Murder House (Part One)

Love?

Fear.

It tasted like a soda.

Giving you that bubbly feeling in your stomach but a nasty aftertaste.

Like a laxative, it does something to your bowels affecting your bladder...

Giving you a heart attack at the same time.

That was exactly how I felt when I laid my eyes on the person sitting on the couch watching TV with my Aunt eating popcorn.

"Wha...what are you doing here?"

"Hey! That is no way to talk to a person who has been waiting for you all day." my aunt snapped back as she stretched. "Not to mention the fact that he made lunch and dinner for us."

I was still trying to process what was happening when he stood up and hugged me. I push him away.

"What is the matter?" he said with a 'nice' grin eerily similar to the one he gave that night. "Aren't you happy to see me?"

I bow my head to hide my discomfort while the door magically slammed shut. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh I came to visit you, he said nonchalantly.

'Click'.

I look behind me and see his hand on the handle and goosebumps appeared on my skin. "What?"

"I must say, you know how to pick them." my aunt said standing up. "Like to eat more popcorn, honey?"

Jake shook his head in response. "No thank you I am good. Maybe Emma would like some won't you?"

I shake my head and head to the kitchen. There, I grab a cup, fill it up with water, and splashed it on my face hoping to wake up from this but hearing his voice in the living room cleared all denial. This was reality. Looking at the kitchen table, I see a plate of food waiting for me and it looked homemade.

But I wasn't hungry.

My stomach was full.

Of fear.

My Aunt walked in munching popcorn. "I have to say, you do know how to pick 'em. Good looking, proper manners, does stuff without complaining, loves to clean, a good cook, wealthy...Man! He has all the qualities of a good man. He even bought me a pack of my favorite beer and it's not the cheap kind...."

I took out my phone intending to call the police because this was driving me insane but the minute I turn it on, I see colors.

"What the..." I look around the kitchen and everywhere was clean. Sparkling clean. Mind you, I am not a dirty person but the way he did it was...you know...overdone and it gave me goosebumps.

"...you should thank him for doing your job. As far as I am concerned, you never cook like this." she walked passed me.

I turn to her. "You don't know who he is."

She turned on the tap in response.

"He is my stalker."

She turns to look at me for a split second and burst out laughing. "A stalker. Yeah right."

Just then, Jake walked in holding a bag. "Is something wrong?"

"She...she said... you...you are... her...her...stalker!" she said in between fits of laughs.

He covered his mouth and sniggered. "Re...really?"

Then he laughed along with her who held on to the kitchen table for support while wiping the tears from her eyes. "Well stalker or not, as long as he is doing all the housework and buying groceries for us, I am okay with that."