Chapter 14: continuation 2

'Where have you been, Hailey? We were worried about you! You could call! Why do you need a phone then?'

'That's just the point, I got it, mom. Forgive me, please,' I hugged her, watching dad out of the corner of my eye.

He winked at me and went into the kitchen. Not far enough to protect me in case of an emergency.

'You know the city is dangerous right now. There have been several murders. I don't want you to be the next victim.' She hugged me back, stroking my back. 'Sorry, this won't happen again. Can I call Kate and tell her I'm already home?'

'Of course, honey. But, God, forbid this happens again!' She recoiled and waggled her index finger as if scolding a small child.

'Promise!' I shouted, running upstairs to my room with my father's phone in my hands.

'I’ll give you money for a new phone, Hailey! The money will be on the nightstand!' Mom screamed, trying to get through to me.

I closed the door to my room and opened the closet, took out tight jeans with a T-shirt. Pulling out the nightstand, I pulled out my underwear and went to the bathroom to take a shower. The warm water revitalized my body and at least cleared away the dirt, but not the memories of last night.

I tried to erase all those touches and looks that scared me to death when I realized that it was him, but it's pointless. It is not in the body, but in the head. No matter how much I tried, nothing would happen. The memory will remain in my head, not going to leave me.

Taking off the towel, I wiped my body from the water and wrapped it around my waist, and left the bathroom. A cool breeze blew across my skin, leaving goosebumps in its wake. I clearly remember that I closed the window, but now it was open and allowing cold wind access to a warm room. A neatly folded note was laid on top of her clean clothes. Going to bed, I opened the paper and began to read the secret message: 'Don't think you run away from me, baby. I'm always there, wherever you are. You just have to take off your glasses and you will see reality. You are my next victim. With love, your D.'

The note fell at his feet, and his eyes darkened. I quietly sat down on the bed and picked up the phone, quickly dialed Kate. Going to the window, I looked at the street and a young guy who was standing leaning on his car fell into my eyes.

'I'm the next victim,' I said into the phone with a sigh.

The guy smiled as if he heard these words and opened the car door and sat in the driver's seat, after which his car started off.

'Meet me at the cafe!' My friend interrupted me from observing and dropped the phone.

Throwing the phone aside, I closed the window and took off my towel and put on clean clothes. Grabbing my father's cell phone again, I ran out of the room, headlong.

'Mom, Dad! I'm with Kate!'

'Honey, leave my phone and take the money to buy a new one!' My father called as soon as I ran out of the house. 'Damn,' I hissed, and returned to the house again, placing my father’s phone on the nightstand.

I grabbed the money and slipped it into my jeans pocket.

'Run before mom gets back from the neighbors. Don’t come late,' dad warned, and I ran out of the house, looking around so that my mother would not notice me.

I'm sorry, mom, but it seems my promise went to hell. I promised you to be careful, but now I'm the maniac's next victim. I made a stupid mistake when I disobeyed you and went to the frat party.

All this time I felt someone else's eyes on me, but when I turned around, there was no one.

'Hey Hale! How do you do? Where are you going?' Crossing the road, I approached a friend and shook hands in greeting.

'Hey, Stan. I'm going to buy a new phone, otherwise mine was lost. And what brings you here?'

The brunet took off his shirt, remaining one T-shirt and put it on top of a sports bag.

'Just from training. I thought about going to Helen's, to see her.'

'Give her my regards. Have a nice day, Stan.' I said goodbye to the guy with a wave.

Having entered the hardware store, I bought a phone with a card and topped up my account.

'Kate, I'll be there soon. Order our favorite desserts for now,' I informed my friend so that she would not wait for me in vain.

'Well, I'm waiting for you.'

In 15 minutes I was there, but when I crossed the threshold of my favorite place, my jaw fell to the floor with relish. It was him who was sitting at our table and had a nice conversation with Kate. Nobody knew the maniac by sight. Nobody except me.

Since that night, he has allowed me to take off my glasses and see reality. The guy turned around and his eyes fell on me, frozen next to the entrance. He lowered his sunglasses and the corners of his lips slowly curled into a smirk. 'Hale! Come here!' The blonde got up from her chair and waved her hand at me, inviting me to their table.

With slow steps, I reached the guys and slowly sank into a chair, looking in the direction of the guy.

'Look who I met! This guy is new here. His name is Joe.' The brown-haired man held out his hand to me, and I reluctantly shook it after a while.

'Are you that enamored with this guy?' the girl laughed, watching me, more precisely, specifically my stiffness. 'Her name is Hailey,' my friend introduced me, and I finally pulled my hand out of his. 'Okay, enjoy each other. I'll go get a drinks. Joe, do you want something?' 'No, thanks. I will leave you soon, dear ladies,' the brown-haired man smiled condescendingly, watching the girl go to the bar.

'What does it mean? First the stalking, then the note, and now you're sitting nicely with my friend.'

I swallowed, trying to calm my trembling voice, because right now I'm sitting with a killer that no one knows.

'Joe?'

'Don't worry, honey.'

'I don't understand, this is a bad joke, right?' The guy grabbed my wrist and sharply leaned towards my face. Automatically, I turned my head, not wanting to be so close to the mystery boy. He bit my earlobe and snarled softly, blowing hot breath over cold skin. 'No one must know who I am. Witnesses are always killed, remember that.'

He let go of me and walked out of the café, putting his sunglasses on over his eyes.

'Where is he? Gone so fast? Did he take your number?' Kate just stammered as she approached.

She placed two chocolate shakes on the table and a second later she tossed a straw into each glass. The tube bounced up, then slowly dropped down, plunging into the chocolate-milk mixture. I drank some of the cocktail and leaned back in my chair.

'He already knows everything about me, Kate,' a deep and desperate sigh escaped his chest.

I said it too quietly, more to myself than to anyone else.

'Now tell me,' she scooped up the dessert with a spoon and licked it, continued.

'The local maniac came at you?' Witnesses are killed. He warned me not to do anything stupid. So that others do not suffer because of me, but then who will save me?

'Yes, and I don't know what to do. I seem to be a living corpse.'

I ran a hand through my hair, looking down. The girl sighed and heard a quiet rattle. I lifted my head, watching the blonde set aside her glass of dessert. 'You need to move to another city. He will kill you, you understand that?'

'What about the parents? What will I tell them?'

'The bill, please!'

The waitress nodded at the request and hurried to the bar.

'Did you tell them about it?'

'What are you talking! Of course not!' 'Look, you can tell them that you are leaving for a friend in another city, because you found a very good job there.'

'Your bill, please,' a nice girl approached us, holding out a leather notebook with a check.

My friend reached into her purse, pulling out a couple of bills.

'I'll pay,' she stopped me, throwing money on the table.

We left the cafe and went to her house. The girl diligently said something, now and then waving her hands, adding more gestures. I nodded as she looked at me, trying to hear my confirmation.

'Wow,' I nodded again, although in fact my thoughts were far from being occupied with this.

The topic of the mysterious guy remains open. He knows where I live and it plays into his hands. He gets to know my friend, slowly invading the trust of my loved ones.

And it's a mess, really.