Oh, I Got You!

The vibration sound of my phone woke me up. I felt around the bed to locate the source. Not finding it, I got up and leaned against the headboard. I glanced at the square object on the nightstand, realizing I hadn't placed it there.

My gaze fell on the window near the bed. There was a small crack, the window was open. I sighed; this was happening again. I couldn't leave the window open while sleeping. I always locked it, but every morning I'd find it open.

The clock's hands pointed to eight. Mr. Sony's class would start soon. Uncomfortably, I tried to ignore the incident. It wasn't the first or second time. I hoped it was just my forgetfulness about locking the window.

Passing the full-body mirror near the bathroom, my steps halted. I observed my unusual appearance. There was a small red mark on the left side of my neck. I touched it, feeling no pain. I was sure it wasn't there last night.

I couldn't have injured my own neck. I still take care of myself. I felt a shiver down my spine. Could this be the work of another being? Or a vampire?

It sounded increasingly absurd. I quickly cleaned up in the bathroom. I had class in about an hour. I lived alone here, far from my hometown and parents. To continue my scholarship, I accepted this separation from my mom and dad. However, they visited once a month to ease the longing.

After getting ready, I headed to the kitchen for breakfast. The house wasn't too small or too big, with one bedroom, a kitchen, and a living room with a television. Despite occasional loneliness, I still enjoyed life.

Walking towards the door, I noticed a small red-colored paper under the door crack. It was folded, hiding its contents. Again. I found this paper again today. Until when would this continue? I grabbed the paper and read its contents.

Morning Samara,

Today you have a busy schedule.

Don't forget your breakfast and health.

I don't want to see you sick.

As I suspected, it was something like this. Today's letter wasn't much different from the ones I've been finding lately. At the end of the paper, I saw a faint, small signature. As usual, I threw the paper in the trash can in front of the house.

As long as these strange things don't harm me, I'll endure them. Once I complained to my mom and dad, but their response was only a mocking smile. They started thinking I had a lover, and these incidents were the actions of my admirer. Impossible.

Chasing the ever-dwindling time, I walked towards the bus stop. When the bus arrives, I immediately board and take a seat near the left corner window. I scan my surroundings. The bus is crowded with school students, college students, mothers, and men standing, leaning against the poles.

Feeling secure, I start breathing easily. Almost every morning, I feel threatened. People seem suspicious to me. Sometimes I feel like I'm being watched, but I can't find the source of my concerns.

I press the stop button on the bus, indicating that I've reached. After thanking the driver, I walk a bit into the campus gate. This morning is quite cloudy, perfect weather for relaxation, but not for me. Mr. Sony's assignment is waiting to be submitted.

"Nadia!"

I turn as my name is called. Hana. A girl of mixed Asian blood with bangs on her forehead embraces me. I lean slightly forward and reciprocate by hugging her around the neck. So far, Hana is the only one I can trust; she's been with me since the beginning of our time in college.

"Surprisingly, you're up early today? Usually, you arrive five minutes before the professor enters," I tease.

Hana snorts, "Today is Mr. Sony's class. I don't want to be embarrassed in front of the class like yesterday. Besides, he gave us an assignment. That old man is really annoying."

I dismiss Hana's grumbling like a passing breeze. She always complains at every opportunity, even though I know she's intelligent and has many achievements in the field of science. Hana even went to the Netherlands to participate in an international competition. Plus, she has a sociable nature.

She's good at making friends, unlike me, who isn't keen on blending in. Two hours pass as we listen to the theories Mr. Sony presents. After class, we stop by a cafe near the campus-known for its bustling atmosphere, affordable for budget-conscious students like me who enjoy saving money.

We take seats in a corner near the window, watching the drizzle fall over the city. Ah, the weather is perfect for lazing around. Not feeling too hungry, I order snacks like cakes and bread with cola.

"I heard rumors about Adam and Quin being in a relationship. Did you know?" Hana pauses, "They were caught kissing in the back garden yesterday. Everyone's talking about it, and you must know about the rumor that Adam is gay."

Sometimes I'm puzzled about how Hana gets such hot gossip. It's as if she never misses any campus information. I only hear Hana recounting the daily commotion on campus, thanks to her; I'm updated on campus affairs.

Amid our conversation, a waitress comes, delivering milk and pasta with tomato sauce. Hana and I furrow our brows, feeling we didn't order anything after our initial request.

