Chapter 2; The Stranger

"Ouch!" I said as I rubbed my reddish eyes after being wide open since the second I lied on my bed

"Oh no, the sun is rising..." I said as I peeked through the window and saw the sun's rays piercing through the blinds. I grabbed my pillow then placed it over my head.

"Who might be that person continuing to disturb me since yesterday?" I whispered under the pillow then rubbed my eyes. I then scratched my head then screamed "Argh!" into a pillow after being truly irritated for the first time.

beep beep beep, the alarm clock went

Though I hate moving even an inch cause I feel so restless, I was like forced to press it. I lifted my trembling arm from the bed of numbness then smushed the button then rolled on the ground like a worm. I lied on the floor while trying to crumple the carpet.

Out of a sudden, my phone rang. "Who might be it?" I asked, "It's too early to call someone at this time," I thought.

I feel like having fever since I haven't got any sleep in the past hours.

crack, my backbone went

"oooh... feel like I've got no choice but to trace this irritating person" I screamed, "But she also kind of creeps me out," I thought then shook my head to remove the stranger from my thoughts. I grabbed my pair of glasses on the nightstand table then carefully placed it on my face.

ring ring, the phone called rang once more

I immediately ran towards my phone then pressed then accept button. I lifted my arm, placing the phone by my ear then I uttered-

"Hello? who is it?" I asked while using my annoyed voice

"It's Hershey, you sounded annoyed... Are you ok?" She asked

"Oh, yes, yes," I said after switching my voice's mode to normal, "Why Hershey? What's up?" I asked

"I was thinking is maybe we could do some... jogging I guess?" She asked

"I'm really sorry. I don't feel very well, I haven't got much sleep last night" I answered

"Oh, so that's why you're using your annoyed voice earlier" She answered then chuckled

"No, no, I didn't mean to--"

"Yeah, haha, It's ok," She said after she interrupted me, "What about lunch? You want to come?" she asked

"Yeah, yeah" I replied

Suddenly my laptop rang. I slowly walked towards it to peek at the notification, The screen says "New data folder"

"What?!" I whispered as I read the phrase

Out of a sudden, I remembered that Hershey's talking to me--

"...You'll be there at exactly 12 o'clock, understood?" She asked

"Yes sure, I'll be there" I answered.

The moment I placed my phone down a thing pierced through my mind "What if... I'll track the stranger once and for all".

"Wait... how will I track her with only the data I got yesterday?" I asked myself and started to think for a while, "I got it... Her phone number... I can track her phone and know where she is!" I exclaimed.

I faced the screen and prepared the list of codes for this project, what do you know- I don't memorize them all, that's going to break my brain's flesh. The only sound lurking around the room is the noise produced by my fingertips every time I write.

After hours and hours of typing, number after number my bottom feel stuck on the chair after the hours of coding. "Oww," I whispered after feeling a struck of headache.

"I feel like I need to eat something" I whispered after I realized that I still hadn't eaten breakfast.

"Umm, what can I eat..." I asked myself after I opened the refrigerator. A sandwich caught my eye- "How about this?" I asked myself after I grabbed the bread with vegetables within. I glanced at my watch and saw that It's 9 am- "oh no, It's almost 11, what about lunch?" I asked myself thinking what to do first

Beep beep beep, the laptop rang again

I turned around and read the notification. As follows: "Stalker tracked"

"What?! I can't believe that I did it!" I shouted while starring at my phone receiving all the files about the stalker. "Could I still do it?" I asked myself as I stare at my watch, I took a deep breath then whispered to myself- "You can do this. If you let this pass, you might not have the change again".

I sighed then walked out the door. "According to the tracker, She's near.... that hotel" I whispered then pointed to the tallest skyscraper at the City

I entered the enormous glass doors of the building and followed what the tracker says. "Where could she be?"

Out of a sudden, I remembered that I'm having lunch with Hershey. "Oh no, It's 10:45, It's almost time," I thought, "Wait a sec... I don't know the place we're going to eat on!!" I urgently closed the tracking app then dialed Hershey's number--

Beep beep beep... the phone says

"How long will this dialing tone take?! I've got no time to waste!" I thought. Out of a sudden, a phone ring tone played on my back.

"Wait... Is that--" I thought then turned around. "Hershey? Why are you here?" I asked her the second I saw her behind me.

"Hey, Dexter. I didn't expect to see you here early... Well, I'm surprised" She said then chuckled, "Ready for lunch?" She asked

"L-Lunch?" I asked

"Yeah, we'll be having lunch here right?" She replied

"Y-yeah" I replied with my voice shaking having no idea that we'll eat here. I urgently checked my pocket and wished that I've brought some kind of money. "Oh please, I wish I hot something in here," I thought while looking for cash inside my pocket.

"Wait..." I thought "I feel like there's something here" I whispered to myself as I sensed that my wallet's placed inside the pocket.

Phew, I said while figuratively wiping my sweat away

"But before that, can I just take a walk around the building?" I asked, "I gotta go check something out" I reasoned

She nodded and asked- "Can I come with you?"

"Sorry but you need to stay here..." I replied

"Ok then... But be here by umm--" she then stared on her watch, "-- 11:15, got it?" She asked.

"Yeah, yeah..." I said while I slowly step on the stairs one by one

"Where to start?" I asked myself then grabbed my phone. Out of a sudden, my radar caught the person I'm dying to find.

