The faint aroma of coffee filled the air as Annie sipped her afternoon latte, her fingers tapping rhythmically against the wooden table. She had spent her entire day in a haze, thinking about Beck and their time together the previous night. It brought a smile to her face each time she thought about it. Suddenly, her phone buzzed, breaking her concentration.
Annie's expression changed to one of confusion as she glanced at the screen. The message was from an unknown number. Her heart raced as she read the message.
Unknown: "I'm watching you, Annie. You look lonely. Where's your boyfriend? Should I stop by and say hi?"
Annie's grip on the phone tightened, her mind racing. Her heart skipped a beat as she re-read the message. She glanced around the café, feeling a chill crawl down her spine.
Annie: "Who is this?"
Almost instantly, another message arrived.
Unknown: "I see you two together all the time. What happened to being asexual?"
A few seconds passed before the phone buzzed again. The response sent shivers down Annie's spine.
Unknown: "Or do you only put out for artists?"
Annie's chest tightened, panic setting in. She frantically scanned the café, trying to spot anyone suspicious. The messages weren't just empty threats; they were real and explicitly targeted at her.
Annie's hands trembled as she typed a response.
Annie: "Ethan? Is this you? This is not funny!"
Unknown: "Haha! Ethan. That poor guy. He's done nothing wrong but keeps getting blamed."
She hastily gathered her things and rushed out of the café. With every step, the unsettling feeling of being watched lingered.
Her phone buzzed again. She stopped walking abruptly and looked at the message. Annie's breath hitched. Two pictures flashed on the screen—snapshots of her and Beck.
Her mind raced back to her recent interactions. Was there someone who seemed overly interested in her and Beck's relationship? The thought of someone intruding on her personal life sent shivers down her spine.
Annie: "Stop this! Who are you?"
No response.
Arriving at home, Annie ran inside and locked the door behind her. She paced around the living room, wondering what to do next. She considered calling the police but hesitated, unsure if they'd think she was overreacting.
Another message flashed on her phone: "Ignoring me won't make me disappear."
Her heart raced faster. Fear consumed her, and she quickly called Beck, her hands trembling as she recounted the situation between panicked breaths.
"I'm on my way," Beck's reassuring voice came through the phone. "Stay inside and keep the doors locked."
Annie nodded, her voice trembling. "Please hurry."
Minutes felt like an eternity as Annie sat in her living room, anxiously checking the windows and peering through the curtains, her heart pounding in her chest. The silence in the room felt stifling. Her hand instinctively clutched her chest as her breathing became more labored.
Finally, the sound of a familiar knock on the door broke the tension. Annie rushed to open it, relieved to see Beck standing there, concern etched across his face.
"Are you okay?" Beck asked, wrapping her in a comforting hug as soon as she opened the door.
Annie nodded, her voice shaking. "I don't understand what's happening. I'm scared, Beck."
Beck took the phone from her, his expression darkening as he read through the messages. "We need to call the police."
Soon after, the police arrived, and Beck explained the situation while Annie recounted the threatening messages. The officers listened attentively, scrolling through the messages on her phone.
"We'll trace the number and investigate," Officer Davis assured them. "In the meantime, don't engage with the sender. If anything else happens, call us immediately."
Annie nodded, feeling a bit more reassured with the police involved. "Thank you."
Officer Davis left his contact information and promised to keep them updated on any developments. As the officers left, Beck locked the door behind them. Annie sat on the couch, her hands still trembling.
Returning to the couch, he sat next to Annie and wrapped his arms around her. She curled up against him, leaning into his embrace.
"Why would someone do this?" Annie's voice wavered, the fear evident in her words.
"I don't know." Beck's brows furrowed in concern. "Do you want to stay at my place?"
Annie hesitated for a moment, considering his offer. "No. I'm not going to let this person run me out of my home."
Beck nodded, understanding the determination in her voice. "Alright, we'll stay here."