"Order for Nadia Samara," says the waitress.

I become more confused, "Um, excuse me. I don't recall ordering that." "Someone asked me to bring this food to your table. Don't worry; it's been paid for, and your order is covered too."

Hana and I exchange glances, "Who gave it?" I ask suspiciously. "I'm sorry, Miss. My job is just to deliver, so I don't know who placed the order."

I sigh, "Just leave it here."

After placing the pasta and milk on the table, the waitress leaves. I glance at Hana, who remains silent, looking at me skeptically. I know what's on her beautiful mind. She's probably just like my parents.

"Do you have a secret admirer, Nadia?"

There it is! Just as I suspected!

"No. I have no idea."

"Look, there's a letter here." Hana points to the paper, but before she can read it, I snatch it away, eliciting a huff from the short-banged girl.

"No. I have no idea."

"At breakfast, you only had bread. This afternoon, you should eat a proper meal, dear. You even forgot to drink your milk. Finish that food for me..."

I feel my breath becoming unsteady. All of this is making me more scared. How does she know I had bread for breakfast? I crumple the paper and scan the cafe, hoping to find something. Unfortunately, everything seems fine, nothing suspicious here.

"Nadia! Tell me who's doing this? You must have a lover, right? You didn't even tell me! How mean!" Hana exclaims.

I massage my throbbing head. "No. I don't know..."

"Then what should we do with this delicious food?" Hana asks, looking at the tomato sauce pasta with keen interest.

"You go ahead and finish it. I don't want it."

Without waiting, Hana grabs a fork and starts eating the pasta herself. She also drinks the milk that was ordered earlier. Meanwhile, I'm busy contemplating who the mastermind behind all this might be. I feel like crying; the growing fear is making me shrink inside.

To be continued...

In my sleep, I felt a heavy object pressing on the upper part of my stomach. It seemed to move, pulling my body backward until my back touched a broad chest. I wasn't sure if it was a chest, but one thing was certain – it felt solid.

It's difficult to distinguish if this is a dream or reality. Feeling disturbed, I changed my position to lie on my back, and the heavy object on my stomach moved with me. Faintly, I heard a soft whistle with gentle strokes in my hair, as if trying to lull me back to sleep.

Yet, I attempted to grasp some awareness; my eyes squinted. My vision was filled with darkness because I always turned off the lights when sleeping for a more peaceful rest. Briefly, I caught a whiff of a pleasant musk mixed with citrus in my nose.

The cold, humid air made my eyes unable to endure. I reached for the stuffed animal on the headboard and hugged it. My eyes closed tightly, and soon, I was engulfed in a peaceful sleep. The gentle strokes on my head continued until I remembered nothing more.

***

"Nadia! Nadia!"

I startled awake, my head suddenly throbbing. The banging sound and loud calls kept entering my ears. I kicked off the gray blanket around my waist, reaching for the long kimono on the chair to cover my body clad only in a tank top.

Hana's voice echoed loudly from outside my bedroom door, as the main door was close to my room. So Hana's high-pitched voice resonated as loudly as an alarm in my room. Annoyed, I unlocked the door, and Hana barged in.

"What's going on?" I asked while closing the door again.

"Emergency!" she exclaimed. "Miss Diana's class is starting soon!" She continued excitedly, making my small house resonate.

"Miss Diana? Isn't that scheduled for tomorrow?" I questioned, confused, as far as I knew, there were no classes today. I had planned to relax in my room all day watching Netflix.

"Didn't you check your phone messages? She asked for a schedule change because she has an event tomorrow!"

I held my breath. "So, what do we do?" I asked, feeling lost. Hana rolled her eyes lazily, "Hurry up and shower, Nadia Samara! We'll be late if we don't leave in an hour."

I stomped my foot in frustration; my plans for a relaxing day had failed again. I had even prepared some snacks to enjoy. I deliberately woke up later for this special day. Yes, every day off is a special day for me.

"Wait!" Hana interrupted as I was about to pass by her. I looked at her with a mix of confusion and annoyance.

"What now?"

Hana touched my neck, and I immediately avoided her, moving away from her hands that were trying to touch my shoulder again.

"Who gave you a hickey?"

I frowned; my head spun again. "What do you mean?" "The red mark on your neck," Hana touched my neck with her finger, "who did it?"

