Shadow

Chapter 15: Ready?

My phone rang for the nth time in the day. And it displayed Gabriel’s caller ID.
He have been calling me continually from the day I ran out of his cabin. Or one can say the day we shared our sensual kiss.
Since the day, he have been following me like a tail. And is also the vary reason of my headache.
He is like a ghost. Wherever I run my eyes to, I find him.
I exit my home to get to my work, I see him. I exit my work to get home, he is standing resting his back on his car. I go to shopping and even there I find this shameless man.
And every other time we meet, he just have one demand. And that is, to spend some time with him.
And that can be in any form, either he suggests to drop me to the place I am heading to, or he asks for a coffee date, or help me with the shopping bags.
But yes, I do understand him. He wants to spend as much as possible time with me. After all we are about to cross a lifetime together. So, it’s understandable.
But the root problem here is not Gabriel’s leach like behaviour but me.
Me and my stuck in past brain. I am not able to move out of the space that was created by that man. A man without name or face.
At nights, even today I wait for him. Thinking that he might be still camouflaging himself with the darkness. And might pop out any moment.
I still feel his presence. As if he is still keeping his eyes on me.
But, more than that, I feel guilty around Gabriel. I feel sorry for him.
He might harbour pure feelings for me, but I am here being the one who is playing games.
And above all I imagined my shadower while kissing Gabriel.
These all thoughts are making me sick and hence I have been avoiding him.
I have decided to inform Serena and Theo about my marriage.
Finally I am ready to discuss things with them. Tell them how I have fallen for my own stalker. And how I got him seized and now is demanding him to be free. And how I am marrying the man who is the reason of our separation.
Overall, I am ready to tell them about my messy, fucked up life.
I again took the straw of my iced latte in my mouth, while checking the time. They are still not here.
Am I afraid?
Definitely no. A big no. I know they will scold me but at the end of the day, they are going to support me.
But am I nervous?
Yes. A fat yes. Because I will be verbally describing my ongoing life to someone other than Gabriel. The two souls who cares for me the most. Without them knowing I took decisions on my own.
Will it hurt them?
Yes it will.

‘So, you don’t have to tell them everything.’

A voice within me, whispered in me ears. But no. I am not going to listen to it anymore. I need to tell them.
Just as my mind was slipping in more in swamp of thoughts, Serena tapped my shoulder from behind.
Looking back at her, my mood lightened up. Contradictory to her life, her nature is that of radiant sunshine. I guess this is why Gavin is sulking a little less.
Will I ever share the same bond with Gabriel?

“Hey Syd!”

Serena engulfed me in her warm arms. She is actually Serene.

“Hi Choco pie!”

I hugged her back.

“You girls started without me?”

We heard Theo’s voice from rear, and turning back we looked at him with questioning gaze.
Running towards us, his big stature covered us both. I felt as if his weight might crush us both.
But at the same time, their warmth, their earthy fragrance, their mere presence, felt like home. Finally, at last, I reached my destination.
We settled ourselves on the seats, and our endless chatter took a kick start.
Serena kept on blabbering how her love as well as sex life is sky rocketing, touching a new peak every other day.
Theodore made faces listening to the details, as if would puke. But anyways it was not the first time she did so.
After Serena, it was Theo’s turn to give us the updates. He told us that he was planning on proposing Winter. I am glad for him. At last, he finally got what he deserves the most. His love.
And after he was finished, the pair of heads on the table turned to me. Indicating me to take the lead and tell them why I collected the bunch off day.
But now looking at them face to face, I lost all the stored courage I had within me.

“Sydney, your turn.”

Taking sip of my iced latte, I tried to act all innocent.

“My turn?”

I know. I can see. With every time pass I was doing, Theo was turning restless and irritation surfaced up on his face.

“Don’t tell me you called us here for no reason. That too after quoting “An important hanging discussion” when I refused to meet today.”

I gulped down. I have no way out. Theodore will fish things out of me by getting his hand in after penetrating my skull if needed.

“Okay! Guys, I am getting married.”

They froze where they were, in middle of whatever shit they were at.

“What?”

Serena screamed loudly, penetrating my ear drums. I cant even imagine the amount of vocal show she represents everyday to Gavin’s move.
It was not long ago when Serena told us about her relationship with Gavin. But that was completely different from what she did.
She simply announced her love relationship. What I am doing might change my life forever. That to, when I don’t know a thing about Gabriel.

“Yeah actually the thing is, I was being followed.”

“What?”

Serena screamed for the second time during the stretch.

“Yes but now everything is under control. He have been caught.”

“And you are telling us now?”

Theodore was boiling with anger. If I wont calm him down, in no second, lava would be flowing out of his eyes.

“Why? Keep it to yourself even now.”

He barked again.

“No Theo. Try to understand.”

I turned to Serena.

“You already have more than required thing on your plate. Archie is another headache hovering over your shoulder. Possibly, how I could have told you?”

Serena opened her mouth trying to reason out. But before she could, I turned to Theodore.

“And you. Winter returned after so many years and you both had things to solve and sort. And in between all that, I should have concreted and budged in between. Right?”

They both turned silent. I am youngest in the group. And I hate to scold them. But they didn’t left me with any option.

“So what’s the relation with you getting married?”

Serena got back to the track. Much before Theodore did.

“Actually the thing is..”

I narrated them everything I came across during this short period of time.
I deliberately left the part where I and my shadower had some hot time together. I also skipped the part where Gabriel kissed me and I moaned his name while picturizing my shadower.

They will think me a pure masochist if I accept that I have fallen for my faceless stalker and almost let him go, so that he can come back to me.
After listening to my narration, Theo finally opened his stitched lips.

“As far as I know, Gabriel is a good man.”

“There are millions of good boys in pond. You cant just end up marrying every other man?”

Serena opposed Theodore in a breath.

“Yeah but she is not involved with any other being. He has fame, money and a good manner.”

“But Theo. Marriage without love. Can you imagine that thing?”

Her words hit me like an arrow.

‘Ouch, you are right Serena.’

They were debating each other about my condition. To be accurate,  they were having cat and dog fight. I sighed.

“Guys. I am marrying him. End of discussion.”

I announced. Hoping them to end whatever this untidy thing they were having.

“Ask him to come here.”

I looked at Serena. I know what she was trying to do.
She will call him here, she will read his psychology, try to find one concrete mistake in him and bingo!
Will manipulate us.
But do I have any other option?
No, I don’t.

Picking up my cell phone, I gave answer to numerous missed calls from Gabriel’s end.
And even before one ring can go through, he received my call with a lightening speed.
As if was waiting for it.

“Hey sweetness! Missed me?”


Hey my lovely readers,
I wish you all to be fine and healthy.
I hope you all liked the update. Please do let me know in the comment section.

Thank you,
Your author,,
~Galen_Yana...♡