Danger Love Ahead 2

Chapter 7: Let Go

(April's version) 

"I have never bought this many useless things in my life ever on a shopping spree," Haile laughed. I couldn't agree more, as I spied a pair of uneven striped coloured mittens protruding out of one of the many shopping bags I had burdened myself with. I would never ever wear that. It just looked...buyable. Buyable? Really? Ignoring the voices in my head, I smiled greatfully up at the mountain of a man beside us. Joe was lost under the swarm of bags we'd attacked him with. However, he didn't complain and cheerfully pointed out other useless stuff to buy. 

"I think those sunglasses you bought could come in handy," Joe suggested. I looked sceptically at the grey sky and the ever-absent sun. Haile scoffed.

"When the Sun does come out, I would never be caught dead wearing those."

"Then why'd you buy them?" Joe asked.

"They were just-" she paused searching for the right word. "Buyable." I burst out laughing, remembering that I had thought the exact same thing just a few moments ago. I looked away from Joe and Haile's strange looks to see a few more items in the window display. I paused, catching a glimpse of our reflection. It was only a few seconds but I caught the strange figure standing on the other side of the road before a double decker bus blocked him from my view. A cold feeling swept across my spine when I realized the familiarity of the dark figure that was staring from across the street. Without thinking, I whipped around to get a better look as soon as the bus passed. 

"April?" I barely heard the voice. I just stared at the empty spot where the stranger had been, a little shocked but more frightened. Had he wanted me to know he was looking? I shook my head and glanced back at the window display, at my reflection staring back at me. I could see the fear in my eyes. Sighing, I ran a free hand through my hair in furstration. Was I losing it? Am I overreacting? "APRIL!" I jumped at the voice and guilt surged at the anxious faces that were peering at me. Haile' looked like she was about to blow a vein. I knew I looked worse.

"Sorry," I mumbled, taking another look across the road just in case. Haile' and Joe followed the direction of my gaze curiously. 

"What is it?" Haile' asked. I didn't answer. Joe spoke.

"I know that look. I've seen it so many times in my career," he stated grimly. The friendly Joe was gone and in his place stood a professional body guard, ex-marine, ex-US secret service agent. Wow. This guy fought terrorists. It never really crossed my mind. "Is someone bothering you? Following you?"

"Oh..as in a stalker?" Haile' asked weakly. 

"No his..I mean I think I've seen him..just once and now I thought-" I sounded stupid and my suspicions were beginning to sound weak. Maybe I was just being paranoid.

"Is it your ex-boyfriend?" Haile asked. At first I wondered what she was on about before realising she meant Brandon. Right. He was my ex boyfriend. Ex-boyfriend. 

"I'd know it was him with my eyes closed." 

"So he is a stranger?" Joe asked, ushering us towards the black sedan. I shook my head as we piled our purches in the boot of the car. Joe montioned for me to explain inside the car before I could say anything else. We got in, buckled ourselves in and waited until Joe had started the car and was wading through London's traffic.

"He seems familiar," I explained. Joe frowned.

"Then don't rub off your suspicions as paranoia just yet."

"How'd you..?" I began to ask how he knew what I was thinking before remembering.Professional bodyguard, Ex-Marine, ex-US secrent service agent. Right.