CHAPTER 26: STALKER

THE GIRL WHO CAN’T DATE

By Eleventh

CHAPTER 26: STALKER

“You can't always depend on anyone else. You gotta learn how to protect yourself. I learned self-defense when I was 13 because I was told that when no one comes to your rescue, you only have yourself to count on." – Ira P.

2017 JOURNAL

“Are you okay?” Ira looked at Maggie worriedly while grabbing the burger that the waitress served a minute ago.

Maggie faintly nodded her head. She wasn’t her usual self. She was quiet and restless. Her body was stiff trying to hide the other side of her face with her long hair. She barely had a bite on her food. She just kept on playing the pasta with her fork while the two gobbled their burgers like hungry beggars.

“Are you sure? Since you screamed earlier, your mood suddenly changed.”Skye remarked.

“Right. You seemed like you saw a ghost. And now you’re not even eating your food.” Ira added.

“Yeah. Sorry ‘bout that. I just thought… I saw something. Don’t mind me. I’m… I’m fine.” Maggie replied.

Unconvinced, Ira peered her eyes while munching her food.

“I think you did see something. Mmm… was it your ex?” she guessed.

Skye’s eyes sparkled. “Mmm… could be! Maybe that’s why she isn’t eating because she’s conscious.”

“Ooow! Riiiight! Is he here right now? Where is he? Lemme see his face. Come on!”

Ira looked around to check if she would see someone peculiar. She had a little knowledge of what kind of guys attract Maggie so she tried to spot someone good-looking, dresses nicely, and has a good body built.

“Stop it, Ira! Just eat your food.” Maggie reprimanded. She doesn’t look like she was amused or even having fun so Ira immediately stopped and went on to finish her burger.

“She looked very serious,” Skye whispered, leaning close to Ira.

“I know right,” Ira whispered back.

“Something must be bothering her.”

“It must be her ex.”

Skye nodded in agreement.

A couple of chitchats, jokes, and laughter later, Skye and Ira finished their meal while Maggie barely touched hers. She didn’t even solicit much to the two’s conversation.

“Excuse me. I’ll just use the washroom. Then maybe we should bill out after. Whatchuthink?” Skye suggested.

Ira gave two thumbs up as a response. When Skye was gone, Ira asked Maggie one more time.

“Hey! What’s wrong?”

“Look at the guy sitting at the next table… wait! Do it discreetly… like you’re not looking at all.”

Ira peeked and saw a guy in a black sweatshirt and a black cap, sitting alone while sipping a glass of iced tea alone.

[I think I’ve seen this guy somewhere. He looks so familiar…]

Ira was about to choke herself while drinking her iced tea when she realized who the guy was.

“Isn’t that the guy… you know, the one in…” Ira kept clicking her fingers with her eyes closed while trying to recall the name of the place where she encountered him.

“The Foundry…” Maggie answered in a whisper.

“Riiight! I remember you like that guy so much. Why won’t you say hi? Do you wanna say hi?”

“Nooo! Please, no!” Maggie looked so distressed when she tried to stop Ira.

“What’s the problem? Is he the reason why you’re behaving like that?” Ira whispered.

Maggie gently nodded.

“Why? I thought you like him? I even see you smile a lot whenever you’re texting him.”

Maggie closed her eyes, trying to gather the courage to tell her what she knew.

“My cousin had a best friend who knew him, who met him through speed dating too. One time they were hanging out at home and well, I told him about him and when my cousin’s best friend recognized him, she told me that he’s a pervert. He’s a porn addict. I didn’t believe her at first, but when we moved our conversation to Facebook messenger, he started to send me his nude photos and that crept me out. Remember the day I had to leave early? I had to meet him that day to formally tell him that I’m not going out with him anymore because I don’t wanna ghost him. ‘Cause I thought that was the proper thing to do. But then, he won’t accept it and still keeps following me. He has been stalking me! And Ira, I am so scared! He’s everywhere!”

“Don’t you think it’s just a coincidence?”

“Coincidence my ass! Do you know that I saw him mowing my neighbor’s lawn? Mrs. Garcia, the old lady who lives next door, said that their new gardener knows me and is sending his regards. I had no idea it was him until I stayed in my room and caught him watching a glimpse of me at my window. He even dared to wave at me and my gaaawd, the way he smiles, argh it was so creepy!”

