Her Stalker

3

Hattie…

Hattie applied an eyeliner to finish up her makeup. She wanted to look her best. Westin was coming back from his trip that day. He did say he was going to come back earlier but perhaps something came up. Hattie thought

She untied the band that held her brunette hair together, letting it cascade down her shoulders. Westin loved it when her hair fell on her shoulder, but she preferred it tied up. The only reason she let it fall was because she enjoyed making him pleased with her.

She took one last look in the mirror and smiled in satisfaction before leaving her room. Hattie grabbed her car keys and walked out of her apartment. She didn’t bother eating, she concluded she would have her lunch at Westin's house. His house was just a 5 minutes drive from hers.

For a moment, Hattie stopped to think. Was she doing the right thing being with him? She knew he loved her unconditionally but she didn’t particularly enjoy his idea of love. Aida had already found out about how Westin abused her. She tried talking to her about it but Hattie wasn’t giving in.

She couldn't bear the thought of being alone again.

Hattie had always been alone all her life. Her dad was shot by the police when she was still 2 years old, and her mother died when she was 18. It felt like everyone she cared about always found a way of leaving her. Westin stayed and she didn’t want to let him go. He was going to change. She was going to make him change. Aida and Westin were the only people she had and she wasn't letting any of them go.

'But did she love him?' Hattie couldn’t bring herself to answer that question

Hattie signed as she got out of the car. Westin's house was big and spacious. A duplex that was simple, but screamed luxury. She liked the environment. It was quite peaceful. Especially when they weren’t arguing with each other.

Hattie rang the doorbell, waiting for Westin to open the door for her. She took the time to adjust her mini dress and her hair. She didn't want to open the door and go in by herself.

That way, he wouldn't have the time to check her out. Standing out and waiting for him will make him take a better look at her outfit and perhaps give her a complement. She rang the doorbell a second time and the door finally opened.

One look at him and Hattie lit up. "Hey darling" She waved with a smile

"Hey" He let out dryly. His green eyes held frustration like he didn’t want her here. All he did was open the door for her to get in. She was disappointed because he didn't even take time to look at her, talk more of complimenting her outfit. Westin had always been like that. He never paid attention to the little thing that mattered

"So when did you come back? I noticed you dropped my car off at my place. You should have called me”

"I didn’t want to disturb you at the hospital" he replied, not sparing her a glance.

"You don't look too happy to see me" Hattie couldn’t help but ask.

"No I am, I'm just tired, you know" He cupped her chin with his hands, drawing her in for a kiss

"Alright," Hattie smiled, "Anything for Lunch?

"Oh yeah, I prepared something"

"Oh goody, I'm starving" Hattie cheered with joy

"You did not eat anything?" He asked

"Too lazy to cook " Hattie noted

"And why are you not at work?" He asked again . Could he stop asking her too many question already?

"I closed early, I came back home and saw my car, my instincts told me you were back, so, I came over"

"Okay" His eyes moved over to her arm and they softened almost immediately with remorse visible in both of them" I'm sorry" He let out

Hattie walked away. The last thing she preferred to do was talk about that "Westin, we promised not to talk about it again"

"Yeah I know but I still feel sorry Hattie" He followed her into the kitchen with the same sorry look in his eyes.

"It's fine Westin as long as you promise not to do it again"

"I promise" He said softly. She wished he would be real this time. She hated going around in circles with him.

"If it happens again, I'm leaving and I mean it this time" she fired focusing back on the food she was dishing.

"Are you spending the night?" He asked inching closer to her as he wrapped his arms around her waist

"No" she replied too plainly although she knew that could potentially piss him off.

"Why?" She could already hear the tone of his voice changing.

"I'm going to work tomorrow and I moved my things out, remember?" Hattie had moved her things out when the incident happened. She had also promised herself never to come back. She decided not to care about being alone for the first time in her life, but when he came begging she just couldn’t not help it.

"Oh yeah"

"Have you heard of the murder that happened lately?" Westin asked as he watched her take a seat at the dining table. He then sat on a seat close to hers.

Hattie dropped her cutlery back on the plate, suddenly losing her appetite.

"Who died this time?" She was already tired of the killings and all. Mr. Patrick's death was still fresh in her head and now there was another?

"A certain girl's named" he narrowed his eyes, trying to remember her name "oh Zenni, forgotten her last name"

"Zenni? That name is rare but why does it sound like I have heard it from somewhere?" she asked with furrowed eyebrows, racking her brain on where and when she heard the name.

"You have?"

"I think so, but I can't remember where exactly. How did she die?" She pushed further even though the last thing she wanted to talk about was death.

"She was found hanging upside down at her house. They said she was also shot in the head" he explained.

'But why did the name sound so familiar?' Hattie thought to herself

****

One year later….:

It was one year after Mr. Patrick died and everyone forgot about it. Hattie decided to forget about the note. It was nothing other than a piece of writing scribbled down on an ordinary piece of paper. She decided to carry on with her life without telling a single soul.

Hattie had just finished with a patient when she stepped out to have lunch in a restaurant nearby. It was a new one just after the hospital, which Hattie thanked the heavens for. She liked the idea of it being very close to the hospital. That way, she could always come by anytime she liked.

She crossed the street over to the restaurant. "Stars restaurant" the signboard read. She walked in. It was not yet populated judging from the fact that it was still a new restaurant.

Hattie walked over to one of the wooden tables as she beckoned on one of the waitresses.

"Yes ma'am what would you like to have?" the young blonde girl handed her a menu book.

