Stalker X Stalker // Jhocey

Chapter 4

Stacey's birthday was just around the corner, and her friends were excited to celebrate. Despite the tension with Jhoanna, they were determined to make Stacey's special day memorable. They planned a small gathering at Maloi's house, complete with decorations, games, and a beautiful cake.

Jhoanna, still obsessing over Stacey, had decided to take things a step further. She concocted a plan that she hoped would give her unfettered access to Stacey's life. She secretly installed tiny cameras inside a cute plushie, one that she knew Colet would give to Stacey as a birthday gift.

"Col, may plushie ako dito. Cute 'to, bagay kay Staku. Pwede mo bang isama sa gift mo?" Jhoanna had asked, her tone sweet but her intentions sinister.

Colet, unsuspecting, agreed. "Sure, Jho. Thanks! Alam ko magugustuhan 'to ni Stacey."

On the day of Stacey's birthday, everyone gathered at Maloi's house. The place was decorated with balloons, streamers, and a big banner that read "Happy Birthday, Stacey!" Laughter and chatter filled the air as they celebrated. Jhoanna and her group were also invited, and they did their best to blend in.

Stacey arrived, greeted with cheers and hugs from her friends. She was touched by the effort they had put into making her day special. "Wow, guys! Thank you so much!" she exclaimed, genuinely happy.

As the party went on, Colet handed Stacey the plushie. "Happy birthday, Stacey! Sana magustuhan mo."

"Thank you, Colet! Ang cute nito!" Stacey hugged the plushie tightly, completely unaware of the hidden cameras inside.

The night continued with fun games, lots of photos, and a delicious dinner. Stacey felt surrounded by love and joy, forgetting the unease of the past few weeks. Jhoanna, on the other hand, watched closely, her mind already on her plan to check the cameras later.

As the party wound down, Stacey thanked everyone again for making her birthday so special. "Sobrang saya ko today, guys. Thank you talaga."

After everyone had left and Stacey was back home, she placed the plushie on top of her drawer, where it had a clear view of her room. Exhausted, she went to bed, blissfully unaware of the surveillance device hidden in her new gift.

Jhoanna, back at her place, could barely contain her excitement. She quickly turned on her laptop and accessed the camera feed. The small screen lit up, showing a live feed from Stacey's room. She saw Stacey setting the plushie on her drawer and then getting ready for bed. Jhoanna's heart raced with a mix of excitement and anxiety.

"Finally," she whispered to herself. "Now, I can see everything."

As days turned into weeks, Jhoanna became more and more obsessed with the live feed. She watched Stacey's every move—how she woke up, got ready, studied, and even when she just relaxed in her room. It was like she had a front-row seat to Stacey's life, and it thrilled her.

However, Stacey's friends began to notice something was off. Stacey would occasionally mention feeling like she was being watched, a lingering unease that she couldn't shake off. Aiah, always the observant one, started to piece things together.

"Guys, parang iba na naman si Staku. Dati we thought it was just Jhoanna being around, pero ngayon, kahit wala siya, Stacey still feels weird," Aiah mentioned one afternoon while they were hanging out.

"Oo nga," Maloi agreed. "What if there's something else going on? Baka may ginawa si Jhoanna?"

Sheena nodded. "We need to be more vigilant. Let’s check her place for anything suspicious."

One evening, while Stacey was out, Maloi, Sheena, and Aiah decided to do a thorough check of her room. They looked around, trying to find anything unusual. Maloi's eyes landed on the plushie Colet had given Stacey.

"Wait, guys. Look at this plushie. Colet gave this to Stacey, di ba? What if..." Maloi trailed off, a suspicion forming in her mind.

Aiah carefully examined the plushie. "May zipper sa likod," she noted. Slowly, she opened it, and their suspicions were confirmed. Inside, they found the tiny cameras Jhoanna had installed.

"Grabe, tama nga tayo!" Sheena exclaimed, horrified. "Jhoanna really went too far."

They quickly informed Stacey about their discovery. Stacey was shocked and felt a mix of anger and betrayal. "I can't believe she did this," she said, her voice trembling. "I trusted her, kahit papano."

"Don’t worry, Stace," Aiah reassured her. "We’ll take care of this."

The next day, Stacey and her friends confronted Jhoanna. They met her in a quiet café, away from prying eyes. Stacey, holding the plushie, placed it on the table in front of Jhoanna.

"Recognize this?" Stacey asked, her tone cold.

Jhoanna's face paled. "W-what do you mean?"

"We found the cameras, Jhoanna," Maloi said firmly. "How could you do this to Stacey?"

Caught, Jhoanna's composure crumbled. "I-I just wanted to be close to you, Stacey. I didn’t mean to hurt you," she stammered, tears welling up in her eyes.

Stacey shook her head, feeling a pang of pity but standing her ground. "This isn’t how you become friends with someone, Jhoanna. This is invasion of privacy. I trusted you, but you crossed the line."

Aiah leaned in, her voice stern. "We could report you for this. But for now, we just want you to stay away from Stacey. This ends here."

Jhoanna, realizing the gravity of her actions, nodded slowly. "I’m sorry. I’ll stay away. I promise."

As they left the café, Stacey felt a mix of relief and sadness. It had been a tumultuous journey, but she was grateful for her friends’ support. They had helped her regain control of her life and put an end to Jhoanna's obsessive behavior.

In the weeks that followed, Stacey focused on moving forward. She found solace in her friends and their unwavering support. The plushie, now devoid of its sinister cameras, sat on a shelf as a reminder of the lessons learned and the strength she had found in herself and her friendships.