The vibration of my phone got louder and louder, It's like I almost heard it. Suddenly I saw a person that passed by me "wait..." I thought, "is that person is the one I'm looking for?" I whispered then chills walked pass me.

I followed her vigilantly, slowly tiptoeing behind her. She then entered a room, I just watched her while trying to peek to the room. "What am I doing?!" I thought, "It's almost time for lunch" I whispered as I stare on the ginormous clock beside me.

While having deep heartbeats, I ran towards the elevator as the doors of it open. Out of a sudden, the suspicious girl walked outside her room then head toward the elevator the I'm in! The chill went back, I feel like I have a ton of butterflies in my stomach!

thud thud thud

I can hear my heartbeat rise as I try to press the ground floor button. "How long will the elevator take?" I asked myself while looking at the looking watched locked on my wrist. After seconds of waiting, I felt that the elevator stopped it's falling motion, The doors slowly opened itself. I walked outside then saw Hershey with her hands folded.

She had her eyes frozen while looking at me-- "wait... she isn't starring at me" I thought. "Is it just I or she's starring at the person-- with me on the elevator?!"

"Hey! I missed you, Desiree!" She screamed then hugged her

"Wait, whaaa--?!" I cried

"Why, what's the shock?" Desiree asked then smiled creepily

I quickly looked down, towards my phone, then it suddenly vibrated the hardest it could. "umm... let's h-have lunch?" I offered with my shoulders higher than before

"Sure! how about--- there!" Hershey said then pointed to a bench beside a restaurant

The three of us, Hershey, Me, and Desiree, started to stride towards the "eating place" with me anticipating- "oh no, the pocket money I brought here won't fit" I then began sweating. I walked towards Hershey's ear then whispered while scratching my head--

"umm, Hershey... I forgot my wallet in the room"

"What's gotten into you?" She asked, "Wait a sec... I'm kind of confused right now. Am I still dreaming?" I thought

"What do you mean? I feel lost" I asked then chuckled anxiously

"Have you forgotten that lunch's on me? I cried it clearly over the phone!" She reasoned out

"Oops, sorry I might've forgotten bout that" I replied

"I should keep an eye on this so-called person Desiree, Her suspicious attitude gets on my nerves," I thought while secretly glancing at her

"You both sit over--- there" Hershey stated then pointed to the bench near the cashier

Desiree and I breeze walked towards the pointed bench, we have about 2 meters distance from each other I don't know why... I think our senses are talking secretly behind our backs?

I sat on the chair facing her on the other side. Out of a sudden, our eyes stared at each other, It's not the romance stare type-- It's like the horror movie stare type

In a swift, I changed my angle facing the ginormous glass walls beside me watching the vehicles that move across. Seconds passed the I got curious if what is Desiree doing right now.

I slowly turned around then saw her-- "STILL STARING AT ME?!" I thought then quickly looked at Hershey walking toward out table holding a tray with sorts of meals.

"Thanks a bunch for this," I said

"It's nothing. Let's eat" Hershey responded

I grabbed my plate then started eating while looking at the view outside. After minutes of sightseeing, a question out of no struck my mind--

"Umm, Hershey... How did you met-- her?" I asked while awkwardly pointing to Desiree

"Well... It's a long story if you include the little details--" she said then glanced at Desiree, "but to make the story short... I accidentally and kind of happily bumped into her on Discord" She added

"When?--" I asked

"About... Yesterday I suppose?" Hershey replied with a rising intonation

Desiree suddenly walked into our conversation then asked- "Why are you so curious anyway?"

"I'm just asking... There's nothing malicious about that, right?" I asked

"Yeah" Hershey replied, "Curiosity is normal among everyone" she added then chuckled

We continued eating for minutes with me still secretly doing frequent glances and noting every move produced by Desiree.

"I gotta go to the restroom--" Hershey said, "--You both just continue eating, talking to each other or--- whatever you both want to do... I'll be back" She added

"This is my chance to look for clues 'bout her," I thought then smiled behind her back

"Eyy, so... Are you a part of the computer club at school?" I asked

"Well, I don't have much interest in computers..." She replied

"Well, that's a shame..." I thought

"Do you have any questions about me?" I asked her while looking at her clean up her stuff

"Umm, let me think--" She said, "-- I know one... Why do you act so strange earlier while tiptoeing behind my back on the fifth floor?" She asked with her eyebrows uneven

"W-what do you mean?" I asked her back pretending to have to idea about what She's talking about

"Umm, ok then I'll simplify everything--" She said, "How did you end up with me on the elevator earlier?" She asked

If I'm correct, my heart beats became heavier as I heard her say that phrase, "I need to think of something... real quick!" I thought

"Well... You know--" I answered, "-- I've been engaged by the view above" I added the chuckled nervously

beep beep beep, my phone suddenly rang

"oh sorry Desiree, I need to answer this," I said then grabbed my phone in an upward angle

"Hello? Who is it?" I asked

"Hello sir, This is the condominium that you're staying in--" The lady said

"Why ma'am-- What's the problem?" I asked

"Well, a person noticed some weird siren sound in your room so we notified you about it--" The person on the phone answered

"Sirens? What does she mean?" I thought

[End of Chapter 2]