The Knock on the Window

Part 3: Unsettling Truths

I hadn't expected to run into him again so soon.

The days following our awkward encounter at Church's Chicken felt like they dragged on forever. Every time I left the house, my mind would race with the thought of him. Was he still watching me? Was he going to show up again? It was as if the universe kept sending me reminders that I couldn't escape him, no matter how hard I tried.

It wasn't long before I found myself walking home again with Chloe. We'd just grabbed some coffee and were heading back, talking about random stuff, when I noticed something—something that immediately set my heart into a panic.

A new house was being built down the street. It wasn't an unusual sight; there had been a lot of renovations and construction in the area recently. But today, I saw a woman standing outside, chatting with the construction workers. I didn't think much of it at first, my mind distracted by the noise of the drilling and hammering. But then it hit me.

That woman—she looked familiar. I couldn't place it at first, but there was something about her face. I watched her for a moment, trying to figure out where I had seen her before.

And then it clicked.

She was his mother. The woman from the construction site was the same woman I'd seen at the construction site near my house just days ago. Her presence wasn't just a coincidence. She was building a house right down the street from me.

I froze in place, realizing that I had unknowingly been living in the same neighborhood as his family all along.

"Chloe," I said, my voice suddenly tight, "I think I know who that is."

"Huh?" Chloe asked, glancing around, confused. "Who?"

I nodded toward the woman talking to the workers. "That's his mom. The guy from Church's Chicken... the one who kept staring at me."

Chloe raised an eyebrow, looking skeptical. "Wait, what? You're saying that's his mom? The guy who kept knocking on the window?"

I nodded, the realization sinking in deeper. I couldn't believe it. Of all the places, he had to live so close to me. Was this some kind of sign? Or was I just doomed to run into him everywhere I went?

The thought of it made me feel uneasy, like I couldn't escape whatever this strange connection was.

We continued walking, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched. Every turn I made, every glance I took, I half-expected to see him standing on the corner, waiting for me. But I didn't.

That evening, I tried to ignore the growing sense of anxiety that came with living so close to him. I tried to focus on something else—anything else—but my mind kept drifting back to the unexpected truth I had discovered.

I wasn't prepared for what happened next.

I was walking with Chloe again, on the same street where I had seen his mom earlier, when I spotted him. I saw him across the street, standing in front of a convenience store, talking to a friend. He didn't see me yet, but I felt his presence like a magnetic pull.

My chest tightened. I couldn't escape him. I didn't know why, but I could feel it—he was about to look my way.

Chloe, sensing my discomfort, nudged me. "Hey, is that him?"

I looked over at her, but before I could respond, he did notice me. His eyes locked onto mine with that same intense stare. And once again, a grin spread across his face—sly, teasing, as if he knew exactly what effect he had on me.

I wanted to look away, to pretend I hadn't noticed, but it was impossible. His gaze was like a pull I couldn't resist. He knew I was there. He wasn't going to let me forget that.

Without breaking eye contact, he raised his hand, giving me a subtle wave. My stomach lurched, my nerves already on edge.

I could feel my body tense, like I was preparing for something. But I wasn't sure what that something was.

Chloe, thankfully, didn't seem to notice how much my body was reacting. She looked at me with a teasing grin. "You should wave back," she said, nudging me with her elbow.

I wasn't sure if I could. I wasn't sure if I wanted to. Instead, I quickly looked away, pulling Chloe forward by the arm.

"We need to go," I muttered, voice strained. "Come on. Let's go."

I felt the heat of his gaze on the back of my neck as we walked away, and for a moment, it felt like time itself had paused.

It was all happening so fast, and I couldn't escape it.