7. Ana
7
ANA
M y morning was pretty uneventful. I woke up to an empty house, which was typical. Julia probably slept over at her boyfriend Mason’s house. After my morning routine, I attempted to study.
One hour in, I felt a tingling sensation caressing the side of my face and arms. Was I being watched? And if I was, why did I not hate it? Why wasn't I scared? I thought back to yesterday. Was I actually being followed or was my brain just making stuff up because of how lonely I was? My nipples hardened as I felt the gaze trail down to my boobs. No, someone was definitely watching me . I sat at my desk, completely distracted from my notes and papers. Out of the corner of my eye, I cautiously glanced towards the window, and my heart rate quickened. There, standing amidst the trees, I caught a glimpse of a tall figure cloaked in the shadows of the midday sun. All I could make out was that he wore an all-black suit. My mouth went dry, and I squirmed in my chair. Was he really there? Or was the man watching me through my window a figment of my imagination? I was about to turn my head towards the window to get a better look, but the chime of my doorbell stopped me.
My head snapped toward my bedroom door. Was it him? I walked out of my room and carefully down the stairs, my heart pounding the with every step. With fear? Or anticipation? I couldn't tell. Maybe it was both. I stopped at the front door and pushed onto my toes to look through the peephole. A disappointed sigh escaped my lips when I saw it was Nathan. Disappointed ? I had no reason to feel that way. Did I really expect a man who was probably a figment of my imagination to ring my doorbell? And if he was real, what would I have done? Let a stranger walk into my house while I was home alone? You are losing it, Ana. I huffed out a breath and put a smile on my face as I swung the door open. Nathan greeted me with an equally bright smile.
“Hi Nathan,”
“Ana, I've told you a million times to call me Nate,” He said with a frown that wasn’t serious .
My cheeks reddened. It wasn’t a blush; it was more out of discomfort than anything close to blushing. “Sorry, Nate. What brings you here?” I asked politely.
He frowned. “I told you I was going to check on you. Did you forget?”
Oh crap. Right. “ Um no, I didn’t forget, I just didn’t think you’d stop by so early,”
He smiled. “Are you gonna invite me in?” He asked with one raised brow.
“Oh right, please come in,” I said as I held the door open.
Nathan was good looking. He was statuesque, his lean frame making him seem taller than he really was. Sporting jeans and a sweatshirt, he always had a deliberately messy look to his reddish-brown hair, which surprisingly suited him quite well. The same hue of hair peppered his angular jawline. His amber, nearly yellow eyes drifted down my body and I was shocked by how much it did nothing for me. Actually, it creeped me out. It felt like I was a piece of meat being eyed up by an animal. Right, you don’t like Nathan looking at you, but you like when your imaginary stalker watches you. I shook my head as I shut the door and locked it. Nathan walked straight into the living room and made himself right at home. I walked in and sat as far away on the couch from him as possible. We made small talk for a couple of minutes and then he suggested we watch a movie. I agreed and put on a movie about an assassin avenging his wife.
Everything seemed to be going well until Nathan tried to kiss me. I could have sworn I made it clear I wasn’t interested in him. I got up and walked into the bathroom down the hall. Shutting the door, I leaned my back against it. The coolness of the wood seeped into my fury-heated skin. As a 22-year-old virgin, I had little to no experience of the sexual nature, but I at least knew when I wasn't attracted to or wanted to be kissed by someone and I did not want Nathan Hawke. After a few deep breaths, I opened the door and walked back into the living room. Nathan was watching the movie like nothing happened. I almost questioned if it even happened. Maybe I misread his actions? Ana, he slobbered all over your neck before lifting his head and brushing his wet lips against yours. What about that could be misread? I grabbed the remote and paused the movie.
“Nate, thanks for stopping by, but I gotta get back to studying,” I said as nicely as I could. I didn’t want to be rude. He had stopped by to check on me after all, even though I now suspected it was only an excuse to come over and make a move on me.
