Forever Watching

Days bled into weeks, but May couldn't escape the feeling of Will's eyes following her. Every corner she turned, every street she walked down, she couldn't shake the sense that he was there, lurking in the shadows. She tried to go about her life—attending classes, meeting friends—but it was as if every moment was haunted by his presence. The fear was suffocating, and the constant anxiety was wearing her down.

She tried to convince herself that she was overreacting. After all, Will hadn't physically harmed her, hadn't crossed any obvious lines. He was still just a man with an unsettling fixation, someone whose words didn't carry weight. But deep down, she knew better. There was a dark edge to his smile, something in the way he spoke to her, something that told her he would stop at nothing to make her his.

May didn't dare tell anyone about Will. The idea of sounding paranoid or irrational made her hesitate. Her friends wouldn't understand—they'd think she was overblowing the situation. They couldn't possibly know what it was like to be watched, to feel someone's presence pressing in on every moment, every thought. And the worst part was that she couldn't escape.

She couldn't even escape her own apartment.

After the encounter outside the bookstore, May had changed her routine even more drastically, trying to avoid places where she had seen Will before. But no matter how much she tried, the fear seemed to follow her. She'd look out the window in the morning and scan the street below, half-expecting to see him standing there, waiting. Sometimes she could swear she saw him—his figure just barely visible in the distance, hiding behind a tree or car—but when she blinked, he was gone.

She couldn't keep living like this.

One evening, after an exhausting day of running errands and trying to keep her head low, May made her way back to her apartment building. She was already tense from her day, her mind spinning with worries she didn't want to face. As she neared the entrance, she froze.

There, sitting on the steps, was Will.

He was dressed in dark clothes, blending into the night as he watched her approach. His eyes glinted in the dim light, his smile faint but unmistakable. The moment their gazes locked, a chill ran through her. He had been waiting for her. He always was.

"May," he said, his voice a soft, low murmur. "I've been waiting."

She didn't respond. She couldn't. Her mouth felt dry, her body frozen, as if her legs had turned to stone. He wasn't just following her anymore—he was here, in her space, where she was supposed to feel safe.

"I know you've been avoiding me," Will continued, his voice calm, almost affectionate. "But I think it's time we finally talked. Don't you?"

May swallowed hard, her heart hammering in her chest. Every part of her screamed at her to run, but her legs wouldn't move. "How did you get here?" she managed, her voice trembling. "How long have you been waiting?"

"Long enough," he said, his smile widening ever so slightly. "I told you I'd be around. You can't run from me, May. Not anymore."

The coldness in his tone sent a wave of nausea through her, but she fought to steady herself. "What do you want from me?"

Will stood up, slowly walking toward her, each step deliberate. He didn't seem rushed, as if he were savoring the moment. "I want you to understand," he said quietly. "I want you to see that we're meant to be together. I've been patient, but now it's time. I know you're scared, but I'll make it easy. I just want you to see me the way I see you."

May instinctively stepped back, her pulse racing. "No," she whispered. "I don't want any of this. I don't want you in my life."

His expression didn't change. There was no anger, no frustration, just an unwavering calmness in his eyes. "You don't understand yet, but you will. You'll see that I'm the one who's always been here for you. I'm the one who knows you better than anyone. I'm the one who'll protect you."

The air between them felt thick, suffocating. May's mind raced as she tried to think of a way out, some excuse, some way to escape, but all she could feel was Will's presence closing in on her, overwhelming her every thought.

And then, just as she was about to speak, something inside her snapped.

Without thinking, May turned and bolted for the door of the building, fumbling with her keys as she tried to unlock it. Her hands were shaking, her entire body screaming at her to get inside, to lock herself away from him.

But Will was right behind her, too fast for her to outrun. He reached out, grabbing her arm before she could pull the door open.

"Where do you think you're going?" he whispered, his grip tightening painfully. "You can't hide from me."

May twisted in his grasp, the panic rising like a wave inside her. "Let go of me! Please, let go!" she cried, her voice rising in desperation.

Will's face remained unreadable, his eyes cold. "I'm not letting you go, May. Not anymore. You need to stop running. You'll never be free of me."

With a final, desperate surge of strength, May managed to wrench her arm from his grip and stumbled backward into the building. She slammed the door behind her, the sound of it locking echoing in the silence. Her heart raced as she leaned against the door, gasping for breath. She could hear Will's faint chuckle from the other side, a low, haunting sound that made her blood run cold.

"Don't think this is over, May," he called through the door. "I'm always here. And I'll always find you."

She sank to the floor, her back pressed against the door as the reality of her situation sank in. She was trapped.

No matter how hard she tried to escape, no matter what she did, Will was always one step behind her. He was always watching.

She couldn't run anymore.