The feeling that I was being watched was now constantly with me and it made me feel like I was going crazy.
It had been a week since the first incident and now I always felt like I was being watched and it was frustrating because I’ve never gotten a glimpse of anyone who was watching me.
I was on my way out of the gallery when I finally saw someone. He wasn’t dressed like they did in those cliche movies where they were dressed in all black and also wearing a suspicious ball cap.
This man whose eyes I met was not a man but rather a young adult who would be around the same age as me. He was startled to have been caught and he quickly darted his eyes away and pulled out his phone from his pocket to make it seem like he wasn't watching me but it was too late. I had seen him already.
Quickly, I tugged on Justin’s shirt in a hurry to get his attention before he could walk away from me.
“What is it?” He asked worriedly when he saw the panicked look on my face.
"There’s someone across the street watching me. He has been there for some time now and I don’t feel good about it” I gestured in the direction of the boy as sneakily as I could so he wouldn’t get the idea that we were talking about him.
“Seriously? Who?” He watched the shop across from us but he had confusion written all over his face “I don’t see anyone. Could you show me who you are talking about?” He asked
“That man or boy, he is right there see …” I turned my head to show him but I was met with an empty space. There was no one standing there anymore. It was like he was never there because there was no sight of the man.
“I swear he was right there. I wouldn’t make this up” I tried to convince Justin but he ushered me into the car instead and got in after me in the back seat for the first time and soon we were on our way back home.
“Are you sure?’ He asked me but his eyes were on the road as if he was watching for something or someone. I needed him to believe me because I didn’t feel good about all of this anymore.
"I promise I am not lying. I have noticed it for some time now but I didn’t want to say anything since I wasn’t sure but after seeing him today, I am certain that he is the one that has been watching me all this while” I explained.
“For how long?” I was confused about what exactly he was asking so I waited for him to clarify which he did “For how long did you notice that you were being watched?” he asked louder this time and I knew he was getting angry but what I didn’t know was if it was with me or with the situation.
“About a week now?” My voice had grown small. “I didn’t want to keep it to myself because I thought nobody would believe me”
“Fuck” he swore angrily before pulling out his phone and with some dials he was on the phone with someone, probably Nathan talking about what just happened.
I didn’t want to eavesdrop on his conversation so I opened the window and watched the city as it rolled by but that was cut short when the window was rolled back up possibly by the driver.
‘It’s dangerous” Justin whispered before going back to the call he was on. I sighed in disappointment wondering if it would have been better if I had kept it to myself.
I could pick out words like a stalker, increase in security and even Atticus' name but I was too out of it to pay proper attention to what was being held beside me. I’ll just let the professionals take care of this.
He ended the call after some minutes just when we were just a few minutes away from home. “Mr Hayland will be contacted and we will decide on what to do next.” He finally said after we were packed in front of the house.
I rushed out of the car and went into our room and slammed the door shut behind me. It was only after that I realized that my heart was beating wildly and loudly against my chest. For some reason, I was cold and afraid.
I have seen and heard many stories about stalkers that could potentially harm someone or even kill them. I could not help but wonder how long he had been there before I noticed. I had a bad feeling about this and it was not something I could simply shrug off.
It was past five when Atticus finally decided to come home and I had been asleep when he arrived. His touch woke me up. I was finally able to sleep after thinking long and hard but the way my body felt heavy made me know I had not slept enough.
He was sitting by my bed, watching me once again with those eyes that wouldn’t let me read or see what he was feeling. His large hands cupped my right cheek and the thumb moved in slow circular motions on my cheek and I couldn’t help but sigh in contentment at the feelings it awakened within me
“When did you get here?” I asked him and attempted to sit upright. His hands dropped from my face to my lap but he did not attempt to remove it.
“A few minutes ago, I didn’t want to wake you up” I ran my hands through my hair in an effort to make it look less like that of a caveman, I was well aware I had the most terrible bed hair.
“Oh, Okay. you should have woken me up, I wouldn’t have minded. How was your day?” I leaned forward to give him a peck on the cheeks and he turned his head so I could have better access. I grinned and moved my lips to his neck and bit him lightly before drawing back.
“I heard you saw someone watching you. For how long?” He folded his arms in front of his chest.
“About a week but I feel like it may have been happening longer before I noticed it”
“How sure are you that he really was watching you? You only saw someone watching you from across the street looking at you. It doesn’t mean that he was looking at you. It could have been a coincidence” he was so relaxed about it.
“I knew you wouldn’t believe me. I was so stupid to say it out loud but you can’t tell me that I don’t know what I saw. Someone has been watching me and I am sure he is the one” I argued.
“You’ve been stressed a lot these days with the opening of the gallery, you must be confusing things because you are tired”
“What are you even saying? I am not crazy Atty. I know that someone has been watching me. If you don’t want to believe me that’s fine but don’t say that I don’t know what I am saying. Don’t you dare” I was forced to raise my fingers and point them at his face and I knew he did not appreciate it as a frown suddenly appeared on his face.
“Don’t point your fingers at me” He moved my fingers away from his face and I dropped my fingers to my lap “If you want, I’ll increase security so your mind can be at peace”
“Don’t bother. I know you don’t believe me but you are only doing this so it doesn’t look like you don’t care and it makes me feel stupid. Don’t worry about it, I’m crazy, right? Is it just a figment of my imagination? Okay fine. Let’s leave it at that” I told him angrily.
I laid down and turned my back to him so I wouldn’t see his face. As much as I liked him, I didn’t want to see his face at the moment.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for it to turn out this way. I believe you. I'll have Nathan and Justin look for that person and track him down if it’ll make you feel better” He said but I could tell from his voice that he was just saying this to please me.
“I know you still don’t believe me but are just saying this for saying sake” I huffed and I could hear him sigh.
“I won’t lie to you and say I believe you but I want to make sure you are fine and I don’t want you to worry”
“How is that supposed to make me feel better? Please leave me alone, I want to be alone right now” I told him.
Shortly, I could hear him get up and soon the door shut behind him and I was alone.