Ignoring Hana, I quickly walked into the room and closed the door. I ran a bit towards the full-body mirror near the bathroom, looking at the red mark on my left neck again. This time, the mark increased by one from last night.

My memory rewinds to last night's events. My eyes land on the bed I slept in, then return to the window near the room. I feel like someone has entered my room. Yes, I sense someone's presence here. Goosebumps rise on my skin. Is it an unseen entity?

It seems I should install CCTV in this room. But my fear returns; I'm afraid to see the results later. Honestly, I'm not ready to know what happened to me; I'm scared.

"Nadia, we have half an hour left!" Hana shouts softly from the kitchen.

I quickly grab a towel and enter the bathroom. Just as I'm about to clean up, a small note stuck to the mirror catches my attention. Yellow paper. I approach slowly and remove the paper.

"You didn't eat your dinner last night, dear. I was angry, so I added another red mark to your neck. Naughty girl, don't defy my orders again!!"

I cover my mouth tightly with my hand. I can't hold back my tears. My tears flow, dropping down my cheeks. All of this is clearly done by an irresponsible person. This is harassment.

Should I report this to the police? Well, I will report it to the police. But, if I do that, what about my studies and my reputation? The perpetrator didn't leave anything specific aside from the red mark on my neck. Everyone would likely assume it's a hickey done by a man for his lover, just like with Hana.

In the end, I finish my cleaning while crying. I also vigorously scrub my neck with a body scrubber, intending to erase any traces of whoever it was on my body.

After finishing, I go through the day as usual. Hana manages to slightly cheer me up with her silly antics. For a moment, I forget the strange incident that haunted me.

***

Weekends like this are perfect for relaxing. I search through the cabinet where I usually keep my snacks. But it's empty, only a few nuts are left. It looks like I need to buy some snack supplies. Today, I plan to be lazy and watch movies, and this time, nobody should disturb my plans.

I head out wearing a large brown hoodie paired with black shorts. I grab my wallet and phone. The shopping place is not far from my house. It's right in front of this residential complex, near where I usually wait for the bus.

I don't forget to bring my gray umbrella because I see the weather is getting cloudy again. Just to be safe, I have an umbrella before it rains. As I pass by my house, I see the usually vacant house next to mine now occupied by several people.

Taking the initiative, I approach one of them and ask, "Excuse me, sir. If I may ask, what's happening in that house?"

"Oh, this. Someone will be moving into this house in the near future. They said the owner will start living here tomorrow," the man replies while observing the house we're talking about.

I nod, after saying thank you, I continue walking towards the front of the complex. I'm a bit relieved because the empty house is starting to be occupied by someone. At least my assumption about the haunted house is slowly disappearing. Hopefully, my new neighbor is a girl and we're the same age.

Arriving at the supermarket, I pick up some snacks that I think will last, and also some canned drinks to fill the fridge. When it feels enough, I pay for my food and head back home.

My dark brown hair flutters with the passing wind. I observe the slightly deserted surroundings. People seem to have the same lazy nature as me, reluctant to go out on weekends. It's more comfortable staying at home and enjoying the day with snacks and soda.

My gaze falls downward, playing with small rocks with my home slippers. Having pale white skin is common for Americans. I just need to keep my skin moisturized, so I enjoy doing home treatments with beauty products like body lotion and skincare.

To be continued...

From a young age, I've attracted attention. A girl with bright brown eyes and healthy straight hair. I inherited my eye color from my father; my mother has green eyes, while my father's are the same as mine.

Without realizing it, I arrived in front of the house. I opened the door with the key, glancing briefly to the side. I saw someone's upright figure facing away from me through a window that seemed to align with my room's window. The neighboring house was gradually filling up with furniture like chairs, wardrobes, and small knick-knacks.

After successfully opening the door, I entered. Organizing the newly purchased items, neatly arranging everything in the large cabinet next to the fridge. Then, I washed my used dishes and wiped off some stains on the dining table. Once I felt I had completed all the tasks, I grabbed some snacks and a can of drink to take to my room.

I spent the day watching Netflix series without any disturbances. I enjoyed my day off in solitude with a few snacks. Before I knew it, I had fallen asleep with my laptop still on.

I woke up startled, feeling darkness surrounding me. I reached for the phone next to me to turn on the light. It turned out to be eight in the evening. I had slept since the afternoon and just woke up now? Absolutely outrageous.

