Incognito Tab (COMPLETE)

3. Categorize

I open my eyes and listen closely. It's still dark out and I'm still physically tired. There's a soft but agitated knock.

"Elliot?"

Did you hear that?

"Elliot?"

Maeve?

I sit up straight in bed and rub my eyes a few times. I open them and look around. Nothing seems to be out of the ordinary. I check my phone. It's almost 4am. I look to my door where Flipper sits quietly wagging her tail. Someone is at my door. There's another knock.

"Elliot, are you awake?"

It's Maeve, it has to be her.

"Elliot, please let me in." 

I stand, walk to and open the door. Sleep leaves as though it was a diastant memory and my tired eyes go wide. Maeve stands in the threshold with her purse and boots in her left hand. Her right hand is curved over her mouth with her fingertips touching her teeth. The dark makeup around her eyes had begun to run in blackish blue tears down her cheeks. She's breathing heavily and trembling. She looks over her shoulder then back at me. Another dark tear skates down her left cheek.

"Can I come in? Please?" she asks voice wavering.

I step aside and she slowly walks in. I flip the light switch and it's dim light coats the room. I show her to my table, she takes a seat and puts down her things. Flipper trots over and puts her front paws on Maeve's lap. She gives her a good rub as I would. Flipper walks beneath the chair and lies down. I hand Maeve room temperature a bottled water. She receives it gratefully and takes a sip. I lean against my counter and cross my arms over my chest. 

She glances over at me.

"I'm sorry," she sets the bottle down and takes a deep breath. I offer her a paper towel which she takes and uses to blot her cheek. "I'm sorry to bother you so late."

"It's ok," I blurt out.

Did I just say that out loud?

"No it's not, I woke you and you have to get up early for work tomorrow." 

More tears escape her eyes and I feel a pull and almost dull pain in my chest.

"What happened?"

"I think I was being followed." She swallows hard. "On my way back from the gallery I took the first of the three trains I need to take to get home and everything was fine but, the second train wasn't running. I had to take a different route. When I got to the stop I need to change trains again. I swear I felt eyes on me."

"Someone was following you."

"Yeah. When I got here, I walked a different way back so maybe I'd lose him but I'm not sure."

Him?

"If you'd wanna stay here you can," I offer second guessing it as soon as it leaves my lips.

"You'd let me stay here?"

"Sure." I walk over to my closet and pull out an extra blanket that I throw over on my couch then I walk over to my door and secure all the locks.

"You can sleep there." I point to my bed. "The bathroom is there." I gesture toward that as well. 

"Are you sure?"

I nod, climb on to the couch, cover myself and lie down. Within minutes after, the lights are turned off and I head Maeve settle into my bed.

I know exactly how that feels. To feel like people have their eyes on you. No one should feel that threatened.