The 30th Letter

Chapter Two

  There's a fine line between admiration and stalking

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"I'm telling you! Halsey is much better than Chris Brown!"
"She is not!"
"Yes, she is!" Tyler snapped.
Zoe just rolled her eyes and said "Sure she is. Keep telling yourself that."
"I'm surrounded by idiots," Natalie groaned, sighing in exasperation as she rubbed her temples. Typical. She rolled her eyes as the two continued their usual bickering over the same topic. Natalie would side with Tyler, but, knowing Zoe, she didn't want to be involved in any for this.

After ten minutes, Natalie had enough and announced that she was going to the toilet. But once again she was met with ignorance, so she just walked off and towards the bathroom.
Then, however, she noticed that to be able to get to her destination, she had to squeeze between two tables and one of them was already occupied.
Oh great, I'm gonna have to get near that creep at the table, Natalie thought.
Instead, she shook her head at the thought. Enough with being judgmental. I mean, who knows? He might be a nice guy.
"Here goes nothing," Natalie mumbled to herself, as she squeezed through the small space between both tables.
She kept her back turned to the guy, hoping it would be less awkward.

Oh boy was she wrong. Dead wrong. Right before she was out of the tight space of the two tables, she felt something graze her behind. And that something felt very much like fingers.

Gasping and twirling around to face the person sitting on the table, she noticed they hadn't moved an inch. The person was still staring at his phone, head down, with a cap on his head. Not moving at all.

Deciding that nothing had actually happened, she scurried off to the toiletㅡmaking sure to lock the main door as well一and went into the one furthest from the door. After finishing her business, she unlocked the stall and went over to wash her hands; she couldn't help but think about what had just happened.
Did he really touch me or is just my imagination...? Natalie wondered.
When she went to get some tissues, she found the dispenser empty.
"Are you kidding me?" asked a very agitated Natalie to no one in particular as she got some tissues from the stall.
When she was about to leave, she glanced at her reflection while walking to the door but stopped dead in her tracks.
Her eyebrows furrowed when she noticed that in her back pocket was a tiny bulge.
Baffled by what on earth it could be, she shoved her hand into her back pocket and pulled out a small crumpled paper ball.
Curiosity getting the best of her, she opened it. But regretted doing so.

I've been watching you for years

Her eyes widened, blood running cold in her veins as she paled. She kept rereading it over and over again with wide eyes. I have a stalker.

She shook her head. As if.
"This has to be some sick joke," she said to herself. Trying to get any kind of comfort, she kept telling herself this was just one of Tyler's pranks. Rolling her eyes and giving a laugh (which came out flat), she stormed over to the door, unlocked it and headed over to where her two best friends were sitting; more than ready to tell Tyler that his prank was an epic fail and a rather sad attempt, but then she stopped mid step and turned around to where the stranger was previously seated. He was gone.

Realization hit her like a truck. The paper was in the same side she felt the stranger touch. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder. The poor girl ended up yelping in fear not knowing it was just Zoe.

"Woah, calm down Nat. It's just me," Zoe said, taking her hand off her friend's shoulder, concern and curiosity evident on her face.

"Hey, why are you so jumpy? Is there something you want to tell me?" asked Zoe with a kind of softness and affection laced her voice that she only used for when her friend was distressed or anxious.