"Uhm" Hattie took her time to examine the book, looking for what to eat " I will have this one" she pointed out

"Okay," the waitress gave off a warm smile.

Hattie thought she looked too young to work in a restaurant. She was supposed to be in school. Hattie presumed

"How old are you?" Hattie asked out of curiosity, trying to keep a smile on her face to avoid making the girl feel uncomfortable.

"I'm 17"

"And How's school?"

"School is alright" she replied briefly.

"So I'm guessing this is a part-time job?" Hattie asked, already figuring it out

"Oh yes," she let out with a warm smile as she took the menu book from the table.

"You seem to love it" Hattie smiled at her

"I sure do"

"I didn’t get your name dear” Hattie asked

"I'm Fay"

"Hattie" she beamed. "You should go, I wouldn't want to get you in trouble," she smiled, giving Fay the cue to leave

Hattie brought out her phone as she waited for her food. She was still on her phone when she heard the chair at the other end being pulled, making a slight noise as it made friction with the ground. Someone sat on it.

Hattie looked up to oppose the intruder, but her mouth became sealed as she stared at the figure in front of her. It was him, the mysterious guy from the other time.

"Excuse me?" Hattie tried to draw the young man's attention who appeared to be looking out the window. He turned slowly and looked at her

"Hello, Hattie" he smiled at her while she remained stiff where she was.

"I remember you, umm" she snapped her hands trying to remember his name " Javier" she could never forget that name

"Well nice to see you again" He let out a warm smile

"You never came back for counseling"

"I realized that I didn’t need it after all"

"okay?" Hattie racked her brain for a way to start a conversation "so, where have you been?"

She asked and realized almost immediately how it was not her business to know where he had been. He was a grown man and just because he came for counseling didn't mean she could question him.

"I have been around, I never left"

Of course, he never left, he just didn't come to the hospital again. She felt quite embarrassed.

"Seems like you missed me a lot?" He smirked playfully with both his hands on the table as he leaned closer to it.

"No," she snapped. "it was just strange how you never came back"

"Well I’m glad you thought about me"

"No, I didn’t, I just... never mind"

She watched him smirk due to how flushed she got.

The waitress walked over to the table with Hattie's food. She carefully placed it on the table.

" Thanks," Hattie said

"May I have your order?" Fay turned to Javier with a warm smile. She sure really had a beautiful smile, Hattie concluded

"No, I'm fine," he assured her. Fay walked away with the tray she had used to bring Hattie's food, leaving the both of them alone.

"You don't want to have anything?" Hattie asked as she chewed on a mouthful of french fries.

"I'm not hungry”

"So why did you come to a restaurant then?"

"I came to see you" he let out whilst Hattie stared at him in puzzlement

"Why?"

"Simple…. I missed you," he let out randomly and Hattie almost choked on her food. She grabbed the bottled water and gulped it without even thinking of putting it in a glass cup.

"Are you okay?" Javier asked with concern

"Oh I am, you don't even know me so how can you miss me?" She let him know of the impossibility of that.

He shrugged "I just do... Is that a crime Miss Carter?"

Her heart skipped. How did he know her surname???

"Okaaaay?" She let out uncomfortably. He was doing it again. Making her extremely nervous

"I'm serious" There was a serious look on his face when he spoke. He wanted her to believe him

"Well bad news, I have a boyfriend" She let him know. Nothing changed. He still had the same countenance on his face like he didn’t care about what she had said.

"Okay," he said plainly. "Can I get your phone number?" He just confirmed what she said didn’t matter.

Hattie didn’t give it a thought as she called out her number. Something about him was different this time. He didn’t look at her the way he looked at her a year ago. He didn’t have that judging look he had before and she was glad.

"Well I have to go now. I will text you later Miss Carter" He stood up after she had called out her number and then gave her a reassuring smile before leaving.

Hattie let out a smile. She felt slightly thrilled about him and she liked that feeling. That warmth she felt with him was something she hadn't felt in a long time. Thinking of it made her stomach flip, but he still was creepy. That was the only problem she had with him.

When she was done eating, she took her bag and left for the hospital. It was already 3:29 pm, so, she knew she would be packing up soon to go home. She had one final appointment with Mrs. Britney; her patient who suffered from depression after her son died. She was getting much better now.

When Mrs Britney was first referred to Hattie by her sister, she was suicidal but now she was much better. This was part of the reason Hattie loved her job. She loved the fact that she could give people a reason to live.

At about 4:00pm, Mrs Britney canceled her appointment, which meant Hattie could leave. She grabbed her bag and was about to put on her heels when she stopped. She put the heels aside, opened her drawers and grabbed a pair of slippers instead. Heels was not her thing and she couldn't keep pleasing Westin

She drove home as "save me" by Williams played in her car. She moved her head to the beat of the song. It was one of her favorite songs.

On getting home, Hattie couldn't count how many times she checked her phone for a call or text from Javier. She was disappointed countless times when she didn't recieve any of those.

*******

11:23 pm

Hattie tilted to the side getting up from

her bed to use the toilet. She checked the time on her phone. It was exactly 11:23 pm. As she was about to drop the phone back, a message popped up on her telegram. She was too tired to open it but out of curiosity, she tapped on it and her heart dropped

An unknown number had sent pictures of Westin and another girl, naked and cuddling each other.

How could he do that to her?. Her heart began to ache. She didn't feel jealous, instead, she felt angry. She was angry because she believed that he actually loved her. How could she have been so stupid? She couldn't even cry. She was too angry to cry

Another set of pictures popped up. A dagger, a gun, a hammer, and a razor

Then another message came up

"What weapon do you want me to kill him with?" the message read......