Loving the Stalker Under my Bed

Chapter 5 – Run

Chapter 5 – Run

* * *

I slipped through the racks inside the grocery store.

We might be going home to the same apartment complex, but there is no way that he will think of leaving at the same time as I do if he is not following my trail.

I just need to make sure that John is not the kind of man that I think of.

The peace that I acquired will come crashing down should I prove that he is truly my stalker. I don’t want to leave that place and start all over again.

Just thinking about the hassle makes me want to cry.

However, staying in the same place as him is the same as telling the man to continue the pursuit that he has in mind.

“Ouch! Look where you are going!”

“S-sorry…”

Dang it. Just when I was trying to start my test. It was half my fault for not looking the way, but the woman who bumped into me is also the same. She was fiddling with her phone as she walked through the aisle that I was in.

And her hysterical remarks obviously attracted John’s attention. The convex mirrors clearly showed how he reacted to the woman’s voice, taking his attention to my current location.

The creeps made me let go of the cart that I was holding.

“…Sorry. I have to go now.”

I can still survive this weekend with the supplies that I have at home. It was not clearly proven yet, but my instinct was telling me to get away from John as fast as possible.

This might have been the effect of last night’s fiasco, but all I wanted now was to satisfy the call for safety that my body and mind are asking to have.

Clearing my suspicions is the easiest thing to do after I appease the throbbing of my heart.

I could still hear the woman shouting like a lunatic as I exited the store. Her shrieks caught the attention of most of the shoppers and I couldn’t be more thankful for that.

Once I slipped through the crowd, all I had to do was to enter another establishment and check whether John is still following me or not.

Praying for the latter is all that I could hope for.

This should be nothing but a product of my imagination. Cutting off my nose to spite my own face would be a laughable thought of mine afterward.

However, all those hopes came crashing down when I saw John walking down the street while diligently looking at his surroundings.

“Dang it!...”

I let out a silent curse as I hid my face on the menu. I was sitting in a café while John was walking in front of the shop. Just a little peak inside the establishment and he would be able to see me.

“… There is no way that this is true. I’m sure that this is just a pure coincidence.”

My mind is trying to analyze and defend the man while thinking about the loss that I’m about to encounter. John will get nothing for being my stalker.

I’ve been staying in their apartment complex for two years now, and not even once did he act suspiciously.

This is nothing but a product of my imagination.

There is no - …

My broken world was rebuilt in an instant after I saw another familiar face. I swear that I almost ran off to the street to make my apologies to John.

After all, Lucy, my landlady, appeared right before my eyes to meet John. He smiled brightly at his mother and took the bags from her hands.

I suddenly feel stupid for thinking the worst of an innocent man.

John has no reason to follow me around. He is just being nice back at the apartment. Giving him those kinds of thoughts is a sin in itself. I’ll be sure to treat him kindly next time.

This is totally embarrassing. The only thing that I can be thankful for is that I did not confront John out of the blue. There is nothing more demeaning than that.

I went out of the café after Lucy and John left the place. I might not be able to contain my laughter when I talk to them, face to face, and explaining myself is harder than running away from them.

My plan for the day resumed and I was able to do everything on my list.

And as my little adventure ended, only bright thoughts filled my mind and nothing else.

* * *

“Here is your rent receipt. I’ll send the other bill once I have it.”

“Yes, thank you. Just please slip the bill through my door if I’m not at home.”

Lucy is not that kind, but she never showed any kind of negative attitude towards me. She just maintains this civil look that shows no kind of excessive emotion.

I loved this aspect of Lucy, since I wasn't obligated to be friendly with her. We can just stay as a simple lessor and lessee without any kind of complicated relationship.

“Will do. Anyway, looks like you went shopping as well. I just came back from the store, but I did not see you.”

Because I was hiding from your son. I almost giggled on the spot when I thought of the real reason why we did not see each other.

Well, it would have been funnier if I had spilled the beans, but Lucy might have kicked me out of this place when she learned that I’m accusing her son.

“Well, the store is big so we might miss a lot of chances to meet between the aisles. So, I’ll wait for the bill, thanks again for this month.”

Lucy chuckled a little, showing her cute dimples to me.

Our conversation is going smoothly, but my body is asking for my bed as I felt the exhaustion of my little adventure. Relief surely is a thing that could make someone’s knees go weak.

“That’s true. It was a pure coincidence as well that I met my son out of nowhere. We did not even make a plan.”

Thump. Thump. Thump.

I lost all the smiles on my face when I heard those words. My heart started beating erratically as I tried to process the meaning of Lucy’s statement.

No plan. Coincidental meeting.

“Haha. Yeah, right. So, John went as well?”

“Yes. I did not even realize that he had left the house. Anyway, meeting him halfway is a great help.”

“I see. Thank you, Lucy. I have to get going now. See you later.”

“See you. Thank you as well.”

Not once did I look back. My legs and feet are fast, and I only have one destination in mind. It was not truly confirmed but there is a possibility that John is my stalker.

And there is no way that I can sit still after learning that thing.