Touch of Deception

NINE

She couldn't stop thinking about what Gail had said to her last night and this morning. It was probably the craziest idea she has ever heard. But she has to admit it was the best one there is. She couldn't think of any other way to lure her stalker out. 

She looked in front where her teacher was talking about the history of the country. She wasn't that interested in history and her professor isn't inclined to make it interesting for the class. She could see her classmates fighting their sleep as they try their best to keep up with him. He speaks Spanish and he never fails to remind them about it as he sometimes speaks Spanish to the class. They don't get it, of course. And she can't help but roll her eyes at the smug look on her professor's face as he translates it to them. She wasn't interested but her classmates seemed very amazed by it. 

 She was seated at the back. Matt Adams was five seats away from her. She doesn't have any qualms about him and he doesn't seem to be paying much attention to her lately. Which was good. 

The class ended and she received a message from Gail. She doesn't know if the stalker is from their school or just some random outsider. But what Gail has planned to do will reveal it. So she went to the Science and Mathematics building. She figured if she's alone, whoever it was that was following her would take that chance.

And the Science and Mathematics building was perfect for it. She went to a certain spot. The spot was perfect, she thought. There aren't many students in the area and it's pretty isolated. The spot was pretty abandoned as she could see some broken glasses dumped in front of where she was sitting. Still, she sat there, pretending to read her book, when in fact she was feeling her surroundings, hoping she'll get anything. She wasn't sure if it was a good idea but it was certainly the best way to lure whoever her stalker was. And if the stalker studies in the same university as her. Gail said the stalker would definitely want to get near her and by being alone, her stalker will surely take the chance. It's risky but they have to do it. 

She wasn't reading her book. She could barely read a word. Her heart was thundering loudly as she continued to listen to her surroundings. But the chirping of birds and the distant chitchat of students from the lobby was all she could hear. She stayed there for a couple of minutes and yet still no sign.

She sighed. Maybe she was just being paranoid. Maybe what she saw that night wasn't real. Maybe there wasn't really a shadow. Perhaps those dreams, where somebody was chasing her, has affected her real life too. Perhaps she was just imagining it. 

When she was about to stand, she dropped her book and that's when she saw someone reflected on the glasses in front of her. She froze. Her body froze. She looked behind her but there was no one. She looked at the broken glasses in front of her, but the reflection was gone. But she saw it. This time, she's sure she saw it. He was tall, wearing a black hoodie. She didn't saw his face but she was certain there was somebody behind her earlier. A few meters behind her. The hair on her arm rose and her heart ratcheted into a thunderous beat. He's here, she thought. Her stalker is from this university. And to think that he followed her there means he might have been following her around the school. 

She picked her book up and with trembling hands, fished her phone from her bag. She immediately texted Gail. She walked faster. The hallway was quiet. There was nobody--not one student could be seen walking in the hallway. They were all gathered in the lobby which was quite far from where she was. She swore under her breath. Her footsteps echoed throughout the hallway and she bit her lip when she heard another sound of footsteps coming from behind her. Her hands were trembling as she gripped her phone. She dialed Gail's number. 

"Where are you?" Gail's voice was urgent. And she swallowed hard before she talked. 

"I'm...I'm fine," she said. She turned to look back and the footstep sounds disappeared. But she knew he was there, hiding somewhere. "There's somebody following me. Whoever it is it---" she heaved a deep breath. "---he's gone." She roamed her eyes but there was no one. 

"Get out of there and proceed to the said place. Don't drop the call." 

She swallowed hard and continued walking. She was breathing hard.

"Act normal, Cel." She heard Gail whispered on the other line. So she heaved a deep breath and walked slower as she reached the lobby. She could see many students now. The Engineering building is just in front of the Science and Math building. All she has to do is to get there and walk to the rooftop. Whoever was following her will surely take that chance to get close to her. They figured if the stalker thinks she's alone, he'll reveal himself. 

And she walked faster. 

The Engineering building was packed but Gail said the rooftop is barren.

