|CHASING VERONICA|

|CHAPTER SIX|

The room was dim, illuminated only by the faint blue glow of Veronica’s screen. It was past midnight, and the city outside hummed its subdued lullaby.

“If only I could-“ She whispered pushing her hair to one side and watched her screen intensely.

‘ Why am I so desperate? I am a girl why cant I just get laid !’

She rolled her eyes on her thoughts feeling turned on, she hardly ever watched stuff like that. But she was feeling lonely, desperate of some touch. Biting her lower lip as touching her chest as the video progressed.

Her lips parted slightly, her breathing shallow as her thoughts drifted. She wasn't watching the screen anymore. Instead, her mind conjured a face—his face. Sharp jawline, piercing eyes, the way his lips pressed into a near-smirk. Then her thoughts dipped lower, remembering the stark lines of his torso, his abs, his tattoos, his effortless command of the space around him at the carnival.

A soft warmth coursed through her body, her hand brushing against the hem of her underwear. She exhaled shakily, her fingers trailing downward—

HOOOONK!

A blaring horn shattered the silence, and Veronica jerked up, her phone slipping onto the bed. Her pulse thundered as if she’d been caught doing something forbidden. She pressed a hand against her chest, feeling her heart gallop beneath her skin.

"Fuckers," she muttered to herself, knowing it was some of the university fresher’s drunk driving on roads below, but her cheeks burned with embarrassment, even in the privacy of her room.

The cool night air from her window brought her some relief. She turned her head, gazing at the flow of the curtains, their lazy dance in the gentle breeze. There was a beauty to the stillness of the city at night, a kind of serenity that made everything seem more vivid.

Her heart, however, refused to calm. It kept pounding with an insistent rhythm, and she knew it wasn’t because of the horn. It was because of him—the stranger with the bike.

Veronica swung her legs over the side of the bed and padded softly to the window. Her fingertips brushed the edge of the frame as she leaned against it, letting the night air caress her face. The streets below were quiet, dim pools of streetlight painting the pavement.

For a moment, she simply enjoyed the quiet beauty of it all. But then she noticed something—or someone.

A shadow moved under a tree on the roadside.

She froze, her eyes narrowing as she tried to focus on the figure hidden in the shade. Her breath hitched. The silhouette was tall, broad-shouldered, and completely still, as though watching.

Her heart pounded again, this time in fear—or was it excitement

Veronica squinted, leaning closer to the window to get a better look. The figure shifted slightly, just enough to confirm its presence, and her stomach twisted in a cocktail of emotions.

Then she caught sight of her reflection in the glass, her nearly bare body standing illuminated against the darkness. A wave of self-consciousness hit her, and she hurriedly stepped back, tugging the curtains closed in one swift motion.

She pressed her back against the wall, exhaling sharply as she tried to shake off the lingering tension.

"It’s just some guy," she whispered to herself.

“Probably a passerby. Nothing to freak out about.”

But even as she tried to rationalize it, her heart wouldn’t stop racing.

She climbed back into bed, pulling the blanket up to her chin. Staring at the ceiling, she couldn’t help but replay the moment in her mind—the shadow, the stillness, the possibility that it wasn’t just a random figure but him.

And though she knew she should feel unnerved, there was a small, undeniable part of her that didn’t want him to leave.

Veronica sighed deeply, forcing her eyes shut. Sleep came in fits and starts that night, the stranger’s face etched vividly into her mind, like a secret she wasn’t sure she wanted to keep.

Veronica stirred awake when her alarm shattered the remnants of her restless sleep. The blaring tone dragged her back to reality, and she groaned, rubbing her eyes as the events of the night filtered back into her mind. Shaking it off, she forced herself out of bed and went through the motions of getting ready. Her reflection in the mirror stared back at her, a little tired, a little frazzled, but ready for another day.

With a steaming coffee mug in hand, she stepped out of her apartment and into the crisp morning air. The streets were alive with the hum of cars and the distant chatter of early risers. She took a slow sip, savoring the warmth as she adjusted her bag on her shoulder, her thoughts wandering absently.

The sharp blare of a car horn jolted her, and she nearly spilled her coffee. Whipping her head around, about curse that driver out, she halt’s mid sentence when she saw Alex leaning his head out his car window with a grin plastered across his face.

"Morning, zombie," he teased, his voice light and playful. "You look like you’re sleepwalking."

Veronica rolled her eyes, letting a small laugh escape as she walked toward him. "Thanks for the boost of confidence, Alex."

"You need it," he quipped, tapping the passenger-side door.

"Get in. I’ll save you the trek to class."

She chuckled and reached for the door handle, about to slide in, when her gaze flicked past the car to the street behind it—and froze.

A bike. Sleek, pitch black, parked at the curb.

Her heart stopped.

The rider was perched atop it, clad in dark clothing, with a pitch-black helmet that obscured his face. But she didn’t need to see it to know. The air around him, the way he sat—unmoving, as if he had all the time in the world—told her everything. It was him.

Her grip on the car door slackened, her body still as her heartbeat roared in her ears. She couldn’t look away, her coffee forgotten in her hand. The biker hadn’t moved, but somehow, she felt the weight of his gaze, even through the opaque visor.

"Veronica!" Alex’s impatient voice snapped her back. He honked the horn again, louder this time, shaking her from her trance.

She turned to him, startled, her cheeks flushing.

"Y-yeah, sorry," she stammered, quickly opening the door and sliding into the seat.

As Alex pulled away, Veronica couldn’t help but glance back over her shoulder. The biker was still there, motionless, like a statue etched against the backdrop of the morning bustle.

Her repeated glances didn’t go unnoticed.

"Okay, what’s up with you?" Alex asked, his brows furrowing as he glanced at her. "Why do you keep looking back? Someone following you or something?"

Her mind raced, searching for a plausible excuse. "No, no," she replied quickly, her voice uneven. "I’m just… sleepy, I guess. Can’t seem to focus this morning." She let out an exaggerated yawn for good measure, though her jittery nerves betrayed her.

Alex shot her a skeptical look but let it go, turning his attention back to the road.

She continued to steal glances through the rearview mirror, her breath hitching each time she saw the bike trailing behind them at a measured distance. The deliberate pace made her skin prickle, as though he was toying with her, keeping himself just close enough to be noticed.

But as they neared the college, the bike suddenly veered off down a side street. It vanished as abruptly as it had appeared.

Veronica’s chest tightened, a mix of relief and an unexplainable pang of disappointment coursing through her.

When Alex parked near the college gates, she stepped out quickly, her eyes scanning the surrounding streets. The usual crowd of students milled about, cars and bikes cluttering the lot, but he was nowhere to be seen.

"Looking for someone?" Alex teased, tossing his bag over one shoulder.

She forced a smile, shaking her head.

"No one. Just… daydreaming."

But as they walked toward the building, her gaze lingered on every bike and shadow, her thoughts consumed by the man who had disappeared as quickly as he had come.