"Bea..."

"Arrggg!" Beatris panicked as she turned to face the poor Lily who was now also frightened. "Oh, it's just you. I was startled."

"It's just me." Lily eyed her as she walked away at least smart enough to know she wasn't in the mood for gossip.

Beatris had been nervous since she woke up to a text from 'The one that was watching her' what on earth did that mean? Was it a stalker? A secret admirer? A psychopathic serial killer? The number was unknown and she had no idea who had it. She tried calling back, no response. She'd asked Brianna if she was trying to pull a prank and she knew it wasn't her.

Someone would be out there by 7 pm? Did she want to meet this individual or not? This was creeping her out. She looked up at the time, it was already 4 pm. Three more hours.

"Are you okay?" Her coworker asked her and she was happy she'd not scared him as well in the process.

Beatris knew Marcus well, he was the friendliest person here and all the girls seemed to have a crush on him mostly because he was the only man around. He'd tried to talk to her more than once but she always replied politely and wasn't ever in the mood for making friends.

The only person allowed into her world was Brianna and she liked it that way. Friends were bad news and love was a no-go area.

"I'm good." She forced a smile.

"You seem to be checking the time a lot. You're hurrying somewhere?" He asked.

She shook her head. *Isn't it a good thing to tell someone you're being followed?*

He moved on with his task of making the most delicious snacks she had tasted knowing that she wasn't interested in the conversation. Beatris did always respect him for his gifted hands.

She contemplated leaving before 7 pm but she knew the boss was unreasonable and already hated her. She'd just hurry, Mr or Mrs Stalker might not be there so early or maybe it wasn't a stalker and just Brianna playing a trick on her.

"God! I'm getting so paranoid!" Beatris said as she picked up her bag to leave. The vicinity was still pretty busy at seven. No one would be able to harass or kidnap her.

She ordered a cab even though she'd never regularly treat herself to such luxury. She stepped out into the cold night and hugged her jacket as she waited for her cab.

It was already a few minutes past seven and no one had approached her. She kept looking around. It didn't seem like anyone was walking towards her or staring unusually at her.

Beatris felt as though she had taken her first breath when the cab finally arrived. She jumped in immediately and her phone beeped simultaneously.

# YOU LOOK SO BEAUTIFUL TONIGHT. FROM THE ONE WHO'S WATCHING U.

What was the meaning of this? The person was there and watching her? This was scaring the shit out of her. She typed out the words quickly.

# WHO ARE YOU, PLEASE? DON'T SAY 'THE ONE WATCHING ME,' IT'S CREEPY.

The next text entered her phone immediately, she took two deep breaths before looking at it.

# TOWWU.

"Creep!" She said angrily throwing her phone in her purse and ignoring the cab driver who was staring.

--------------------------------------------------

Norman's car was following a cab from an unobservable distance. This was truly frustrating but also fun. Beatris had no idea how much she was toying with his feelings. How dare she call a cab and only allow him fifteen minutes to see her? How dare she not wear his favorite dress of her on this special day? How dare she call him creepy? She was the creepy one. Looking around as though she was running away from something.

Or was she by any chance scared of him? Should he have told her there was nothing to be afraid of in his last message? "Damn, Norman!" He hit his head with his wounded hand. "Ouch!"

He so badly wanted to text her again. But he'd read that rule countless times. "To be a cool dude, don't double text." Why were there rules to this thing? Why did anyone just define who's cool or not? Left to him, he'd send her a hundred texts at once. *Then you'd be the real creep*

# ONE LAST CHANCE, WHO ARE YOU? OR DON'T TEXT ME EVER AGAIN!

The text entered his phone as soon as she alighted from the cab in front of her apartment. He was parked at a distance, but he could see her clearly.

"Is this a fucking threat?" He couldn't believe his eyes. "This damn girl."

# HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST FOR YOU TO BE MY WIFE? TOWWU

This was a very hard message to send but he'd done it and his heart was beating fast. At least this way, he'd know a price and he did have a lot of money in his bank account. Though he hoped secretly that she didn't cost much.

Norman was shocked out of his mind when he discovered that the next thing she did was block him.

-------------------------------------------------------

It was a bad day for Norman Patterson. It didn't mean other days were not generally terrible or uneventful but this was the worst of it all or so he thought, as sat on his revolving chair, lightly moving from side to side, critically watching the infuriating comments on his screen.

He got blocked and in some sick way, he was supposed to believe it was all his fault. At least, that was what the internet had to say.

"The internet is stupid," Norman said closing his laptop screen angrily.

"Are you sure?" He was startled by Leonard's unexpected reply. He had no idea he'd been in there.

"Since when did you start sneaking up on me?"

"Since you didn't show up in my office this morning like you do every day." Leonard sat down as though he'd not ignored his friend since the recent developments in his life. "What has the internet done to get you so worked up?"

"None of your business." Norman frowned not sure if he should discuss this with Leonard or not. On second thought, his friend was a little more experienced with the ladies, he could have some advice for him. "But... Do you know what it means if a girl blocks you?"

"A girl blocked you?" Leonard appeared shocked but mostly amused. "What did you do to her, Patterson?"

"Nothing," he replied almost immediately in a defensive manner. "I wasn't blocked. I'm asking for a friend."

Leonard knew well that there was no friend but he answered anyway. "Maybe the girl is just not interested. But that's a little too melodramatic of her. I'm sure she doesn't really know you... or your friend well. She's probably not even worth it."

"She's worth it!" Came the almost aggressive reply. Leonard had no idea what a special girl Beatris was.

