Chapter 8

They walked to the resturant. On it was written boldly STARBELLY. It looked quite exclusive. She liked the lilac colour used on the outside, it also had silver decorations on he door and window.  The resturant was huge, she had to admit. It looked like it was meant only for the rich. Javier held the door for her to enter into the resturant. Her mouth opened in amusement As they both stepped in. She tried limiting her excitement, she wanted to act as fancy as possible. Raising her head up high, she walked elegantly.  They both sat on a table that was close the window. She liked the fact that it was close to the window, that way, she would have were to turn her head to if Javier starts looking at her funny. The resturant had few people in it. From her observation, it was mostly couples. 

"Would you like to order anything?" he asked calmly

"Yeah I would like something to drink"

"Just drink? This isn't a bar Hattie" he smirked

"I dont have an appetite for food right now" she stated which was true.

"Okay, do you take alcohol?"

"Yeah"

"Okay"

"What are you ordering?"

"Probably vodka" he beckoned on a waiter

"What would  you like sir" the female asked with a smile. Hattie hated that smile on her face and felt like smacking it off her face. She also hated the way she talked in flirtatious way.

"Just vodka" Javier stated unaware of the situation entirely

"What flavor?"

"Ketel one oranje please"

"Anything else?"

"That's all" Hattie snapped. Javier turned to her, surprised by her sudden tone. Her cheek flushed in embarrassment as she let out a reassuring smile.  The waiter walked off with their order.

"You know I barely know anything about you" Hattie spoke out which made Javier chuckle 

"Why do you want to know about me" he tilted his head to the side in a playful matter

"We are on a date and it's fair enough that i know about you" 

"True, so, what do you want to know?"

"Where are you from"

"Seattle" he stated 

"Am from San Francisco" Hattie blurted out although he never asked 

"Does your mum live in seattle"

"No, my mum lives in California. I told you this already"

"Oh ok, lucky you"

"How do you mean" he squinted his eyes in confusion

"My mum is dead remember? she was killed" 

Javier stiffened in his seat as he shifted uncomfortably. He looked at Hattie whose eyes held pain. He didn't even know how to comfort her. He cursed inwardly at himself. He cursed at Andrew too for making him go through all this.

"Hello" Hattie said snapping her fingers on his face.

"Yeah?"

"I thought we were having conversation here" she stated 

"I know" he replied bluntly

" Then why does it feel like am talking to myself?" she added

"Sorry about that" he apologized, leaning back on his seat with his fingers tapping on the table in a nervous way. Hattie turned to see a waiter walking toward them with a bottle of vodka and two cups laid on a tray. Hattie was glad  that it wasn't 'Mrs flirt' that was delivering the drinks, rather it was a guy. He carefully put the bottle on the table and set the two cup for both of them. He was about pouring the drinks into the cups when Javier held his hands 

" it's fine, I will do that" Javier said

"Okay" the waiter said bowing his head slightly before leaving.

Javier took the vodka and proceeded into pouring it into Hattie's cup first, before his. 

***************

Javier and Hattie  strolled out of the resturant. She felt the cool air caress her soft skin. The night looked beautiful, probably because Javier was there. She looked up in the sky and she felt peace for the first time. She turned to Javier who seemed lost in thought, staring at his phone intently. She tried peeping at his phone but she realised how rude it would be. They weren't entitled together. She smiled at the thought of having him for herself.

"Are you all right?" she asked calmly. He looked at her as something flashed in his eyes. It was too quick that Hattie couldn't decipher it.

"Yeah am fine" he said, Looking around suspiciously 

"Is there something wrong?" She said also accessing the area.

"It fine Hattie" he said with a hint of annoyance

"Oh sorry" 

"For?"

"Nevermind"

 She couldn't help but worry, Javier looked too nervous and predisposed.

"Let's go" he held her hands roughly, pulling her toward the car. She didn't complain, she was too confused to even say a word. Why was he acting so wierd, she thought inwardly. He opened the car door and she stepped in. He entered into the car and started the engine without uttering a single word.

