TITLE: The Pursuit

PLOT:

"Hey, little Dara, where are you?" said the guy who I never knew broke into
my house.

He is heading upstairs as where my room was.

I wish he would never find me in my closet, I placed my hands over my

mouth, keeping myself from letting out a shriek. Oh god, what does he want
from me? Why does he know my name?

"Dara, my love, come and see me. I dare you to show up in front of me.
NOW!" he yelled, his baritone voice gave shivers down my spine.

I'm about to pass out as I heard he was heading in my room. My knees are
already trembling when I heard him reaching out on the door knob. It is
locked.

"Ding Dong, I know you can hear me. Open up the door, I only want to play
a little.
Ding Dong." he let out a smirk, continuing to rhyming up words from a
song.

It gave me chills when he continued, "You can't keep me waiting. It's

already too late, for you to try and run away."

Tears are further streaming on my eyes as he is breaking the door. From

there I had heard a few banging on the door until he succeeded to break
into my room.
"You won't escape from me baby, I will do anything to keep you away from
those jerks who go near you!" he shouted as I closed my eyes, hoping that
he wouldn't hear me.

Please someone help me. I'm already tired of this.

"There's no escape from me now, my Dara," he laughed and I could really

tell that he is crazy.

My heart skipped a bit when I perceived he is now heading here at my

closet. I closed my eyes, beseeching for help.

"Boo!" he said, I let out a sigh when I realized he opened the closet next to
where I am.

"I'm starting to like the game we play, baby." I wish he would never hear my
heartbeat that suddenly went fast. Did I do something wrong from
someone? No, this can't be.

As soon as he opened the door of my closet, I yelled out.

"Sweetheart, wake up!" I got up, catching my breath. I was met by my Mom
who is now worrying at me.

"Are you alright, sweetie?" I nodded slowly then she gave me a glass of
water.

I took it and let the liquid quench my thirst. I clutched my comforter,

knowing that it was just a dream.

"I just went here to check up on you and then you seemed to be having a
bad dream," she planted me a kiss on my forehead and said, " I'm going to
let you sleep while I'm here. Let me know if you need anything, sweetie."

"Thanks mom," I smiled, despite of the dream that I had a while ago
That voice gave me goosebumps when I still recalled it in my dream. I
wiped my sweat and went back to sleep.

"Kriiiiinngggg!" I turned off my alarm and as I was making my bed, I

remembered that dream last night. I took no notice of that and did my
morning routines to catch up on school.

I went downstairs and there's dad, sitting at the table while reading a
newspaper.

"Good morning, Dad!" I said, beaming a smile.

"Oh good morning, darling!" he greeted back and I kissed him on the
cheek. "How's your company, Dad?" I asked, as I sat at the table beside
my dad.

My dad is working as a businessman and sometimes he goes home at

almost midnight because he has a lot of work to do.

"It was quite exhausting, sweetie," he answered, sipping a cup of coffee,

"But it is really worth it."

"By the way, Dad, do we still have things to buy at the store?" I asked,
eating my cereal. I took a glance at the clock, it's already 7-ish.

"Oh about that," he stopped for a second, "We don't have much supplies of
milk and fruits. Might as well go buy those stuffs, if you don't mind,
sweetie?" he asked and I nodded as a response.

"Well in that case," mom showed up, giving me a cup of cocoa drink and
said, "I'm going to pick you up later after your class, how about that?" I
smiled then answered, "Absolutely! I'm gonna buy some things in the
bookstore, too."
After our meal, I went to the backseat of my car and my dad went at the
driver's seat. We talk about what's going on at my school these days and
as soon as my dad stopped right in front of the school, I kissed him in the
cheek and said, "Bye dad. Don't forget to look after yourself." I waved
goodbye.

"You too, sweetie." he started the engine and drove past the students who
are catching up on their classes.

I saw my best friend, Monique, walking on her way to school. As soon as

she saw me too, she went along the way and greeted me.

"How have you been, Angel?" she went for a hug and then we continue to
walk on the way at school.

She calls me Angel, short for Angelina. Well, my full name is Angelina Dara
Hamilton. I'm already in the second year of college.

"I've been good, Monique. How about you? How's your day of watching
anime in weekends?" I asked and then we talked about the anime called
"Detective Conan"

As we were heading in the hallway, I opened my locker and I have noticed

that there's a letter inside of it. I quickly placed it in my pocket. I noticed that
someone's been watching me. I turned my head, glancing at the people
here.

"Angel, do you um, need something?" Monique asked me with a worried

face. "You seem pale right now. Are you okay?"

"Yes. I'm alright. I'm just stressed out on projects and presentations in our
class," I replied to her.

"I'm just here whenever you need someone to talk to." she assured me and
we are heading now on our class.
We sat already on our seats. We are here in the back, so basically we are
the back-benchers. I sat beside Monique who is on the right and beside me
on the left is a window.

