Stalker

Alex walked Margaret to her door, there was no conversation between them all this while. Margaret was thinking about how to bring the topic while Alex just wanted to turn around and run as fast as he could. When they reached her door, " Good night Miss Cole" Alex greeted her and turned around to leave in a hurry.

Margaret could not take this game of silence anymore. She grabbed Alex's arm and pinned him to her door. With her arms on either of his side, she blocked his escape routes.

"Wh...What are y...you do...do...doing?". Alex asked nervously. He has seen in a lot of movies where this situation leads to.

Margaret was amused by seeing the look of panic on his face, she wanted to laugh, but tried hard to maintain a poker face.

"I should be the one asking this? What is going on? Why are you avoiding me like a plaque?" Margaret asked.

"Nothing, it's just that, I really am busy these days". Alex said, averting his eyes from hers.

"You expect me to believe that? Do you think I am a child?" Margaret asked with her brows raised, " You better tell me before things get nasty". Margaret said as she placed her hand on his chest.

"You flirt with me all day long when you have a boyfriend yourself. Do you think I am some kind of a pushover?" This action of Margaret's triggered Alex and he blurted out what was on his mind.

"What are you talking about?". Margaret asked confused.

"Ohh... look at you trying to sound innocent, when you perfectly know what I am talking about". Alex said with sarcasm.

"I really don't understand what you are talking about". Margaret said, confused.

Looking at her face, even Alex felt that she didn't understand what he was talking about.

"Fine, I am talking about the man who was with you that day. Don't think I don't know who he was. I have read many books, and I know it all". Alex said.

Finally understanding what was going on, Margaret tried to explain.

"Alex... there is some..." Margaret tried to explain but was cut by Alex.

"No need to deny or explain, I don't wanna hear your excuses". Alex said and slipped through her arms.

"Alex, wait".

But Alex was long gone.

"So our little Alex was jealous, how cute it makes me want to gobble him". Margaret gave a creepy smile, and Alex felt chill down his spine.

* * *

Alex, after coming to his house, closed the door and leaned on it.

"Ahhh... what have I done? How can I say that?" Alex cried out loud.

"What will she think about me? She won't think I am a freak, will she?"

Martha and George heard Alex's frustrated cry, and peeked from their room, looking at him kneeling at the door while he pulled his own hair, there was one thought in their mind, 'Ahh... youth and it's trouble'. They closed the door and left Alex on his own to solve the issue.

After sulking around for a while, Alex went to his room and crashed on his bed, hoping to get some sleep. But today, it will most likely be a sleepless night.

* * *

Next day when Martha and George came to the living room, there was no sign of Alex, this was unusual. Usually, Alex would be the first one to wake up, and by the time Martha and George wake up, he would be busy making breakfast.

"Alex, are you awake?" Martha asked, knocking at his door, but she got no reply from him.

"I am coming in". She said.

"No mom, don't come in. I will be downstairs in five". Finally, Alex's voice came from inside.

"Okay..."

Soon Alex came downstairs dragging himself.

"What happened to you?" George asked.

"Why?"

"Look yourself in the mirror," George said.

Alex looked at himself in the mirror. The face one would be envious of, now had dark spots under its eyes.

"What is going on with you these days?" Martha asked. She was worried that he might be going through something that was taking such a great toll on him.

"Nothing mom, wait I will go prepare breakfast," Alex said as he walked towards the kitchen.

"No need for that, I have already done the preparations. You just go up and freshen up. I have taken leave today, so later today you are coming with me to buy yourself some clothes" Martha said as she sent Alex upstairs.

"That's a good idea, maybe I should also join you guys. What do you say, it will be great family time?". George asked.

"Get ready and go to work". Martha scolded him.

"Yes, mam". George nodded and ran to his room.

After breakfast, George went to his company and Alex along with Martha and Mrs Flores got themselves busy in household chores.

Before noon Alex and Martha got into the car and drove away to the nearest mall. But unknown to them they were being followed by someone.

* * *

In the mall, Martha dragged Alex around from shop to shop.

