Turns out moving out isn't as simple as we thought. Because the year has already started, all the apartments even relatively close to the university are taken up. That, or they ask for a ridiculous amount in rent. Something we can't afford with our part time jobs. And then there's Nina still doubting Daniel is involved in all of this. Even after I told her he walked in a minute after I was being followed. She speaks logically, she says Daniel could have come after me on basically any of the nights we stayed here. She reminds me that he knows my schedule, what was stopping him from attacking me when he knew I was home alone? I don't have answers to that. But still, deep in my heart I cannot let go of my fears. In my mind, too many things line up, all stacking up against him. That's why I spend an hour each day searching up new places to live. I don't care if the rent is higher, or the apartment is further. We need to move.
Over the coming weekend, George invites Nina to stay over at his place, so I stay the weekend at Lara's. Though Lara doesn't know anything about what happened to me, she's happy to have me stay over. We spend the weekend watching movies and dancing, just like the old days when we were kids. To make everything better, since Lara installed cameras around her apartment, she hasn't received any more photos or threats.
Just as I begin to relax a little, it happens again. It's Tuesday, right after my rehearsal, when I'm on my way home. Approximately at the same location as before. I feel the presence again, I turn, and I see the tall silhouette of a man. He stops when I look his way. Just like before. This time I'm not fully alone, there are a few other people walking. I consider approaching him then and there, he can't hurt me when there are people on the street, right? I breathe in, square my shoulders, turn my body fully towards him and walk forward. I don't get to make a full few steps before he bolts. He knows he can't harm me when there are people around. But I have quite a long way home, when I move away from the main street, I will be alone. What if he's watching me from somewhere? Following me? Waiting for a chance to attack?
I feel stupid as I pull my phone out to call a cab. I'm less than two kilometres from the apartment, yet I'm calling a taxi. But just imagining being cornered on a dark street is enough to make my mind up. I wait ten minutes for the cab to arrive, if I walked, I would be home by now. The driver laughs when I tell him the address,
"But that's like a minute drive, love" he says with a strong accent,
"I know, um... I got a little lost" I lie,
"Ah, that's alright, happens to the best of us" he says reassuringly. He stops at the building, takes twenty dollars and drives off. Twenty dollars. I felt like such a loser handing it over. I should have just walked. I'm a fast runner, even if the guy was waiting for me chances are I could outrun him.
Phil is in the apartment when I walk in. I literally feel as if it's a repeat of the other night, and I can't help but expect Daniel to walk in straight after. I've managed to avoid both Daniel and Phil since that night, I haven't run into them, haven't seen them at all. I glance at the clock, half past nine, I'm home earlier than usual. But most nights Phil comes later than this.
"Hey" he greets, looking at me questioningly. He must think I'm a lunatic after how I acted that night,
"Hi"
"You feeling alright?" he asks,
"Yes... um, sorry about the other night"
"Don't apologise" he says, "though it would be nice to know what that was all about?"
"Uh..." I shake my head, "long story"
"Okay, fair" he says carefully, "just ordering dinner, you want anything?"
"No, I'm good, thanks" it feels very awkward between us. When we just moved in Phil used to be flirty and playful with me, now he's cautious. I can only imagine what's running through his head after Daniel told him I broke into his room.
But I don't have time to worry about Phil right now. Whether I like it or not, I must face my reality. I was followed tonight. Again. And calling a taxi each night was not an option. I can't keep ignoring this, I don't know if they will help, but I need to contact the police. I feel a headache is forming so I decide to make myself some tea before bed. I'm not much of a tea person but I desperately need something to calm my nerves. I put the water to boil, take out a knife to cut up a lemon. Then I hear a click. The front door. I turn. Daniel. It's been maybe ten minutes since I got home.
This night is literally turning into a repeat of the first night I was followed. Except this time, I caught a taxi, and this time Daniel didn't walk in right after me. He walked in ten minutes after me. Just about the time it would take to walk home from the location I saw the man following me. This time, though, I'm feeling brave. I think it's partly because I still feel stupid that I succumbed to calling a taxi, partly because I've had enough of living in fear, and partly because Phil was standing there.
I meet Daniel's eyes, he keeps his fixed on mine too. I lift my chin up, challenging him to come at me. He doesn't know that in my hand I'm grasping a knife that I was using for my lemon just before. As I'm leaning against the kitchen counter, I'm holding it hidden behind my back. I pray I don't have to use it, but I still hold onto it, just in case he comes at me,
"Where were you?" I ask, staring right at him,
"Why would I tell you?" he crosses his arms across his chest, his biceps bulge even more. Unsurprisingly, he's no longer nice to me like he used to be in the past. By the way he's looking at me, I have a feeling he genuinely hates me right now.
"Because I know what you're doing" I say,
"Oh yeah? And what exactly is that?"
"You know what it is"
"Why don't you tell me?"
