Twisted Devotion

Chapter Four

The next day, Ava woke up with the weight of the previous night still pressing on her chest. She had hardly slept, despite Jess staying by her side until dawn. Every little noise had felt amplified in the quiet of the apartment, every shadow elongated, as if it might reach out to her at any moment.

Jess had left reluctantly just an hour ago, after making sure Ava had eaten something and promising to call in the afternoon. But now, alone in the bright light of morning, Ava felt strangely numb, her mind replaying the events of the night like an old film reel.

Had it really happened? She wasn't sure anymore. Maybe it was just her imagination running wild. The figure, the way he'd stood there, unmoving, watching—it felt unreal in the daylight. Still, the image of the man in the shadows haunted her, and no amount of sunlight streaming through the windows could chase away the chill that had settled in her bones.

The clock ticked loudly in the quiet of her living room, the mundane sound a jarring contrast to the chaos in her head. She couldn't stay here, not in this oppressive silence. Grabbing her phone, she pulled up her messages and typed a quick one to Jess.

*Can we meet for coffee later? I need to get out of the house.*

Jess's reply came almost instantly. *Of course. Noon at the café?*

Ava agreed, the knot in her stomach loosening a bit at the prospect of being around people, of being somewhere familiar and normal. She could forget about last night, at least for a little while. That's what she needed—to push it out of her mind and pretend it hadn't happened.

But as Ava dressed and prepared to leave, she couldn't shake the feeling of being watched again. Her eyes darted to the window, half expecting to see the figure standing there once more, waiting for her in the shadows. But the street below was busy with the normal hustle of a weekday morning. People walking, cars passing by. Nothing out of the ordinary.

With a frustrated sigh, she grabbed her keys and headed out the door. The sooner she was out of the apartment, the better.

---

The café was a short walk from her place, and as she neared it, Ava felt some of the tension drain from her body. The familiar scent of coffee and pastries greeted her as she walked in, and the quiet hum of conversation and clinking dishes filled the air. It was a small, cozy place she and Jess had frequented for years—an unofficial meeting spot whenever either of them needed to vent or escape life for a while.

Jess was already sitting at a table near the window, two cups of coffee in front of her. She waved when she saw Ava, a concerned smile tugging at her lips.

Ava slid into the seat opposite her, wrapping her hands around the warm mug. "Thanks for this," she said softly.

Jess studied her for a moment, her brow furrowed. "You look like you didn't sleep at all."

"I didn't," Ava admitted, taking a sip of her coffee. The bitter taste grounded her, bringing her fully into the present. "I kept thinking about... you know."

Jess leaned forward, her expression serious. "Are you sure you're okay? I've been thinking about it all morning, and maybe we should've called the cops last night."

Ava shook her head, biting her lip. "What would I have told them? That some guy was standing across the street, watching me? He wasn't even on my property, and he disappeared. They wouldn't have done anything."

Jess sighed, clearly not satisfied with that answer, but she didn't press. "Maybe you should stay with me for a few days, just until you feel comfortable at your place again. I know you said you didn't want to last night, but you don't have to do this alone, Ava."

Ava opened her mouth to refuse again, the automatic response on the tip of her tongue, but she hesitated. Maybe Jess was right. The idea of going back to her empty apartment was less appealing with every minute that passed.

"I'll think about it," she said finally. "But I don't want to feel like I'm running from nothing. What if it was all in my head? I don't want to drag you into my paranoia."

Jess gave her a sympathetic look. "You're not paranoid. Something scared you enough to call me in the middle of the night. That's not nothing."

Ava smiled weakly, appreciating Jess's unwavering support. "Maybe."

They chatted for a while longer, the conversation gradually drifting to lighter topics—work, plans for the weekend. Ava found herself relaxing for the first time since last night, the familiar rhythm of their friendship soothing her frayed nerves.

But as the afternoon wore on, and the café started to fill with the lunchtime crowd, Ava's mind wandered back to the figure in the shadows. She hadn't told Jess everything, hadn't told her the way the man's eyes had felt like they were boring into her soul, the way his presence had filled the air with something dark and suffocating. She wasn't sure Jess would even believe her, or worse, she'd start worrying even more.

After they finished their coffee, Jess offered to walk her home, but Ava declined. She needed to prove to herself that she could do this, that she wasn't afraid. The man had vanished, and it was over. That's what she told herself, over and over.

---

The walk back to her apartment was uneventful. The sun was still high, the streets busy with people going about their day. Yet, as Ava approached her building, the sense of unease returned, like a low hum in the back of her mind.

She hesitated at the entrance, scanning the street one more time. Nothing. No figures in the shadows. No eyes watching her from across the way.

With a sigh, she unlocked the door and stepped inside, the familiar scent of her apartment greeting her. She set her keys down in the trinket dish, her eyes flicking automatically to the window. Her heart skipped a beat.

The blinds were open.

She was sure she'd closed them before she left.