Annie nestled in closer to him, finding comfort in his presence. They sat in silence, the anxiety of the unknown looming over them.
Annie's phone remained silent on the coffee table, the absence of any further messages adding to the tension in the room.
"I'll make us some tea," Beck suggested, gently disentangling himself from their embrace. He walked into the kitchen, and she watched as he worked making them tea.
Beck soon returned with two steaming mugs and settled back down beside her, handing her a mug while keeping a watchful eye on her. She looked pale and weary. Seeing her like this induced rage inside Beck.
"Thanks," Annie murmured, wrapping her trembling fingers around the warmth of the mug.
Beck shifted closer, his arm instinctively encircling her shoulders, drawing her into his embrace. "We'll figure this out."
Annie leaned into him. "I just... don't understand why someone would do this."
"I know," Beck murmured, kissing the top of her head. "You're safe. I'll make sure of that."
The following morning, Beck awoke with Annie wrapped in his arms. He glanced over at the bedside table, checking the time. Nine o'clock in the morning. He gently disengaged from Annie and rolled out of bed.
As he walked to the bathroom, he heard Annie's phone buzz and rushed over to it before it could wake her. Looking at the screen, he saw a message from Hannah.
Hannah: "Where are you? You're late."
Beck walked back to the bedroom and gently woke Annie, handing her the phone.
Annie read the message from Hannah, a hint of concern evident in her furrowed brows. "I completely forgot I'm supposed to be at the office today."
Sensing her distress, Beck gave her a reassuring smile. "Why don't you take the day off? And you should let Hannah know what's going on. She'll worry."
Annie nodded. "Okay, thank you."
Beck left the room, giving her some privacy to handle Hannah's message. Annie quickly texted Hannah, explaining that she needed to take a day off and would catch up on work tomorrow. She apologized for not letting her know sooner and reassured Hannah that everything was alright.
Within a few minutes, Hannah replied:
Hannah: "Annie, is everything okay? What's happening? Do you need me to come over?"
Annie pondered for a moment, considering how much to share with Hannah. She wanted to avoid alarming her friend unnecessarily but also felt a need to tell her. She decided to call Hannah.
"Hey, Hannah," Annie said, trying to keep her voice steady.
"Annie! Are you alright? What's going on?" Hannah's voice was filled with concern.
"Can you go somewhere private? Where no one can overhear you."
"Okay, okay. I'm in your office with the door closed. What the hell is going on?"
Annie sighed, trying to gather her thoughts. "I've been receiving some unsettling messages. I don't know who it is, but they've been targeting me and Beck. It's been really scary."
"Oh my god, Annie, are you serious?" Hannah's tone turned from concern to alarm. "Should I come over? Do you need help?"
"Beck is here," Annie explained. "We're okay, but the police are involved now. They said they'll trace the number."
"Ethan," Hannah practically growled his name. "That fucking little weasel."
Annie chuckled, "I have no proof that it's him. The messages are from an unknown number."
"Well, I'm keeping an eye on him either way."
"I know it's too coincidental for it to not be him, but we can't prove it."
Hannah sighed. "Okay, fine. I'm glad Beck's with you. Please, please stay safe. If you need anything, just let me know."
"Thank you, Hannah. I really appreciate it," Annie replied, feeling a bit lighter after sharing her worries with her friend.
Annie hung up and took a deep breath. After a moment, she got off the bed and made her way to the living room, looking for Beck.
She found him in the kitchen. He handed her a hot cup of coffee and kissed her forehead.
"Now," Beck said, taking her free hand and leading her over to the couch. "We should get some fresh air, maybe take a walk or go for a drive."
Annie hesitated for a moment, entertaining the idea. "Alright, let's do that."
"We could go for a nice long hike. What do you think?"
"Sure. There's actually a really nice trail I used to take all the time but it's far."
"How far?"
"About an hour. It's near my hometown." Annie smiled.
Beck's eyes lit up with interest. "Sounds perfect. Let's pack some lunch and make a day of it."
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