"Because you know"
"I know you're acting like a little brat. Nothing more"
"You think that because you're big and strong everyone needs to be scared of you! Well, I am not!" I feel too angry to think over my words, they just come out. I have a feeling somewhere deep inside that I will regret saying this stuff, but my anger is adding fuel to my fire, I need him to know I'm not scared of him, even if it's a lie,
"Scared of me? Are you serious? You think I want you to be scared of me?" he scoffs,
"I know what you did, Daniel, and you need to back down"
"Then tell me what I did!"
"I won't tell you, I don't need to tell you! I will tell the police!"
"The police?" he asks threateningly,
"Yes, I will go to the police!" this makes him angry. I don't even finish my sentence, he's already coming at me. I raise the knife to ward him off, but he doesn't even give it enough thought to pause. He comes at me and grasps my wrist, squeezes hard and the knife falls to the ground, making a loud clanking sound. It took him less than a moment for him to disarm me.
I try to pull my wrist out of his grasp, but he pulls my arm behind my back, roughly pushing me against the fridge, trapping me with his body, a fearful squeal leaves my lips.
"Hey! Hey!" Phil yells, running towards us, "let her go!" he tells Daniel.
But Daniel ignores him, his powerful body stands right in front of mine, his menacing eyes stare down at me. I can't move. Not only because he's holding me but because I genuinely can't move. Not a muscle. My body is frozen. Compared to me, he's a giant. He could crush me, I wouldn't stand a chance. I feel my heart pounding, my breathing still,
"If you call the police," he speaks in a low voice, slow and deliberate, his eyes looking straight at mine. Dark and mean. That's how Lara described the eyes of her attacker.
"If you go to them," he speaks again, "I will give you a real reason to be scared of me"
He says nothing else; he releases my arm and with a final glare into my eyes, he pushes Phil out of the way and walks out of the apartment, slamming the door behind him.
"Are you okay?" Phil asks, just now my body is starting to react to everything. I start to tremble, I feel burning in my eyes, "Sofia, you okay?" Phil asks, he places a hand gently on my shoulder. My eyes move to his, I nod weakly. Don't cry. Please don't cry. Don't look even more pathetic than you already do,
"What are you accusing him of?" Phil asks, but I need a moment to compose myself. I shake my head and run to the bathroom. I stay there for a long few minutes, calming my nerves. He didn't hurt me. I'm overreacting. But at that moment I thought he would hit me, I was sure. He looked so angry. And the ease with which he made me drop the knife... I shiver.
Once I'm feeling slightly calmer, I wash my face with cold water, then walk out of the bathroom. Phil is standing in the kitchen where I left him,
"Will you talk to me?" Phil asks, I want to say no, but instead I nod a yes, "so, what are you accusing Daniel of doing?"
"I was followed" I say quietly, "tonight and a few nights back"
"Followed?"
"Yes, by someone. By a man. A tall one. This is the second night" I bite down on my lip, when Phil doesn't respond, I repeat again, feeling the need to be heard, "someone is stalking me"
"And you think it's Daniel?"
"Yes, I have reasons to believe it's him" I respond, Phil thinks my words over, then shakes his head,
"I can tell you one with hundred percent certainty that it's not him" he says,
"But it all matches up"
"What matches up?"
"Everything..."
"Sofia, listen to me" Phis says patiently, "it's not him. I know him. He's not following you. He's not like that"
"Then..." I mumble, "then why is he scared of the police?"
"He has a criminal past" Phil says without skipping a beat, I feel my face pale, but Phil shakes his head indifferently, "I do, too" he says,
"You do what?" I ask,
"Have a criminal background. We had a rough past, both of us. Daniel spent two years in prison..." Phil shakes his head, "but I can tell you one thing for sure. He may be impulsive at times, he may do stupid things. But hurting women in any way is not one of them. I'm telling you, he's a good man"
"And you don't think telling us about your criminal past was important when we were signing the lease?"
"Hey" he lifts his arms up defensively, "it's the past, and nothing too horrible, we didn't kill anyone or anything like that. We just got dealt a shit card in life"
"Regardless, we should have been told before!"
"No one's forcing you to stay here, if you don't like us, leave"
"I tried, Phil. I tried. But, now that the year has started, finding accommodation is near impossible. I'm checking advertisements every single day!"
"Oh yeah? We're that bad?" Phil asks, visibly angry,
"You literally just admitted you both have a criminal past and you act surprised! Really? And then Daniel has a gun in his room, a fake ID, and a drawer full of knives, you think that's normal? Oh, wait, maybe you do. You probably have that stuff too" I say, then I rush past him and into my room. Locking the door behind me.
"I'll give you a month to find a new place, and then I want you out of here. You hear me?" Phil yells after me, "don't want to deal with this shit!" I hear him walking off to his own bedroom, slamming his door.