STALKER ON THE LOOSE?

[ELLIS' POV]

Two weeks had gone by and it was all worth it, it is like living in a dreamland where all your wishes came true.

It's crazy it may seem but I am smiling ear to ear every time I go to work, that even my employees are asking me if I am seeing someone right now.

I want to tell them. I want them to meet Eros but it's still challenging for us to be in public, especially Eros.

As I walk towards my store, I can feel someone is following me, or am I having deja vu? This happened the other day, and last week as well. It's getting weirder and weirder and I can't help myself but to stop at my track and turn my back, or it was nothing?

No one knows this, except me. I did not tell this to Eros because this is not something as important as his work.

I continue to walk but I heard footsteps coming near me, so I stopped at my track and immediately turned around to see the suspicious stranger lurking in the morning.

Then I see someone hiding behind the big trash bin at the end of the road, so I walk towards it to see it, but it's just a cat, meowing.

"This is getting irritating," I mumbled.

I think I am losing my mind.

I went back to my track and walk towards my store, and I almost punch the person who taps me on my shoulder.

"Woah!"

"Dione!"

"What a feisty morning!" She reacts referring to my bad boy in action.

"I-I'm sorry, but I'm glad that you came."

"Why? What's wrong?"

"Let's talk inside," I replied and I quickly open the door to the store and I push Dione inside before anyone sees, or the creepy stranger is already saw.

"Ellis, stop being scary. What happened?" She asks and I quiet her down by letting her sit.

"I think someone is following me."

"Someone is stalking you?" Okay, stalking is different from someone is following me but, it could be a stalker.

"I think so, but I'm not sure if it is just me being paranoid over something."

"No, no. It's an instinct, you have to trust that. When was this started?" She asks.

"I think it first started a couple of weeks ago but it never happened every day, I mean, it is not continuous. But, right now, I think I saw someone, but it became a cat."

"A cat. So, a cat is stalking you?"

"I'm serious, Dione. I'm being paranoid these past few days."

"Okay, okay, I get you. Did Eros know about this already?"

"Not yet," I answered and take a seat as well.

"Why not?"

"It's not that I don't want to tell him, I just don't want him to worry over something like this, which is I'm not sure if someone is following me."

"It is not something like this, Ellis. This might be a serious problem. I think we should consider Castor. Yes, right. It might be Castor who is stalking you."

"He wouldn't do that. He prefers direct attack than to sneak in and stalk me." It is true, it is like last time when he was waiting for me in front of the store, but luckily, Dione came that day.

"You got a point." Dione answered and continues, "Just let Eros know and he might help you because you have been walking around every day to your store without any worries, right? So, why now?"

Dione is right. Something is definitely not right, recently. It is like I am being watched every single day.

"Don't worry about that, okay? Let's just change our topic and talk about something else."

"But I have work to do." I'm about to stand up but she stopped me.

"We can talk for like ten minutes then I will leave. I just don't want to let you feel shaken about this creepy stalker, okay? Let me ease you."

I chuckle for her cheesy support, "Fine, ten minutes will do until the store opens."

Dione claps her hands, "Alright then! Let's talk about you and Eros. How was it going?"

She smirks.

I know what she means.

•••

[EROS' POV]

"How's Eryx doing?" I asked Griffin as I scan through the paper works in front of me.

"He's been doing... well."

I laugh, "That's a sarcastic one."

"Let's just say he's in a stage of moving on."

"He emailed me earlier and I understand that he wants to avoid me, but it's hard to communicate through emails and phones regarding at work. He's still working in the company, Griffin, maybe he can change his mind?"

"I'm trying to talk to him through that but you know Eryx better than I do, being stubborn is one."

I sigh, "Yes, remember when this happened too when we are in the US? He did not contact me for about three months. And we are having a hard time putting an effort to make Mr. Tan signed the papers."

"Yes, I remember that. Then, he just suddenly appeared out of nowhere to apologize to us."