I quickly got up to turn on the light switch near the door, instantly illuminating the entire room. My gaze fell on the open window; I approached it slowly and closed it. However, from across the way, I saw the window of my new neighbor open with dim room lights. I furrowed my brow; weren't they supposed to move tomorrow? Why does it seem like there's someone living in there?

For some reason, my mind went blank, lost in thought. As my consciousness faded, I saw a man in my neighbor's room, undressing. I could see it clearly because the window was open.

I quickly closed the window curtain and held my chest, uncomfortable with the pounding. This was the first time I had seen a man's body. My cheeks felt hot. Without waiting any longer, I immediately entered the bathroom and cleaned myself up.

***

That night, I stayed awake until morning, my sleep replaced by restlessness. Coincidentally, the lecturer for the day suddenly canceled the class and rescheduled it for the day after. I was grateful to relax at home again. I truly didn't step outside until someone knocked on my door, surprising me as rarely anyone visited besides Hana.

Reluctantly, I threw on my cardigan to cover my short sleepwear, slipping into my sleep sandals as I made my way to the front. Peeking through the window, I tried to identify the person knocking, but my window was too small to see much, except for someone tall.

With hesitation, I pressed the door handle until it opened. I looked up, and in that moment, my breath seemed to pause. My eyes didn't blink for a few seconds.

A mature man. His tall figure almost matched the frame of my door. He had a large body with broad shoulders. His long legs were clad in dark blue sleek pants, and he wore a formal white shirt, resembling someone working in a big company.

"Morning..."

I clutched my cardigan tightly upon hearing his first greeting. I swear, his voice sounded incredibly smooth with a sexy baritone. My whole body felt weak, drawn to his charm. He truly embodied the essence of perfection.

"morning"

"Y-yeah?"

The man in front of me smiled warmly. His eyes squinted cutely, accentuated by a dimple on his right cheek. But wait, I got distracted by the color of his eyes. Absolutely beautiful. Like bright gray resembling silver. I'm sure those eyes attract a lot of attention.

Ah, a perfect figure...

"I just moved next door." He pointed to the house beside mine.

"Ah, y-yes..." I lowered my head, realizing that my tongue wasn't under control.

Still smiling, the man whose name I didn't know handed me a brown-colored box. "This is a gift for you. Consider it an initial introduction."

"Thank you." I accepted the box with a friendly smile.

As I looked up, I caught the man's gaze intensely fixed on me. It made my stomach feel fluttery, as if he was compelling me to keep looking at him. Unable to resist his charm, I lowered my head again, pretending to inspect the box in my hands.

"May I introduce myself?" He asked politely, extending his right hand. "I'm Grey Heiro. You can call me Grey."

"I'm Nadia Samara." I replied, shaking his hand. Vaguely, I felt his fingers gently squeezing mine.

"Pleasure to meet you, Nadia."

Oh, God.

I felt the uncomfortable thumping in my chest again. It seemed like I was experiencing the feelings Hana often mentioned to me – love at first sight. I lowered my head, brushing away strands of hair around my face. I was sure my cheeks were now flushed; I could feel the warmth.

Adding to that, the scent of his cologne lingered in the air within my breath's reach. So distinctly masculine. I couldn't describe how perfect the figure in front of me was. All I knew was that I could imagine how lucky the girl who became his girlfriend was.

"Are you okay, Nadia?" Grey touched my arm with concern. At that moment, I felt my cheeks reddening even more.

No. No. No.

This couldn't happen.

"Yes, I'm fine, Grey." I said, pulling my hand away from his reach.

Grey nodded but didn't take his gaze off me. "Alright. Uh, I just moved here and don't know anyone. I hope we can be good neighbors and friends, Nadia."

"Of course. Nice to meet you, Grey."

Grey glanced at his watch and then looked at me again. "Sorry, I still have some work. It seems I have to say goodbye for now."

"Yeah, it's okay, Grey. Thanks for the gift."

"I'm sure you'll like my present." He said softly. "Well then, I'll leave now. Have a good day, Nadia."

I smiled; Grey brought a breath of fresh air. My mood lifted instantly; I don't know why I felt happy. Especially after he said his last words. "Have a nice day, Grey."

Before Grey got into his car, he looked back at me. "Can we talk again sometime?" He asked.

My stiff head nodded slowly. Grey smiled for the last time today. He waved his right hand, and I responded with my smile. After that, Grey left in his car.