Chapter Forty Four

Chapter Forty Four
(Flashback)

Lisa sat on her bed, staring blankly at the phone in her hand. It was the night of Rachel's party, she had left, bubbly and excited, and Lisa had watched her go with a twinge of envy.

The phone rang, jarring her out of her thoughts. It was Jamie.

"Hey, Lisa! Sorry I missed your call earlier," Jamie said, his voice cheerful.

‘’No, it’s fine, I understand you must be busy.’’ Lisa said.

"Lisa, hey," Jamie said, his voice hesitant. "I need to tell you something."

Lisa's gut twisted. "What is it?"

"There was someone over at my house looking for me, but they asked for you."

Lisa's heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean?"

"Some guy showed up, said he was your boyfriend," Jamie explained, his tone confused. "He knew your name and everything. Said his name was Marcus."

Lisa's world narrowed to a single point. Marcus. Her grip on the phone tightened, and her mind went blank.

"Jamie... what... what did you tell him?" she stammered, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Nothing, don't worry," Jamie reassured her quickly. "I told him I didn't know what he was talking about. He seemed... intense, though. Left pretty quickly after that."

Lisa's eyes welled up. How did Marcus find Jamie? The questions swirled, making her head spin.

"Lisa, you okay?" Jamie asked, his voice softening. "Who is this guy?"

Lisa's voice cracked. "N... nobody. Just... just be careful, Jamie, okay?" She said, trying to brush it off. "Just don't talk to him.

The conversation hung there, awkward and heavy. Jamie didn't push, but Lisa knew he was worried.

As they hung up, the dam broke. Lisa dropped onto her bed and buried her face in her pillow, phone still clenched in her hand, tears streaming down her face. The fear and the anxiety all came flooding back.

The phone buzzed, pulling her out of her tears. A text from Rachel lit up the screen: "Hey girl, having fun at the party! VIP life for us, compliments of some fine guy! Hope you're feeling better, miss you!"

Lisa's eyes lingered on the words, a mix of emotions swirling. 

The pain and fear still lingered, making it hard to respond. 

(Back to the present...)

The room fell silent, the only sound the soft hum of the air conditioner. Lisa's words hung in the air, leaving Rachel shocked and furious.

"Marcus showed up at Jamie's house?" Rachel repeated, her voice low and angry. "Claiming to be your boyfriend? How obsessed is he?"

Lisa nodded, her eyes welling up again. "I didn't know what to do, Rach. I was so scared."

Rachel's mind was racing. She took a deep breath and continued, "Lis, you won't believe this. The guy who got us into VIP... it was Marcus."

Lisa's eyes widened in shock. "What? How?"

Rachel's voice was laced with anger and disgust. "He's been following us, Lis. He's not going to leave you alone. First Jamie's house, now my party? Showing up at everyone's houses linked to you? This is crazy!"

Lisa's face paled, her hands shaking. "I don’t know why he wouldn’t just leave me alone?"

Rachel's jaw clenched. "I don't know, but we're going to figure it out. He's not going to hurt you again, Lis. I promise."

"That's why I had to go see him, Rach," Lisa said, her voice steady, her expression a mask of determination. "I had to do what was right, to protect the people I care about. I couldn't let him hurt you, or Jamie, or anyone else I love. So I did what I had to do."

Rachel's eyes narrowed, her gaze searching Lisa's face. "You did what you thought was necessary?"

Lisa's eyes dropped, her voice barely above a whisper. "I know it's not ideal, but I couldn't see any other way. I just want it to be over, Rach. I want him to leave me alone."

Rachel's jaw clenched again, her anger simmering just below the surface. "What exactly did you do, what did you discuss with Marcus after leaving the house this morning?"