"I will call you back," she mumbled and dropped the call. She tried to calm herself as she waited for the elevator. And when the elevator opened, she immediately went inside but before the door closed, she was pinned on her spot as she saw her stalker several meters away, staring at her. He was wearing a mask and a black hoodie. She couldn't see his face. She knew it was a man. And genuine fear crept through her when she saw him ran towards the elevator. She pressed the button continuously, her hands shaking uncontrollably. 

She had her back glued on the elevator's wall as the door finally closed. She doesn't want to imagine what could have happened if the stalker managed to get in. 

Horror struck her system as she slowly realized someone was indeed following her. And the moment it dawned on her, she started recalling her dreams, the ones that make her hurl her guts out. 

It was suddenly hard to breathe. The elevator was suddenly very suffocating. But she closed her eyes, thinking of the freshly baked cake of her mother. She thought about how good it smelled and she thought about how delighted she was when her mother put the candles on it. She imagined blowing the candles one by one. She continued doing so and when the elevator opened, she immediately went out. Her knees buckled and she ran to the nearest bench for support. She was breathing heavily. 

Gail and her boyfriend must be hiding somewhere. That's what they've decided to do. To lure the stalker out here and Gail and her boyfriend will capture the stalker. And so she waited. She saw him back there. She's certain he will follow her on the rooftop. 

Her hands were still trembling. Her knees too. And her heart ratcheted into a thunderous beat when she heard footsteps again. This time, it came from behind the door. The stalker must have used the stairs. 

The footsteps were urgent. And she could clearly hear it. She dialed Gail's number. 

"Do you hear it?" she asked her roommate. 

"This rascal better be ready," Gail answered and she bit her lip. 

He chased her to the elevator. There's a huge chance he used the stairs instead. And there's a huge chance the footsteps they're hearing now is from the stalker. So they waited. Her knees were still trembling and her heart was beating loudly she could almost hear it. She was breathing hard and it was difficult to stay still. But she managed. Gail was whispering something on the other line but she could barely comprehend what she was saying. Her eyes were on the door, waiting for it to open. 

And when it did open, somebody came out of it. 

Her hands trembled and she dropped her phone as she realized who it was. 

"What are you doing here?" she asked. Her voice was small. She could barely talk. She couldn't believe what she's seeing. Or rather who she's seeing. 

He can't be.

"I was following you," he answered. His breathing was labored. He wasn't wearing the hoodie and the mask, much to her confusion. 

"You...You've been following me?" She took a step back as he stepped closer. 

"I saw you enter this building and you looked...tensed, scared. So I followed you. I..." He let out another deep breath before he ran his hand through his hair. "I...I thought you're problematic and you'd do something in here." 

Her brows furrowed at what he said. "Wait. You saw me enter the building? Where were you?" 

"At the laboratory. I ditched the class because I was worried. You looked like somebody's chasing you." 

She heaved a deep breath as she realized how stupid of her to even think Matt Adams was the stalker. 

"Who are you and why are you following Celeste?" 

Gail and her boyfriend came out from where they were hiding. Matt turned to look at them and Gail froze. 

"Wait. You're Matt Adams. You're Celeste's stalker?" Gail asked and then she looked at her. She shrugged. 

"You have a stalker?" It was Matt's turn to look at her. 

Her knees buckled and she slumped on the bench. 

"He's not the stalker, Gail. He saw me enter the building so he followed me." 

But Gail still gave Matt a dubious look. "Why did you follow her?" 

"I saw her enter the building while I was in a class. She looked scared so I followed her because I thought she might---" He heaved a sigh. Whatever he wants to say, he finds it difficult to let out. But he decided to say it anyway.

"I thought she might jump from the rooftop."

Silence passed between them. And then Gail's resounding laugh was all they could hear. Her boyfriend was just shaking his head. Celeste heaved a sigh. 

"He's not our guy," she said and Matt looked at her.

"Who's stalking you?"

"That's what we're trying to find out."

* * *