Our professor had already arrived and we greeted him. We sat back on our
proper seats. Our professor is already checking the attendance.

"Anderson?"

"Here!"

"Barckley?"

"Here!" Said the girl named Ciara Barckley. I was surprised when she took
a glance on me and made a face. It made me sad, yet I just disregarded it.

Monique took a glimpse of me and she whispered, "I can't believe that girl
really knows how to drive me up the walls!" She said, while giving a few
quick glances to Ciara

A few minutes ago, our professor said my surname, "Hamilton?" and I

immediately said, "Here!"

"Sanders?" Professor queried.

"Here!" Monique said gracefully.

The day went good and I waved goodbye to Monique. I saw our car,
stopped right in front of me. I was greeted by my mom, who is smiling at
me. I went on the passenger's seat, smiling back and I hugged her.

"How was your day, sweetie?"

"It was great, mom! We did some activities in class and it was fun." I
retorted.

As we were heading at the mall, we talked about my best friend, Monique,

who is doing good.

We have already arrived the parking lot and I took a step out of our car. We
went to buy some few stuffs for the things that we need.

We are already at the counter when Mom said, "Let's buy some canned
goods and veggies too," she glanced at me and said, "Just wait me up. I'm
gonna pick up few items." I nodded and seeing the customers ahead of us,
it will take enough of time to pick things that my mom has said.

I was taking a glimpse of my mom, who is already picking up items, when

suddenly I saw a man in black. He is wearing a black leather jacket and
shorts. He has this tousled hair and he is checking up in the vegetable
section when he suddenly took a glance towards my way.

I was astonished by his dark eyes and he is staring at me, poker-faced. I

quickly turned my head in the opposite direction and I couldn't help myself
from biting my lips for knowing that he is still staring at me.

I turned my back and faced the counter. Those eyes are somewhat
hypnotizing. There's something in his eyes that I couldn't put a finger on to
it.

After counting to twenty, I turned my back and he wasn't already there.

Probably he was just picking up some groceries too, or what if--no, that's
not what I think it actually is.

My mom had already arrived and we had gone to the counter. Several
minutes later, we went back to the parking lot.
"Oh, I almost forgot to buy some stuffs in the bookstore, Mom," I told her
then she said she will wait for me in the parking lot.

I went back at the mall and went to the bookstore. After picking up some
journals, I had to go buy a book.

I was about to get the book that I saw when another stranger got it first.

"I'm sorry," I said and I got surprised when that person was the one who I
saw at the Supermarket earlier.

He glanced at me and said, "Here you go. Just keep it." I had never been
dumbfounded in my life. I grabbed the book from his hands and said, "Th-
thanks" I uttered under my breath.

I went to the counter and suddenly my phone vibrated. I checked it and I

saw Mom had texted me to hurry up.

I went to the parking lot, and we headed back to our house.

The next day, I greeted Monique and the next thing I knew, the way she
acts, there's something off.

"What's wrong?" I asked her.

"Well, Angel, I have heard a news about Ciara, our classmate." She
retorted.

"What about Ciara?" I asked, waiting for her to continue.

"Ciara.. is found dead in the music room.."

"What?!" I was staggered at the news that I've just heard.

"She was found dead and the ones who discovered the body are our
classmates. They said that she had several stabs at the back and at her
stomach.." I can't even say a word. I just stared at the ground, shaking my
head in disbelief.

The Cops are here for further investigations and the body is under a post
mortem.

I felt sorry for Ciara. Whoever did this would commit a sanction thereafter.

The class went gloomy for a while. Even though Ciara has been mocking
me up, she is a kind person.

One day, I went at bedside table and there's a letter. The letter that I had
found inside my locker. I opened it and I saw a lot of pictures of me on my
class, cafeteria and almost everywhere I go there are all pictures. I saw a
note that says: "Hello my sweet, Dara. I can't wait to be with you anymore. I
will do anything just to have you, baby. As I said, I will also wipe those girls
out if they ever taunt my baby."

I was speechless with what did I just read.

After a few weeks, I had woken up and I saw my reflection in the mirror. It
seems like I'm not having too much sleep lately.

After a lot of discussions, it is already our lunch break. We head out to the
cafeteria.

As we were heading at the hallway, I have a feeling that someone's

watching me. It gets me tensed up so I told Monique that I will go to the
comfort room.

"Okay, let me accompany you," she said.

"It will be fast. I'm gonna head back immediately." I said, hoping to give me
a little privacy.
"Well, if you insist." she continued, "I'll just wait for you here near the
counter." I nodded then I went to the comfort room.

I went to the washroom and as soon as I was washing my hands, the lights
went off. I felt the arms of someone who was pulling me right next to him.

"Let go of me! Please, someone help me!" I yelled as loud as I could.

I kicked him then he let out a groan. I let myself out of the comfort room
and the school guard had seen me. He arrested the guy and after that, my
life went fine.

I have already known his name. And his name is Chase Smith. Seems a
coincidence, right?