Chapter 3: Who is the Stalker?

After her performance, Hillary darted down the stage, she was expecting to see the guy she spotted who was staring at her intently while she was singing earlier.

"It's weird", she mumbled.

She kept peering in the crowd. She can't find the guy any longer. The guy covered his face with mask that conveyed his pair of fiercing eyes only. He was wearing black bonnet, black jacket and black pants. All black! She felt anxious after the guy vanished.

She was subtle now. She felt a great fear in her heart. She can't spell out why this guy troubled her so much.

"Hillary, are you okay?" interrogated Marcus with concern. He had been so tender to her all throughout their friendship. She peeked at Marina. With terror written all over Hillary's face, she confessed,

" I saw someone looking at me while I'm on stage" she said. Marcus and Marina looked at her with uncertainty.

"What are you saying? We were all looking at you." declared Marina.

Obviously Marina didn't catch up what she was trying to imply. She didn't vocalized anything again. She averted her gaze to them and diverted her attention to the people swaying to the rhythm of the loud music.

She didn't want to scare her friends. She hold her breath and put her palm in her heart, she overheard her heartbeat , it beats so fast. She's terrified of this bizzare feeling. She felt something is not right. Never in her life someone creeped on her. Not like this.

All people who liked her, courted her decently. She never had any enemy from the past nor think bad about other people.

"Who is he?"

"Who can he possibly be?"

"Is he the one I am waiting all my life?" she thought.

She conversed with the two after her performance. Not long after she received the money from the organizer of the event.

"Til next event, pretty " he beamed.

" Sure thing, I am just one message away", she retorted loudly to cover the uneasiness she felt.

While plodding to her car, she thanked Marcus and Marina. Marcus desired to voice out something and hugged her but he retreated.

"Not the right time" he uttered to his thought.

They all got inside the car.

"I'll send you first, Marcus" she said while starting the engine. Marcus compelled to drive for them.

"I ought you to calm yourself, stay focus and we're here for you, never forgot that" comforted Marcus.

Marina felt a bang of pain in her heart but she never revealed it to them. She smiled instead. Besides Hillary and Marcus are both Marina's friends. She cherished them unconditionally. If one day they are destined to be together. She will support them all the way.

"Will you be all right?" he asked

"Hmmmm", she just voiced out.

" Of course, she's with me." Marina said.

"You want me to accompany you tonight?" Marina inquired her with pitiful eyes.

"Can you do that?" she glanced at her pleading. She sensed some part of her heart was jovial thinking her bestfriends were always prim to offer her shoulders if necessary.

"That's fine. Small thing, I'm alone at home anyway and what are friends for."

Marina added.

She gazed at Marcus and slightly smiled.

"Thank you Marina and Marcus".

They both nodded in unison.

They arrived in front of Marcus residence, he paused and got out after a little while.

"See you two tomorrow", he bid goodbye to them.

"See you Marcus", the two girls both said.

They drove back going to Hillary's mansion.

As Marcus saw the car was out of his sight,

" Her eyes never lie, she's in great fear. Something was strange." he thought.

"I'm sorry Hillary. I wanted to be there for you and comfort you but it's not the right time yet." Marcus added.

He strolled going to the front door of his house.

On the other side, the two just reached at Hillary's place. It was past eleven in the evening. Hillary knocked the door because she failed to bring her house key.

After few knocks, her nanny opened the door.

"Did I wake you up, Georgia? I'm sorry I forgot my house key". she apologetically explained.

"No worries darling. I really waited for you." she said.

"Is mom and dad home?",she inquired

"No, they weren't. "Georgia replied.

"I see. Anyway Marina will sleep in my room tonight." she let her nanny know. Georgia nodded.

This is the third time she saw Hillary's friend. Marina offered her sweetest smile to the latter. Georgia smiled back. She seemed to be a nice girl and a shy type, she thought.

"Oh before I forgot they phoned an hour before you two came. They want me to apprised you that they will not go home tonight. They have urgent things to do in the company.

"Oh, okay" she responded shortly.

"Goodnight Georgia and I appreciate you waited for me." she said as she kissed her cheeks.

"Goodnight to the two of you". Georgia replied.

They headed upstairs to her room. She unlatched her room door. The moment Marina caught sight of her room. She was in awe.

"Very organized and so neat, wow just wow did you do all of this? she queried. Hillary nodded.

And Marina noticed the photo of her hanging in the wall. In the photo, she was dressed in a purple outfit with a matching cute clip.

"Look at this photo, is this you when you're young?" Marina inquired again.

"Yeah" Hillary declared while grinning.

"So cute," she mumbled.

After a moment of silence.

"Anyway Marina, we are of same body built just pick clothes in the closet and I have underwears too in the drawers that I haven't used yet.," she stated. Marina nodded.

After they changed into sleeping wears they both laid down to her huge bed. Hillary was exhausted.

Hillary's phone rang. It was Marcus. She answered it.

"Hello Marcus," she preeked at Marina and they both smiled.

"Are you guys home and safe?" he queried.

" Obviously we are because we answered your call, men" Marina shouted. She overheard the conversation because the phone was on a speaker mode. Hillary burst out laughing. They both laughed.

"How about you, why you're still up?" Hillary asked.

"Just checking on you" he confessed honestly.

Marina coughed fakely. Hillary eyed her friend meaningfully.

Marcus holds a special place in her heart. Apart from being stunning he is kindhearted too. While in deep thought, Marcus blurted out with concern,

"Good that you are all safe, you are feeling better now?

"Yes, thanks to both of you and Marina's beside me so no worries. I'll be fine."she replied back.

"Goodnight then". he said.

"Goodnight, Marcus" they both said.

"I love you Marcus" Marina shouted to her lungs but Marcus didn't hear it because the line was cut.

Hillary sighed and she looked at her friend,

"You loved him, don't you?" she interrogated Marina.

"Of course I do, he is benevolent and strikingly handsome. But he loves you. " Marina murmured dolefully.

"Geez, he loves the two of us." she explained. They both laughed in unison.

They muttered few prayers together.

"Goodnight. I'm here. I love you" Marina said.

"Thanks, goodnight too. I love you to the moon and back." She kissed her cheeks.

It was a quiet night. They both laid down and gazing at the ceiling until she perceived Marina already fall into sleep.

"How I wish, I have a sister like you." Tears rolled down her cheeks. Her parents were both engaged in their business. They barely have a glimpse of each other during weekdays.

She touched her heart and feel her heartbeat. She yearned to feel genuine happiness. She then closed her eyes too.