The man raised his hand in defeat. "Fine. This girl really got something on you."

"My friend," Norman corrected him. Still unwilling to expose himself knowing well Leonard was no fool. But his friend was right. Beatris didn't know him.

If she knew him, she wouldn't only block him but she might as well kill him. He couldn't tell her who he was, he had no courage to do that. If it was even possible, he'd bury her permanently as a memory to be forgotten. But he'd tried that for so many years and it didn't get him anywhere.

Instead, since he found out that she was in the same town as him, he'd only become more attracted to her, more obsessed with the idea of possessing her.

*You're not obsessed, Norman. Stop!*

"So, how are you?" Leonard asked trying to make sense of his blank expression.

"What do you want? Some advice on what to do with your feelings for Elaine?" He knew that name was not to be mentioned and could immediately see the pools of sadness in Leonard's eyes.

"Jesus, Patterson. Is it possible to have a decent conversation with you?"

"Only decent people have decent conversations," he replied.

Leonard gave up and got up from his chair. "Good luck with your girlfriend." He pat him twice on the shoulder and walked out.

*Girlfriend?* If Norman was thankful for one thing today, it'd be that Leonard left as soon as he'd made that statement. Because his cheeks had gone red at that instant. If only Beatris would name her price and become his girlfriend. If only.

He took out another burner phone and typed out a text message to her number.

# YOU CAN RUN BUT YOU CAN'T HIDE, TRIS. TOWWU

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

Brianna was not surprised her sister was doing her favourite thing staring into space. Only this time, space was her phone. She wondered what the problem was this time. It was usually 'I'm so tired of life' or 'Get a job' or 'All of this is too much for me'. Beatris always had one bad thing to say or another.

She knew she was the positive one of the two. The one that was going to be a celebrity one day and provide enough money so her big sister wouldn't ever have to work again.

For as long as she could remember, Beatris had been her mother, father, and best friend. Doing everything for her that their parents couldn't. She knew her sister's anguish was valid and her life's dream was to make her happy.

"Why are you staring at your phone like that, Sissy?" She asked.

Beatris sighed. "Brianna, sit down." She said sternly and Brianna knew this was going to be a pretty serious conversation. Something she didn't particularly like. 

"God, I hope you're not dying! Don't even tell me because I'd have a heart attack and die first!" She said melodramatically as she took a seat beside her sister leaning into her.

"If you die first, who'd inherit the five dollars in my bank account?" Beatris laughed before turning serious again. "I know I said we've found a home here. But... I'm not so sure anymore."

Brianna rolled her eyes. This was always the line. The single annoying line she gave every time they were supposed to just pack their things and run away from the invisible ghosts that seemed to haunt Beatris everywhere she went.

"B-but we're just settling in here." Brianna knew that her protests amounted little or nothing. A terrified Beatris equaled a dysfunctional Beatris which meant she'd be jobless and they'd be homeless in a matter of months. But she never knew why her sister was always so afraid and always running from her own shadow.

"I know, it's sad to leave this place. We've only been here four months and it's quite nice to live here."

"So, why do you have to move?"

Beatris contemplated telling her the answer to that. "Bibi, this might sound ridiculous. But I think I'm being stalked."

It sure sounded ridiculous. She wasn't rich or famous. There was nothing so spectacular about her. Why on earth would she think that? "Stalked? Why? And by who?"

"I have no idea!" Beatris said taking out her phone and showing Brianna. The last message. She'd stupidly deleted the previous ones the stalker had sent to her after blocking him thinking it would stop. But all he needed to do was get a new number. Those previous messages would've been good evidence in case he caught her or killed her.

"T-O-W-W-U?" What's that? "

"The one who's watching you and the 'you' just happens to be me." She was obviously very disturbed by this. "I don't know what to do. He asked me how much I was worth and he wants me to be his wife."

The last statement seemed to throw her stupid little sister into a fit of laughter. "This is why you want to move? God! Sissy, you're so paranoid! You have a secret admirer! That's so cute!" Brianna laughed some more and Beatris wondered if she was crazy.

"This sounds like a secret admirer?"

"Definitely. Now, we just have to figure who has a crush on you." This was definitely a joke to Brianna. Beatris somehow regretted telling her crazy twenty-five-year-old sister who reasoned like a teenager about this. She just didn't take life seriously at all.

However, it was common knowledge to both of them that Beatris often overreacted and thought negatively about everything. So, she sat there in doubt of her judgement.

Beatris rolled her eyes. "I don't think anybody has a crush on me."

"I know I know!" Brianna squealed excitedly. "It's definitely your boss. You know what they say that most times when people are mean to you, they secretly like you."

"Ewww. He's married," Beatris said. "And he genuinely doesn't like me. There are no two ways about that."

"You're no fun, Sissy," Brianna said laughing. "Or it could be his brother, Marcus."

"Marcus doesn't like me. He likes everyone. And he's too nice to try something like this."

"There might just be a bad boy side of him. Anyway, I just want you to reconsider moving. This might not be as serious as you're making it to be. Give me your phone." Brianna already snatched Beatris phone before she could protest and typed out the words.

# IF YOU'VE GOT BALLS, MEET ME AT THE CAFE BY 5PM TOMORROW, LET'S TALK. THE ONE WHO DOESN'T CARE (TOWDC)

"If you've got balls?" Jesus! Brie, you've finished me." Beatris found it funny.

They had a good fit of laughter. Something Beatris had not experienced in a while. Her little sister was all that gave her joy and she loved her more than anything in the world.

Brianna was sometimes stupid but mostly right, she had to stop running someday.