"If you had a girlfriend, why would I be here, ahh... I am already old enough, but I need to help my son buy clothes". Martha complained.All the females, who heard Martha grumbling, giggled on one hand but on the other hand, sized up Alex. So this handsome guy does not have a girlfriend, how unfortunate.

Martha brought Alex to a store and asked the employee to show some formals for him. Within a short time, Alex has tried most of the clothes.

Outside the glass door, females squeezed around to have a glimpse of Alex. Those who were already inside the store, gave their suggestions to Martha. Witnessing the scene of her son's popularity, Martha was smiling ear to ear.

While the mother and son duo were busy inside the store, a commotion broke outside. Several men dressed in black came and started to dissolve the crowd outside the store.

"What is going on?" the store manager seeing the crowd dissipate came outside. He was on cloud nine just now because of the crowd outside his shop. Many of those who were outside were also coming inside eventually and bought clothes as an excuse to watch Alex. He was clearly dissatisfied by those men in black.

The men in black stood outside the store while a lady entered dressed in a floral dress, giving off a pleasant vibe to all those around her completely opposite to what the men gave.

Martha also turned to look at the commotion but was surprised.

"Ohh... Mrs Rutherford, what a coincidence meeting you here"

"Margaret, what are you doing here?" Martha asked 'Was it really a coincidence?' Martha thought.

Margaret looked around and didn't find Alex, she also thought to herself what she was doing here?

Flashback (Two hours ago)

Margaret was pacing around in her room, occasionally peeking out of her window, looking towards Alex's house. She was waiting for Mr and Mrs Rutherford to leave for work so that she could sort things out with Alex. But to her surprise, only Mr Rutherford left for work today, there was no sign of Alex's mother leaving. Did she leave early in the morning? She was debating with herself whether or not she should go to their house when she saw Alex accompanied by his mother leaving for somewhere.

Don't know why, but without giving it a second thought, she grabbed her car keys and followed them. When she saw them stop in front of the mall, she was surprised, as well as happy. She thanked God for such a nice opportunity.

Looking at Margaret who was lost in her own thoughts, Martha felt weird, so she shook her up.

"Ahh... sorry, I was just thinking about something else... as for why I am here, it's simple this shopping mall is one of the properties I own, so I regularly come here and check things out". Margaret said with pride.

"You own this mall?" Martha was a bit surprised. There were hundreds of shops in this mall, just the rent would be hundreds of thousand dollars.

"Yeah... btw why are you here?" Even though she knew, Margaret asked Martha.

"We are here to buy somethings for Alex"

"Ohh... you there pack all the things they tried, I will pay the bill". Listening to Martha, Margaret called out one of the employees of the store and pointed towards the clothes, Alex had tried.

"You don't need to---" Martha wanted to refuse.

"There is no formality between us, we are neighbours, after all, and this can be considered as my thanks for yesterday's meal, as well as, my congratulatory gift for Alex".

Alex who was inside, could hear everything, but he didn't want to come out and face Margaret, but he could not possibly spend the rest of his life here.

"Alex, what's taking so long?" Martha asked from outside.

"Just a minute," Alex said.

When Alex came out, he was greeted by a smiling face of Margaret's.

"Look, Margaret bought all these for you, thank her properly".

"Thank you, Miss Cole,"

Margaret wanted to refute but held back because of Martha.

"No problem, you just work hard". Margret said with a smile all over her face.

"Well then, we shall get going," Martha said.

"Sure" Margaret nodded.

As Alex and Martha were leaving, Alex saw the man from that day standing in a corner. The man too looked at him and then turned his face. Sensing the disdain from that man, Alex felt frustrated once again.

Margaret, who saw all this was enjoying this small skirmish between the man and Alex. The expressions shown by Alex further confirmed her thoughts.

* * *

Martha made Alex follow her through some more shops and after buying a few more things, Alex and Martha left.

Margaret saw the two of them leave and it was hard for her to hide the smile on her face.

The man who saw this came up to her

"You sure treat them differently".

"Well, I have to, hehehe..." Martha replied with a grin.

* * *