OBSESSION

# 5 FIRST THREAD OF CHAOS

I arrived at our apartment by 9:48pm. Eleanor wouldn't be back by now—the party was an all-night thing, so she would return in the morning. I got out of the car, and this time I made sure to lock it; I didn’t want Eleanor scolding me about it… she’s such a mom sometimes.

I walked down the pathway into the two-story apartment building and climbed upstairs since our apartment was on the upper floor. The building held four apartments: two down, two up.

I was almost at my doorstep when I noticed someone sitting there. I flinched. Should I call the cops? What should I do? Walk away? And for some insane reason, all I could think of was him—maybe he found me out, maybe he wanted to eliminate me. Surely I’d be dead soon… Maybe I messed up big time.

I was about to walk away when the person tilted their head in my direction, making my heart race. I recognized that face anywhere, even with the dim hallway lights. That made my heart race even faster.

“Oh, you’re back,” that deep voice spoke, and I swallowed hard.

I didn’t know if I should feel relieved or tense. Why would he be on my doorstep waiting for me? No—maybe not for me. Maybe he was waiting for Eleanor… but he knew she was at the party.

So why was he here?

“Oh D-Denver, what brings you here?” I said, trying not to stutter, but my voice betrayed me.

“I came over to see you,” Denver said casually as he stood up, hands slipping into his pockets.

My brain froze. What would a guy like Denver be doing waiting for me? Did he do this for every girl he wanted? I couldn’t move or speak; I just looked at him like an i***t.

“Um… the door?” he suggested.

“Huh?”

“Aren’t you gonna get inside? It’s getting really cold,” he said.

I nodded, walking past him and stopping at the door. I searched my pockets for the key only to realize I hadn’t locked the door. Great.

I opened it and stepped inside, torn about whether I should invite him in or not. I definitely should have dismissed him and gone to bed.

Or so I thought I was going to say.

“It’s getting a bit cold… wanna come inside?”

I surprised myself more than him.

He smiled immediately—his perfect teeth doing what they always do: charming any girl.

Damn, this guy’s really hot.

“Don’t mind if I do,” he said as I stepped aside for him to enter.

He walked into the living room while I locked the door and followed. The moment he stepped inside, the room filled with his scent—fresh mint that made my stomach flip. I didn’t know why I was reacting like that.

Thank the Lord for Eleanor, because the living room was actually clean. She cleaned while I lazed around. If it were my apartment alone, it would’ve been a disaster.

He sat on one of the sofas. I dropped Eleanor’s keys and joined him. He was staring at a picture of me and Eleanor from our matriculation—one of my best memories.

“Um… can I offer you anything to drink?” I asked.

He tilted his head with another charming smile.

“If you have water, then I’ll take it.”

I got a bottle from the fridge, poured it into a glass, and handed it to him.

He drank, and my eyes, for some reason, followed the movement of his Adam’s apple. Not my fault—he was too attractive to ignore.

I took the other sofa, still confused why Denver was here. Eleanor had to be behind this. She was a scheming little b***h sometimes.

“So how long were you waiting for me?”

Instant regret. I sounded like a creep.

“Like an hour? I didn’t really check the time,” he said casually.

“An hour? Why would you wait so long? If you come over and can’t find me you should leave, not wait like that,” I snapped.

“I honestly don’t mind if you’re the one I’m waiting for.”

My heart skipped a beat. Then raced.

Why would he say something like that?

“But what if I didn’t come home early?”

“But you did. So enough of the what-ifs.”

I shut up. But one question was still running wild in my mind.

“So why exactly are you here, Denver?”

“You didn’t come to the party, and I figured you weren’t planning to. Eleanor told me about your ‘issues’ but I know it’s a cover-up.”

He wasn’t wrong.

How did he know so much without me telling him anything?

“But your party—you can’t just bail.”

“What’s the point? I wanted to see you but I couldn’t, so I left.”

My stupid heart raced again. I was annoyed at myself.

“Whatever you say. But that party is way livelier than I am. I’m boring.”

“I don’t think you’re boring in the slightest, Natia. You’re interesting.”

I didn’t understand why he thought that… but I couldn’t argue.

We talked for a while. I wasn’t as socially awkward as I expected. He laughed when I accidentally repeated a rumor about him dating a high-school girl.

“Chelsea is my cat. I don’t do animals,” he laughed.

I nearly died of embarrassment.

Eventually, he got up.

“It’s late. I should go—unless I’m allowed to stay,” he teased.

“No. Get going. There’s no room for you here.”

He chuckled and walked to the door.

“You should know you look cute when you glare. Your pouting is adorable.”

I froze.

“And thanks for the invite. I’ll be visiting soon.”

And then he left.

I stood there, brain completely dead.

The room still smelled like him.

And for once, I didn’t hate a man’s scent.

I showered, changed, and threw myself onto the bed.

I planned to check the cameras, but I fell asleep instantly.