His eerie eyes locked onto mine, their intensity making me feel as if he was keeping a beast at bay. After a few heartbeats, he swiftly stood and flashed a sardonic smile that it sent a shiver down my spine .
“Of course. I had fun. If you need me, call me.” he said before walking towards the front door. Opening it, he stepped out into the world beyond. I stood frozen for a moment and then ran to the door and turned every lock on it. I even pulled down the small peephole cover.
I went back to my room and attempted to study, but I couldn't freaking focus. I got up and threw on a pair of jeans and my favorite red sweater. Running my fingers through my hair, I decided to leave it down so I could hide behind it when needed. I tossed a novel into my bag and left the house, locking the door behind me.
The walk helped me clear my head and by the time I reached the cafe, I wasn't as anxious anymore. I walked up to the counter just as the sky suddenly gave way and heavy rain began to fall. Great. Now I was stuck here. The weather in Red Falls was indecisive that way. Sunny one minute, the next it was raining like the earth was trying to create a flood to wipe out all humans. The bell above the door jingled as the door opened, followed by a slew of peculiar curses. I only caught a few but Shit-skittle? Tater-tits? As someone who tried not to curse because Gran had hated cursing, the person’s choice of curses made me giggle.
I looked up at the menu even though I already knew what I wanted. I told the cashier my order and refrained from rolling my eyes. This guy wasn’t even looking at me, eyes still locked on them he asked my boobs.
“Would you like some whipped cream with that?” I rolled my eyes and said yes because he wouldn't notice if I nodded. Once I was done, I stepped to the side to wait. A tall, very handsome man walked up to the counter and ordered a black coffee. So that was the man with the silly curse words. He was dripping wet but somehow, he still managed to look hot, his wet hair looked almost brown, but I could tell it was probably blonde when dry. He wore a gray cashmere sweater that was now nearly black and sticking to him. Clearly, he was built very nicely under the sweater. He placed his order and joined me, waiting for his order.
“Hi, I’m sorry for all the cursing,” He said with a big grin, showing he was not sorry at all.
“Hi, it’s okay. I enjoyed it actually.” I told him, smiling back.
He looked at me, amusement written all over his face.
“I’m Reece,” He said, offering his hand.
I smiled. “Ana”. I replied, shaking his offered hand.
He opened his mouth to say something else, but then his phone rang.
“Excuse me Ana,” He said politely and walked right back out into the rain to answer the call. What an odd man.
I got my coffee and walked to a booth at the back. Sliding in, I pulled out my book. I had to wait out the rain. I thanked myself for my habit of always carrying a book in my bag, this book was a psychological thriller, and I got sucked into the story nearly instantly. The bell jingled again, but I barely registered it.
By the time I looked up, about two hours had gone by, my coffee was finished, and the rain had stopped. I stuffed my book away and looked up to see that Reece was still there. A laptop open in front of him, his fingers were gliding across the keyboard at nearly inhuman speed. He suddenly looked up and smiled. I smiled back as I approached.
“I’m heading home. See you around?” I said, not really sure if I’d ever see him again.
“You know, you just might,” He said and then winked.
I grinned. Cocky much ? I walked out of the cafe feeling lighter. And you know what? I kinda hoped I did see Reece again. He seemed fun. As I passed a small flower shop, I heard footsteps behind me and instantly the brief reprieve of calmness I felt earlier drained from my body, panic taking its place. I abruptly turned and walked into the flower shop. I could just be paranoid, but I’d rather be safe than sorry.
I stood by the window, waiting for the person who had been behind me to walk past. No one did. After a few minutes of staring out the window, a sense of unease began to wash over me, and I noticed the shop owner giving me odd looks. To alleviate the tension, I decided to buy a small bouquet of vibrant red roses.
I walked out of the shop. The vibrant scent of the roses filled the air, lifting my spirits and dispelling any lingering paranoia. I got home with no incident and quickly searched around for a vase for my flowers.