The Girl Next Door

Chapter 14.

We spent most of Thursday in bed together. Only getting up to grab something to eat from the kitchen, retreating back to the bed for sex, cuddles and conversation. I lay my head against the pillow, facing Sarah, feeling peaceful and satisfied. My companion gently brushing my hair with her fingers, I could feel the tendrils drop against my shoulder with her touch. My eyes slowly closed and I drifted in and out of sleep, exhausted but also needing rest before all the SNL excitement started.

I awoke with a jolt, Sarah shaking me hastily.
'Kate, babe, your house, Kate!'
I sat up fast, Sarah standing next to the bed, she was dressed and looked flustered.
'What? What, my house?' I said, in a daze and still half asleep. Sarah nodded and reached for my hands, 'We need to call the cops!'
'What the hell?' I stumbled out of the blankets and grabbed clothes that were on the floor, they were Sarah's but I threw them on quickly, following the brunette towards her front door. We reached her porch and she flew down the steps ahead of me.
'Sarah, what is it?,'
We reached my front lawn and as I focused on the front of my house I noticed there was spray paint over my front door, 'slut' in red. One of my side windows smashed. My mouth was agape and I threw my hands to my head,' Who the hell?'
Sarah shook her head,' Call the cops,' she repeated, her phone in her hands. I didn't take it, still in shock as I walked up to the steps. I could hear Sarah on the phone to the police, she then called out to me to not touch anything.

A patrol car arrived soon after and took statements from us.
'I came out to grab the paper,' Sarah said, motioning to the rolled up newspaper that had been tossed on her front lawn, 'Kate was still asleep, and I noticed the front of her house,' she explained, gesturing to my front door. We were standing on my front lawn, Sarah's arms around me. I didn't know what to think.
'Ms McKinnon, have you had any issues like this before?' the officer asked, jotting down notes onto a small pad, looking up at us, his burly moustache dancing with every word. Another policeman was over at Kate's front door, taking photos of the damage. Kate shook her head,'Well not to this extreme. A few over excited fans, but never here.'
I gulped hard, I was scared. I felt Sarah's arms tighten around me. She kissed my shoulder.
'Arrange for someone to come out and get this fixed,' the cop said, wagging his finger over to my home. I just nodded, thinking hard.
'It's probably bored kids, feeling good about tagging a house, don't take it personally.' the officer said, enjoying watching Sarah and I in our embrace. I nodded, Sarah was already google searching repairers.
The officers left Sarah and I standing on the lawn, I kept staring at my front door and shattered window. I felt Sarah pull away as she dialled a number, making enquiries for me already. I was relieved. I turned to go back to Sarah's and then paused, took a quick look around at what I could see of the neighbourhood, suddenly feeling watched, insecure. Even mid conversation and with her phone buried into her shoulder Sarah grabbed me and pulled me towards her place, she too glancing around before we went inside. I went into the kitchen and started making some coffee, my mind uneasy, giving Sarah a tight smile as she conversed with labourers. I arranged a couple of coffee cups on the bench, looking down at them and moving them and sliding them back and fourth absentmindedly, only stopping when I felt Sarah's hand on mine. She hung up the phone and pulled me into her.
'It's just kids baby.'
I nodded. Trying to shake the nausea filling my stomach and throat. I pulled Sarah into me, closing my eyes right. Nothing like this had ever happened to me before. I hated knowing someone had been at my home. I'd wracked my brain ever since Sarah pulled me outside to see the damage.
'I do know someone that could have done it, if it was personal...' I said into Sarah's shoulder, she pulled away.
'Who?'
'A girl that was interested in me. I wasn't in her though..'
'Tell me..' Sarah said softly.
'Just before you arrived. She sent me flowers at the studio. It was sweet and everything but I just assumed a generous fan. But then it happened another couple of times, same girl. Her note card messages were a little strange, like 'Can't wait to see you again baby'. And one was something like, 'last night with you was incredible.' And then one evening when I was heading back here I could have sworn a car followed me the entire time. And then followed me when I returned to the studio. Another delivery waiting for me when I returned to work. Same person.'
Sarah nodded and pulled me back into her. She kissed my cheek and let me bury my face into her neck, the kettle whistling in the background.
'Im going to stay here and look after your repairs and then I'm going to make my way into the city tonight, okay. I'll stay with you.'
I nodded, not planning on arguing, I was feeling shaken and a little freaked out. Sarah pulled away to pour our coffee, I migrated to the couch.
'What time are they coming?' I asked, in reference to Sarah's phone calls.
'In an hour Kate. Glazier too.'
I nodded as Sarah walked up to me and handed me my cup. I bet this disappointed fan had seen me with Sarah, calling me out as a Slut. I sighed loudly, as Sarah joined me on the couch, taking a sip of her coffee. She leaned into me and kissed me, the aromatic caffeine on her lips.
'It's going to be okay. We have put in a police report, they have our numbers. You should request a patrol car to swing by a couple of time tonight too.'
I nodded, distantly, still wracking my brain.
Sarah could tell I was beginning to fret. The brunette leaned in and kissed me again, pulling me away but I pulled her back in and kissed her hard, 'Thank you.'

Sarah turned up at the studio at 6pm. I'd been in constant contact with her throughout the day. Sarah was ushered into a room that I and a handful of the SNL cast were in, I rushed over to her and put my arms around her. Sarah smiled tightly at my colleagues and then turned to me, 'Everything's done,' she whispered, 'I double checked all your doors and windows too. Patrols are ten pm and two am.'
I nodded, still feeling uneasy. I pulled away and turned to my friends, introducing Sarah. She nervously said hello, giving a little wave. As excited as I think she was to be there, I think she too was feeling a little uneasy about the morning's events.