Hattie just sat there looking like a lost puppy, hoping and praying for him to say something. The silence way too awkward. She turned to him, he did not look angry, neither did he look happy. She wasn't sure but his expression held uneasiness. He kept tapping on the steering nervously.

"Hattie?" He finally spoke up

"Yes?"

"Let's end all this" he said  with his eyes still on the road

"End what?"

"Me and you"

"What do you mean?"

"We are not meant for each other" he stated

"Why do you want to end it" her voice was already shaking

"You can't love me"

"Why"

"You would never understand"

"Then make me understand" 

"Am not who you think I am"

"What are you"

" stop with all this questions, Hattie!" He yelled hitting his hands hard on the steering.

"You can't just ask me on a date and then tell me you want to leave"

"I actually thought this would work out, but no"

"Why does everyone keep doing that?" she yelled "they always leave when they matter the most" 

"Am sorry Hattie" he looked at her. His eyes held different emotion "but am not the man for you"

"You crazy pervert!" She shouted angrily "You know what, just stop me here. I will find my way home"

"Hattie calm down"

"Don't tell me that, stop the damn car!"

"Its too dangerous" 

"Oh please don't act like you care, open the door"

"If anything happens to you, I will never forgive myself" 

"If you don't open this door this minute, i will scream at the top of my voice"

"The car is soundproofed"

"Javier, let me out now" she said more calmly. Javier looked at her in defeat before stopping the car. Hattie opened the door angrily and slammed it. She started walking as fast as her legs could carry her. She heard a door slam. She did not bother turning, she knew that Javier was chasing after her.

"Hattie stop" he held her hands, turning her toward him. She yanked his hands away and continued walking

"You made yourself clear, why are you still following me"

" Am just trying to protect you"

"From who?" she turned around angrily 

" please Hattie let me take you home"

"I would rather die" she continued walking 

"You don't mean that" 

" Are you testing me"

"Hattie stop being stubborn"

Hattie was about to reply when she heard her name from afar. 

She looked around to see who was calling out. A guy in his early twenties was running towards her. He looked quite excited, with a bright smile printed on his face. It was dark but Hattie could tell that he looked really familiar. She must have definitely seen him somewhere.

"Hey" he said catching his breath as he stopped in front of her.

"Who are you?" Hattie asked.

"You don't remember me?"

"Urm no" Hattie replied unsure.

"Who are you" Javier snapped at him. Hattie made eye contact with him, signalling him to be nice. She wondered why he acted like that after the stunt he pulled just few minutes ago. She glared at him before slowly tuning her head towards the person who was standing in front of her

"Am peter, we attended the same high school remember?" He said. Hattie snapped her finger as she finally remembered. The name sounder familiar, she did not have alot of friends in high school but she surely could not forget Peter. Peter, the blonde nerd. Although he didn't look like a nerd anymore. He really changed alot. They weren't close friends back then but they were friends. He had told her that he had a crush on her once but she never liked him back. How mature and handsome he looked now.

"Ohhh, no wonder you looked so familiar"

"Do you stay around here?" He asked 

"Not really"

"Is he your boyfriend?" He asked as Hattie's cheek flushed with embarrassment. Why would he ask her such a question when they just met. That was absolutely absurd. He was being too nosy. She really wished that Javier would stop being an asshole.

"No" she snapped looking at Javier with anger Javier kept on looking at Peter intently. She felt like he was staring at Peter's soul with the way he looked at him.

"Do you live around here?"

"Yes, i was actually coming from a bar nearby "

Peter at a bar, who would have thought" she said as they both chuckled. " I see you didn't only change in looks"

"What do you do now?"

"Am a psychologist"

"Wow i really saw it in you back in high school"

"Really?"

"Yeah you were good at making me feel uncomfortable" Peter teased

"Urm Hattie" Javier cut in

"What?" She snapped

"Can I please drop you home" 

"No, Peter here would walk me home, wont you Peter?" She asked turning to Peter

"I would?" Puzzled Peter asked

"Of course" Hattie shrugged

"Well okay" he gave in

"Hattie stop all this" Javier held her hands "he can't protect you" he said referring to Peter

"Protect me from what? You made yourself clear Javier, now leave. Let's go Peter" she yanked Javier' s hand off hers and started walking fast with Peter trolling behind. 