Suddenly, Skye came back and butted in the conversation.

“Then go to the police and make a report!”

Maggie was surprised by his sudden appearance. He grabbed a seat and sat next to Maggie.

“How much have you heard?”

“Well… everything!”

“Have you been standing there all this time?”

“Yeah! I was just standing behind you. I thought that maybe you’re uncomfortable to talk if I’m around so I pretended to leave.”

Maggie sighed. “I’m sorry, Skye! It’s not that I don’t trust you. I’m just embarrassed. It was my idea to go out on speed dating and this is what I got.”

As Skye pressed his lips, Maggie waited for him to condemn her decisions. But Skye kept his lips sealed.

“Let’s go!” Skye declared grabbing his helmet and allowing the ladies to leave first while he followed behind.

They paid for their meals and left the diner. They instantly went to the police station to make a report about the stalker. There she explained the situation in detail and even showed their conversation. They were there for ages that it was finally dark when they went out.

“Do you still guys wanna hang out?” Maggie asked with a disconcerted face. “I’m sorry this day turned out spoiled because of me.”

“I had a good dinner and I had my cold beer. I’m all good.” Skye replied.

“Me too. We can just go home and rest.” Ira added.

“Will you two be okay? I have to go home because something urgent came up.” He announced feeling torn between leaving and staying.

“No worries! I’ll walk her to the gates of their village. It’s just a few blocks aways from here.” With a beaming smile, Ira assured him.

“And you?”

“What about me?” Ira stared at Skye with a puzzled face.

“Aren’t you worried about yourself?”

“I don’t have a stalker.”

Skye rolled his eyes. “Whether you have a stalker or not, it’s not safe for you to go home alone.”

“You’re worrying for nothing, Twerp! It’s still 7 PM. What could happen to me? Besides, I always go home alone. I’d be fine!”

“Alright! Just give me a call if something happens.” Skye sighed, still feeling uncertain about leaving. He wore his helmet and mounted his motorcycle.

“Thank you for today, Twerp!” Maggie bid farewell.

Skye beeped his horn twice and left speedily. Then the ladies crossed the road, Ira with her usual mindless self and Maggie still feeling restless.

“Are you still worried?” Ira inquired as they walked going to the village. She was holding on to her backpack very tightly, making her look like a high schooler.

Maggie pulled her cardigan and embraced herself. The wind has become colder.

“Yeah, I am. Maybe I’ll be at peace if I see him behind bars but I know that’s not possible, not yet.”

Ira pouted her lips while thinking of a way to secure Maggie’s safety.

“Mmmm… how about you stay at my house tonight? Or maybe until your parents are back home?”

Maggie quickly shook her head. “I can’t. My dog is waiting for me.”

“Oh yeah! Sabrina must be really hungry now.”

“But thank you for offering though.”

The ladies crossed at least three blocks and stopped in front of the black iron gates of Golden Glow Village. The lamp was bright outside the guardhouse but it was empty.

“Alright, I think we’re gonna part here. Thank you for today, Ira!”

But Ira wasn’t paying attention to Maggie. Her eyes were fixed on the empty guardhouse.

“Don’t you have security guards on duty tonight?” she wondered.

“We have. Maybe he’s in the washroom or something… You should go now.”

“Do you want me to walk you to your door?” Ira’s eyebrows crinkled as she spoke to her friend. Her serious face made Maggie chuckle.

“I’ll be fine from here. You should go now. Thank you, Ira!” After kissing Ira on the cheeks, she waved farewell and left with a smile.

“Okaay!” Ira’s voice fainted in the wind as she bid farewell to Maggie who was entering the gate.

She couldn’t keep her eyes off her because of a bad feeling. She was feeling edgy too especially that the road she’s taking was unusually dim and quiet. While watching Maggie walk inside, suddenly somebody grabbed her from behind. A big, masculine arm enveloped her around her neck. She could tell by its muscles and the size of its fingers that it belongs to a man.

Adrenaline rushed through Ira’s veins. Gathering all the strength she had, she stepped on the man’s foot with her heel making him lose his defense and balance. She then quickly grabbed his arm and twitched it making him kneel on the floor and beg for a tap out.

“AAAH! Tap out! Tap out!” The man in a black v-neck shirt screamed.

Realizing who he was, Ira gasped. “YOU???”