Fairy Tale

Chapter 55: Stalked

The next few weeks of school were wild. Life had gone on fast forward. Life kept going, but now at full speed. She was so busy she hardly had time to sleep. Emily was gearing up for another fight. Classes were getting more intense now that it was getting closer to the end of school. She was also applying to different universities. Wes Ball University was still her top pick, but she was smart enough to know that she needed to keep options open. Minho was busy with getting ready for play offs. Seemed like they were just passing each other in the hall, one off to sports when the other was home, and then they were both buried up to their elbows in homework. 

Ben and Teresa were started to be more intentional with messing with her, but not in their normal way, they were messing with her head, the physical attacks had stopped, but now she saw him constantly everywhere she went. She went to the bathroom, he hung out at the end of the hall. She went on a jog with Bear and Minho, he was suddenly walking down main street. She ran to the grocery store for Mama Lee he was in the produce section. He never engaged her, but he was there. Or Teresa and Brenda were together at the park when she went to study in the sunshine. Or the three of them would be walking down the street when she would pull into the gym parking lot. She tried to shake it off. They never talked to her or looked in her direction, but she had a creepy feeling. 

 Bear was a constant, she didn't even go for a run without him. He started coming to the gym and training with her. They only time Bear wasn't glued to her leg was when she went on a ride with Minho on his bike, but then she had Minho and he was even better at keeping her anxiety down, and helping her work through it. Since his birthday, he seemed even more attentive, if that's humanly possible. He was always attentive to her needs, but now he seemed even more in tuned with her emotions. He didn't push her or bug her for more. She almost felt the opposite, thinking maybe she wasn't good enough, and that she had disappointed him. She didn't live up to his expectations or something. And she was to embarrassed and ashamed to bring it up. So instead she did the unhealthy thing and let it fester for a while. 

It was two weeks before her scheduled match and she was positive now someone was following her. Minho had insisted she use his truck, now that he had his bike, he took the bike everywhere, so when he couldn't drive her, she took his truck. Today was one of those Saturdays, Minho had another football practice and she had training. Papa Lee was helping Mama Lee with another product photo shot for her salon, and Jorge was already at the gym. 

This was the third time she saw a small black truck parked close by. The windows were tinted and she couldn't see the driver properly. But it followed her from the corner of the Lee's street to the gym, a few cars back, but it still followed her and sat on the road idling, like it was waiting for her. She grabbed her bag and ran to the front door, Bear right on her heels. No one followed, she peeked through the door and saw the truck still parked, no one moved. She shook it off and went to change, she had worked to do with Jo. 

It was a long and hard practice. Everyone in the gym had left and it was Jo and her. Jorge had waved good bye while she was in the ring with Jo. 

"See ya at home Millie Girl."

"Bye Jorge."

Half an hour later Jo finally let her go. She groaned and just wanted to sleep on the bench, but she packed up and dragged herself out. Bear on her heels. Jo was waiting for her to lock up. She walked to Minho's truck and let Bear hopped into the seat beside her and turned it on. She waved bye to Jo as he left for his car. She pulled her phone out and saw Minho and Sonya had texted her. 

She sat for a moment answering them. She smiled to herself and went to put the truck into drive when she froze. Her blood went cold, and her heart stopped. Bear whined sitting up. The black truck from earlier had crept into the parking lot while she was on her phone. It was sitting in the entrance, blocking her only way out. She locked the doors and felt her panic rising. Her hands started to shake, but she pulled her phone back out and called Jo, hoping he could turn around and come back. It rang a few times but he didn't answer. She hung up and called Papa Lee. On the second ring he answered.