"He's no Eryx when he's not stubborn. But, I am glad that he emailed me ahead of time before things get harder in this new project." I answered and I open my laptop to check if there are emails.

"I'm sorry for not telling you about this."

"It's fine, I understand if you are threatened by him." I laugh and continue, "But I appreciate that you made him stay with you. Eryx is still a friend of ours, you might not be close as before, but I'm hoping that you two will find its way to be closer again."

I heard him sigh, "I'm trying to be nice and hospitable for him. But I don't guarantee to be closer than you thought."

"Griffin, you are closer than him than you think, it will not compare with us. You have... what can I say? Um, different bonding."

"Let's not talk about him please."

"Alright, but please be patient with him. Also, if you don't mind, I will send the papers through you, since he just ignored my messages."

"Yes, Mr. Beckett."

The only option I got is through Griffin because Eryx has been staying with him.

When I got the email from Eryx, I'm not surprised by what he said. I expected that from him since I did not come with him to Japan. It concluded that my answer would be a rejection.

I want to talk to Eryx and have some closure regarding our friendship because we have been friends for years and being awkward and unfriendly towards each other could ruin our friendship and at the same time, it could affect our work.

We still have a business to take care of.

•••

[ELLIS' POV]

When I got home, Eros is still not here. But he said he will be home early, maybe he got a traffic or he got busy doing his new project.

"I should cook something for dinner. Or did he eat already? Maybe I should have asked him earlier when we messaged each other." I say to myself and I dropped my bag on the sofa and walk to the kitchen.

I open the refrigerator and I heard someone opens the front door.

"Ros? Are you home?" I asked.

"I brought dinner, sorry I was late." He smiles and suddenly hugs my bag and I close the refrigerator.

My cheeks are blushing but I don't know if he noticed it, but every time he does this, I can't help but to smile and do something naughty with him.

"It's alright. But you should have told me, I was thinking of preparing dinner."

"It's fineee." He answers and he's still hugging me and I grab the paper bag from him and lay it on the counter to see what he brought.

"I only brought your favorite Chinese rice in a box with fried dumplings on top. Do you like it?"

I smile and say, "Yup, but I did not know that you could remember my last night's cravings."

"I told you, I want to know you more after years of not spending time with you." He says and he's acting like a clingy puppy to its owner.

I held his arms around me and I brought him to the sofa and make him sit there. Then, I went in front of him and sit on his lap, facing him, making him stare at me with his lustful and yet puppy eyes.

"El, we should eat dinner now." He says and I looked into his eyes and hug him tightly.

"No, not yet. I want to hug you first." I say softly while leaning against his shoulder.

I can feel that he's smiling and his ear is getting red, I rarely see this type of Eros. I want to see it more from now on.

"Ros?"

"Hm? Is something bothering you?" He asks.

He's right, something is bothering me these days and one of the reasons is the stalker, which scares me.

"I should have told you before, but I'm not sure if it is true or it's just my imagination."

"What is it?"

I looked at him and he has his worried eyes already, I really love this man in front of me.

"I think someone is following me, at first I thought it's nothing but I can feel it, someone is following me to the store and sometimes, whenever I go home."

"Why did you not tell me in the first place? Even if you are not sure, we must consider the fact that we are together now. No matter how little or big the problem is, you should tell me about it." He said and I looked down.

"I'm sorry, from now on, I will tell you every detail I do or say, like how I take a bath or brush my teeth, or how I walk-"

He pinches my cheeks, "El, don't go to work alone from now on. I will drive you to your store and I will pick you up and we can go home together, is that okay with you?"

I smile, "It's fine with me."

He smiles, "Okay. Now, can we eat? I'm getting hungry."

I laugh, and I'm about to go to the kitchen but he stops me and suddenly kisses me on the lips. My eyes widen and I have never thought that he could be this hungrier.

"Did I mention that I'm hungry for this?"

He smirks.

•••