Afraid to Feel

Chapter 5: Dinner at Tommy's

Ever since the concert Elina, felt as if she was being constantly watched. Always used to be the weird kid at school, Elina had developed that ability the hard way. Now it came naturally, and Elina was able to turn quickly to where she felt eyes watching her. Since the concert she had been stalked by a man with shades. At first he had scared the crap out of her, and she thought it was a weird coincidence. She hoped that it was a coincidence. But soon that was proven otherwise, for he followed her everywhere from a calculated distance.

At class she was always on edge, and she hated that her job ended so far into the night. She knew how to defend herself quite well, but still she liked to be cautious. He was always dressed normally; however there was an air about him that exuded the opposite. Not once did he make contact with Elina, yet she knew that it would be inevitable. And it was that thought that frightened her. Tommy had tried to notify the authorities; nevertheless nothing could be done with the stranger. He hadn't done anything yet, and he didn't follow her into buildings and such, so it could be coincidence, the authorities said. Maybe he lived in her neighborhood and worked close to her part time job. Until he did a threatening deed, nothing could be done. So she had been watchful and patient, preparing herself for what was to come. For it was to come, she could feel the ominous sense chilling her bones with every day that passed.

Anyway, she couldn't let the stranger get in the way of her life. She was getting married soon. Almost every day Elina was running about with what needed to be done for the wedding to be perfect (in addition to her job and classes), the stranger on her heels.

Once when she had been hanging out with her friends, (since they were motherfuckers, they feared nothing and cared for nothing) they had gone to face the stranger head on, but just as they were nearing him he disappeared out of thin air. Lucy had even once done provocative gestures his way, merely to see if she could get an emotion from him, but nothing worked. The man just looked on, stare tensely pointed to her. For his dedication, Lucy had given him a nickname that Elina absolutely loathed: Mr. Stalker.

~@~

Almost four months had passed, and Elina hadn't heard from Ville Valo in any kind of way. She felt stupid for actually believing what he said to her. Tommy on the other hand, was kind of ticked off that Ville had flirted with his girlfriend. Elina told him all that had been said during their small conversation, and after laughing his ass off, he began to get pissed. It wasn't just petty jealousy, the fact that the singer had thrown false hopes to a woman, seemed like a horrible act from his part.

How could she have even considered Ville's words? She didn't know how he really was in person. He must have been trying to amuse himself with the faces Elina made when he said something peculiar.

For a moment in time she had hoped the singer had been speaking the truth, but it made her feel foolish. What happened to all her years of self-protection and mind control? She had left herself been fooled by a fickle ray of nonexistent hope. And if Ville did come see her, what would he want of her? She did remember that she had mention having a fiancé in front of him, what could he want? Besides he was in a famous band, his agenda must be too hectic for him to even think of her, yet along come to see her again.

~@~

With Ozzy Osborne's heavy metal music booming from her headphones, Elina concentrated on studying. Most people would need complete and utter silence to study for a test, but not Elina. She needed music to be able to study, and actually remember something, if not she would fail miserably. Elina's phone began to vibrate next to her text book, and with one quick check at the caller ID, she answered the call with a big smile of her face. "Hey handsome, didn't think you would remember me so soon."