on what you wanted to wear, he left them on the sofa, draping them in a way that would minimize wrinkles. Seemed like a good guy, too good? Maybe. But you were too in awe of his mad charming skills to dock him any possibly dangerous points.

After getting changed, you two hit the town. Walking around together and getting to know each other because it seemed that the drunken connection may have turned into something surprisingly real. As the day progressed and the hours blurred into one short time spent together, the parting eventually arrived. The time had gotten dim, and you were reluctant to say goodbye. But with a small peck on the cheek and an exchange of numbers, you returned to your apartment. Having neglected your phone the whole day, you pulled it out to call your friend, who you were expecting to get an earful from, only to find a slew of texts from an unknown number.

??: Hey, who is that with you?

??: Olivia, who is that?

??: I thought you didn’t have a boyfriend!

??: When did this happen!?

??: Olivia, text me back god dammit!

??: Fine, be that way, you’ll see.

That had been hours ago, and as your eyes glanced over the nagry words, you felt a shudder run down your spine. You knew exactly who it was… your stalker. Since when did he get your phone number? Not only did he have your phone number, but he – or she for that matter – had your number and a copy of your key. You were didn’t feel safe anymore and now you had pissed them off. It could only get worse from here.

Woo! Another chapter completed, and so soon too! It's that Halloween spirit in me, I swear. I'll probably have Chapter 10 done by later tonight and then we'll see how much I can get done by the big day ;)

~ Alice