She Belongs to Me [A Stalker Series]

Date with Danger

Vincent:

I looked at myself in the mirror as I finished tying my tie. I couldn't believe that I was finally going to be alone with Emily in her apartment! The thought had me so excited that I could hardly stand it.

This was my chance to tell Emily how I felt about her. I could visualize it now. Soft music playing in the background while I held Emily in my arms, caressing her porcelain skin while I confessed my love for her. She would be so happy when I told her.

Tonight was going to be perfect!

I finished getting dressed and drove over to her apartment complex. My feet practically floated in the air as I made my way to her door, but doubt started to rear its ugly head.

What if she didn't love me back?

I would be making a complete fool of myself.

Shaking the unpleasant thought from my head, I reluctantly picked my fist up and knocked on the door. A few seconds later the door was opened and Emily is standing on the other side, wearing a lovely blue sweater and a pair of faded denim jeans, her hair pulled back securely in a long ponytail.

She looked absolutely radiant!

"Woah, you look great." She said, her eyes scanning me thourougly. "I like your tie."

"Thank you.." I ran my hand over the purple tie, my face growing hotter by the second. "You look very.....b-beautiful."

She smiled and extended her arm towards the apartment. "Come on in. Dinner will be ready in just a few minutes." I gently stepped into the apartment and began looking around. It was a charming little place, perfect for my love.

I inhaled the aroma of the meal being prepared.

"Dinner smells wonderful." I said, taking a seat at her small dining room table.

"Thanks, it's nothing fancy. Just a quick lasagna I threw together." She responded, tossing the box to the frozen lasagna in the trash can with a grin.

She opened the oven and took it out, letting it cool off for a few minutes before preparing our plates. We sat down and began to eat, then she began to tell me a little bit about herself.

I was having the most wonderful time getting to know her. She told me that she planned to major in education so that she could become an elementary teacher once she graduated from the university.

We finished dinner and made our way into her living room, where we sat next to each other on her white love seat. Butterflies danced in my stomach as I stared into those beautiful green eyes. This was my opportunity to tell her how I felt about her.

I raised my hand to caress her cheek, then lowered it back to my lap. She stared at me curiously with a smile on her face as I sat there in silent anguish.

Why was I so nervous!?

I've practiced this speech dozens of times.

All I had to do was open my mouth and say the words that she longed to hear.

"I love you!" The words clumsily tumbled from my mouth, and my body tensed when I realized what I'd just said. What in the hell was I thinking!?

Emily's eyes widened. "What?"

The secret was already out, so there was no point in holding anything back. I took her hands into mine, and poured my heart out. "I love you, Emily! Your smile, your frown! The way you laugh when the professor tells one of his cheesy jokes. You're just so perfect! I love you!"

She sat there in a stunned silence for a moment, her eyebrows furrowing as she looked at me. "Is this some sort of joke, Vincent? You can't fall in love with someone you just met."

The happiness inside of me melted, replaced with a terrible feeling of rejection. I could still save this moment. All I had to do was be honest with her.

"I know everything about you, Emily." I squeezed her hand tighter. "You love cheesy horror movies, you go to the coffee shop every morning for a pastry, and you wear pink bunny pajamas-"

"H-how do you know all that!?" Emily shrieked, pulling her hand from mine. She stood up from the couch and put her hands to the sides of her head.

I stood up and clasped her shoulders. "I have been watching you for weeks." I confessed, the red on my cheeks darkening. "The roses were from me, and the phone calls, too. I just wanted to hear your voice."

"Oh my God!" She pulled away from me. "Do you know how badly you scared with me with that shit?"

"Scared you?" I couldn't understand what she was talking about. Why would getting roses scare her?

"You need to leave, Vincent."

"No, please don't say that." I grabbed her arms. "I can't live another second without you. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"Let me go!" She tried to wiggle free from my grasp but I held on to her tightly.

"Please, Emily. I know this is a lot to grasp-"

"You're damn right it is!" She shrieked, freeing herself. She took a deep breath as she tried to calm herself down. "Just...just get out of here, okay. I don't know what to say to you right now."

"But, Emily-" I took a step towards her and she jumped back. My eyes grew blurry with tears as the sting of rejection grew worse.

She was just confused, that's all.

She didn't understand my feelings for her.

I was going to have to show her.

I reached my hand out to touch her again and she ran to the kitchen, grabbing her cellphone off of the counter. "I'm giving you a chance to leave before I call the police."

"Emily, please-"

"Get out! Now!" She unlocked her phone screen and prepared to dial 911. "Don't make me do this!"

Panic seized my body and my heart pounded against my chest so hard that I felt nauseous. If she called the police, they would issue a restraining order against me, and I would never be able to see her again! I couldn't take that chance. I had to stop her!

I snatched the phone from her hand, causing her to let out a startled scream. My hand swiftly covered her mouth and I pressed her body against the wall, praying that none of the neighbors had heard her cries of distress.

"Please, Emily. I'm not going to hurt you!"

She ignored my words and continued to scream into the palm of my hand. My eyes blinked furiously as I held her there, knowing that there was no way in hell that she would to listen to me now.

Why did I have to come on so strong?

Why couldn't I have kept my big mouth shut?

My feelings had been spilled from the deepest depths of my soul, and there was no taking the words back. I had to think quickly before someone heard her screams and called the police!

"Forgive me, Emily." I caressed her cheek before I balled my hand into a fist, mashing it against her face so that she was knocked unconscious.