Ansley (A stalking Love)

Chapter-4

I was trying to calm myself.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

It's nothing. It's nothing. It's nothing. I chanted.

But the number flashing on the screen of my phone was daunting me to  pick it up.

Each ring was setting my heart on a sprint.

I bit my lip as I picked the call, placing the phone on my ear.

I tried to speak, but my words swallowed by my fear. I remained frozen on the line.

"Ansley?" A voice said.

I frowned as I heard the familiarity of the tone.

"It's me Derek."

"Derek, " My dread finally relented, and I spoke. "That's your number?"

"I'm sorry. You weren't responding to my calls neither my text. So I used my other number." A sheepish note in his voice was ostensible.

I breathed in relief. "What you wanna talk?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't stand you up. I didn't mean to. Actually, I didn't. It just...it just something happened. And I couldn't make it. I-I hope you understand...please?" He  rambled nervously.

"What was it that you couldn't even call for not making it up?" I asked, irked.

"I know, it's hard to believe. I was...I was burgled that evening." He confessed.

My brow creased up at his unexpected reason for not showing up. "What?"

"Yeah, some guys broke in my house, knocked me down by an iron bar and robbed me." He said with a heavy sigh.

"I'm so sorry, Derek. Are you okay now?" I felt bad now for not letting him explain his side earlier.

"Yeah, I'm alright now. I heard about Janice...how're you holding up?" He asked in a concern.

"It's hard, but somehow I'm holding up fine." My voice turned brittle at the mention of Janice.

"Everything is gonna be alright."

"I hope so."

I heard him letting in a long breath as if preparing for something difficile. "I know it ain't a right time. And you must be a lot in stress. But still... would like to go on coffee this weekend? It'll be a good mood changer for us." I could feel his anxiousness in his voice. "Just coffee." He added.

I smiled at his timorous manner.

I hadn't had any mood to hang out, but it was true that it would be a mood altering option for me. I could relax for a while by indulging in some social interaction.

"Sure," I mumbled without thinking it further.

I could hear him releasing the breath he was holding up until now. "Saturday at six?"

"Yeah, cool."

"Okay, see ya then."

"Yeah," And with this the call was hung up.

It would be good if I started seeing someone. I needed some diversion from the events happening. I hated this gloomy my life had turned out to be.

I wish it to get better.

My phone vibrated in my hand. I looked at the screen in the dark. It was a text.

(Wrong choice.)

My heart skipping a beat at the text that I was kept on reading again and again.

It was an anonymous number.

Could it be him...? It could be. It had no ID.

What did he mean by wrong choice? Could he be talking about I meeting up with Derek...But how?

Please don't let it be true... Please...

I wrapped my hands around me as I felt the shudders educed in my body. And again, I was made aware of my dark surrounding.

Dim light of moon was filtering through the window was coming to me while I remained glued to my spot. I couldn't dare to even move a muscle from the fright that had washed over me.

I was feeling a burning at my back like a feeling of being watched.

No, it wasn't this. I was just being paranoid due to that text. The door was securely locked. I hadn't heard any noise of it opening. It was nothing. I hoped so.

I wanted to curl under my blanket and wait for someone to save me. But no one could. I was alone, only exception here was a probably unwanted company I didn't want.

My beating heart rushed the adrenaline through my veins as I sat unmoving on the couch.

Abruptly, the lights went on, and my frozen muscles flexed in relief. 

I looked around the couch, making sure my presence here was alone. I didn't see anything odd, not a single thing seemed to be different.

I looked down on my lap. My nuked meal was kept untouched. And I didn't seem to be hungry now. Even the food was making my stomach lurched. So I put it over the coffee table and slowly stood up from the couch.

I wanted to call it a night now. The fear had exhausted me off my energy. Plus, I would like to get locked in my room and stay there till I couldn't see the sunshine.

I let the lights on. I didn't want to turn any lights off in my apartment today. It was a little I could do the confide in away from my fears.

On my way to bedroom, I trotted to the hall, checking thrice for the front door to be locked and did it same with all the windows in my apartment.

After checking kitchen at last, I assured myself for the last time, and finally I readied myself to retire for tonight.

I stepped inside my room, walking straight to the bed, but I stopped few feet away at spotting something that drew all color from my face.

An envelope adorned with a long stem rose was kept on my bed.

I stared at it until the things started to register to my mind.

Someone was in my room!

I could feel every cell in my body turning cold, and my palms sweaty.

My hands trembled as I frighteningly reached for the envelope. I opened it  and slipped out to the note from inside it.

A profound apprehension clawing my insides as my eyes read the first line. 

"This utmost disappointment was aggravating me and the reason seemed to be you. You're not as innocent as you seemed when asleep, you vixen. Stop this, before the things has gone so far that you can't reach them."

-------------------------------------------------
I hope you like it. So please let me know your views. And please watch the trailer I've made for Ansley. It's on YouTube.

Please, vote, comment, and share.