smart

"What do you mean, obsession with people?" she asked.

"I start to follow people around , watching them. Imagine I was their friend. Sometimes doing things for them," I said.

"Once there was this popular girl that I liked. She had a boyfriend and I noticed that he would slap her, abuse her when he was driving her back home. So I send a message anonymously to the cops along with the video of him doing it,".

"Video?"

"I inserted a recorder inside his car cam. Then, he got arrested. But the girl, she came back to school sad. I felt guilty. I went up to her and confessed and said I was sorry for putting him in jail. She slapped me, humiliated me, told everyone how much of a creep I was. Word got around and everyone started to believe I was purposely hurting her and harassing her. I got transferred away from being in the same class with her. I got bullied, everyone would call me names. Jocks would stuff me into the lockers, beat me. It got too much until I transferred school again,".

She listened intently. Then, she looked at me with concern.

"Have you ever..think that what you did like the stalking stuff was wrong?" she asked slowly.

"I.. I do. I am not going to justify it at all. I am just telling you the reason why I did it. I guess I never had friends growing up and unfortunately that psycho guy was my first friend. If only he wasn't that crazy, I would have been..happy. Less lonely..never would feel the need to seek other things to make me feel less lonely, ".

"You have been trough a lot," she said sympathetically. "I feel like you just needed some companion. Like, i was scared when i first met you. i admit, I had an idea, a fantasy of you. Someone who is perfect. Who wants to save me. I know, I act like another dumb shallow girl but , yeah. I guess that is my issue. I always felt the need to be perfect, to seek out perfect people to hang out with. With my boyfriend, he seemed perfect. Tall, handsome, he was so gentle when I first met him. I literally had no idea. So when I first saw you in that cafe, you are not who I thought you to be. I went away."

She looked down. "I don't know if you even want to hear me say sorry,.

"Hey, its ok. I admit, I should have like..maybe give you a heads up. Like, not everyone is going to get used to things fast,".

"No,no. Look, I am sorry. I should not have bailed on you. You were so nice to me. I guess i just judged you wrong. I should have known not all things that seemed perfect on the outside, is..actually perfect. I am just bad at judging people. Like I cared what will people think of me if i a seen with..oh, this came out wrong,".

"Look, lets just move on. yes, I was sad and angry. but hating on you when you already felt remorse isnt gonna solve anything," I said calmly.

"No, Desmond. I..I did other things too. I went outside of that cafe, took a picture of you and sent it to my friends. I told my friends you are a catfish and laugh about you with my friends. I thought it was funny. I was the one who sent your picture to my boyfriend, I want him to made him feel better about himself by telling him jokingly that 'these are the guys that hit on me'."