Javier did not bother walking after her. He stood there In defeat but he did not regret what he said. She needed to stay away from him. As far as possible. She was too innocent to be caught up in all his troubles. He watched as she walked angrily with the annoying Peter by her side. He signed as he brought out his phone.

'I see you are having a lot of fun, Hattie is very pretty by the way. Too pretty. I wonder how burnt mark would be look on her face'

 Javier had seen this message when him and Hattie where still at the resturant. His heart stopped when he saw it. He didn't want any harm to come to Hattie. The thought of Andrew laying his hands on Hattie made his blood boil in anger. Letting her go was the best option . But he has to find a way to take care of Andrew. He went to his contact and dialed his number. The call was returned on the second ring

"Javier" Andrew voice called out from the other end.

"Do you have a death wish" Javier said with venom In his voice 

"Really" Andrew said amidst a chuckle.

"Now listen, if you hurt a single strand of hair on her body, i will drain life out of you and watch you suffer a slow painful death" Javier said In a calm tone

"That sounds fun" 

"You know very well what am capable of doing"

"And you remember what I did to zenni. I can do worst to Hattie if you keep testing me"

"You won't dare!"

"Trust me, Javier, when I want something, i go for it." Andrew said ending the call. 

"Urghhhhh!" Javier shouted smashing his phone on the floor. His pulse quicken. A familiar sensation, a combination of adrenaline that made his blood quicken and electricity that made his skin tingle. Voices started echoing in his head. He held his head, banging it on his car in an attempt to stop it. The voice started becoming louder. Beads of sweat gathered in his forehead as he fought the voice. He suddenly felt the urge to kill, to rip somebody's heart out, to stab a body till it had no life in it, To torture a soul. 

********

Hattie sat on her bed. Her heart was ripping into different pieces. She couldn't even cry. She tossed the pillow that she was holding angrily on the floor. He didn't even give her a chance to love him before kicking her away. He left, just like everyone did. She was like a plague that everyone kept avoiding. 

She remembered the look in his eyes when he told her that they should end it. He didn't even show an atom of concern. They were not dating but there was a chemistry between both of them and she was sure that he felt it too. Or not. She clearly overreacted but couldn't help it

'You can't love me' the voice echoed in her. What did he even mean by that? He said it in a way that made it seem like loving him was impossible. Why does it hurt so much. She thought. She couldn't ignore the constant sting in her heart. She wasn't herself from the moment she walked out on him. Peter who was trying to start a conversation with her failed terribly, as she kept on giving one syllabic answers. Peter got tired of talking and just stayed quiet through out her work. Then he suddenly asked

"You love him?"

"No" she snapped at him

"Oh ok, sorry for being nosy, I couldn't help but ask

"Its okay, does it look so obvious?"

"What?"

"Like, do I act like i love him?"

"From the way you looked at him. The way you seemed so hurt for a reason I dont know of. I could tell that you love him" Hattie couldn't help but sigh frustrated 

"They just keep leaving"

"What do you mean?"

"Everyone" she looked at him as tears gathered in her eyes. She blinked rapidly to prevent it from falling

"How" he asked with concern

"My dad, my mum, Westin, now him?"

"Who is Westin?" He asked curiously

"My boyfriend"

"He broke up with you?" he asked

"I wish that was the case" she paused as she took a while to breath " he is dead"

"What? How did he die" 

"I found him dead in his house. long story I dont want to talk about it" she sighed 

"Ok sure But am really sorry" he consoled her

"Thanks alot" she said

Hattie got up from her bed as she dragged her feet to the bathroom to take a shower, hopefully, that would make her fall asleep. The cold water landed on her back which made her shiver slightly. She felt empty and lost. 

'I guess it's over now' she thought inwardly

Author's note: please readers of stalker, add me up on whatsapp 08140323038. I want to ask an important  question