Chapter 9:

I woke up to the sound of my alarm blaring. Sofi was still snoring softly beside me, completely undisturbed. I rubbed my eyes and stretched, the events of the previous day flooding back to me. Moving back into my old house, the creepy but undeniably hot stalker, and the strange mix of emotions I couldn't quite place.

Sofi stirred as I got out of bed, mumbling something incoherent before rolling over and falling back asleep. I smiled at her peaceful face and tiptoed out of the room to get ready for the day.

As I stood under the hot shower, I couldn't shake off the thoughts about him. Who was he? Why was he so interested in me? I shook my head, trying to clear the thoughts, and began shampooing my hair. As soon as I came out of the washroom, I saw Sofi still sleeping.

"God, she's gonna make us late today," I muttered.

I went over to her and began shaking her to wake her up. "Sofi, bitch, come on, wake up. We are going to get late."

This sleepy girl didn't even bother to open her eyes and said, "Darling, I know you're dying to see your crush, and that's why you're up early. You get ready, take your time, I'll be up in 10 minutes."

"God, Sofi, it's not about that," I lied.

"Ten minutes only."

"Okay."

I moved away from her and started getting ready. I wore parachute pants and a tank top today. I kept my hair open, letting the light curls fall on my back. I didn't go for makeup; I only wore sunscreen, groomed my lashes, curled them, and put on mascara.

I was ready. I looked at myself in the mirror and thought about Enzo Moritti, the most handsome bachelor in the city. He was coming today for the college function as a guest and mentor. Sofi came and leaned against the door.

"Bitch, you're looking sexy. You should definitely hit on him today," she said.

"Sofi, babe, you know I'm not going to do anything like that. I only have a crush on him. Besides, I ain't going after him. You know me, right?"

"Yeah, bitch, chill. But trust me, if he ever lays his eyes on you, he's never gonna look back. He'll surely fall in love."

I laughed. "I don't want anything like that. But yeah, I'm excited to see him again today."

He had been to our college before, and this was his second time visiting.

"Sofi, get ready. I'll make breakfast."

"Okay, bitch."

With that, she got in the washroom and started getting ready. Meanwhile, I made us some toast and bacon, and a hot coffee.

Sofi finally emerged from the washroom, and we sat down for breakfast. The toast and bacon smelled heavenly, and the coffee was just what we needed to kick-start our day.

As we were finishing up and getting ready to leave, I opened the front door and found a bouquet of flowers with a note attached. It read,

"Have a wonderful day,Tesoro

Your's E"

I picked up the flowers and brought them inside. Sofi watched me with a curious look. "You're beginning to accept this?" she asked.

"I mean, no," I replied, "but what else can I do? I don't want to throw these beautiful flowers away. Whatever I do, he keeps sending me flowers and gifts. I need to end this."

Sofi patted my shoulder. "You're becoming calm day by day. Hopefully, it'll end up good for you. I'm here with you always."

I smiled at her, appreciating her support. We headed out, with Sofi driving the car. I enjoyed the view from the window as my home was in the countryside, making the mornings peaceful and the scenery breathtaking.

Suddenly, my phone rang. I picked it up and saw a message from "Fuckface." I didn't know why, but I had saved my stalker's number with that name.

**FUCKFACE**: GOOD TO GO FOR THE DAY, BABY?

**ME**: I AIN'T ANSWERABLE TO YOU.

**FUCKFACE**: TESORO, YOU ARE. YOU DON'T KNOW THIS, BUT YOU ARE.

**ME**: WHAT DO YOU WANT?

**FUCKFACE**: I ALREADY TOLD YOU, I WANT YOU.

**ME**: IN YOUR DREAMS.

**FUCKFACE**: I ALREADY OWNED YOU THERE, AND I'M GOING TO OWN YOU IN REALITY SOON.

**ME**: KEEP DAYDREAMING.

**FUCKFACE**: MY LITTLE ANGRYBIRD, LET'S NOT TALK ABOUT THIS RIGHT NOW. YOU HAVE AN IMPORTANT DAY TODAY. BEST OF LUCK, AND YEAH, KEEP THINKING ABOUT ME.

I didn't reply back, feeling a mix of irritation and unease. Who does he think he is?

Sofi said something that I didn't hear.

"Elena, where are you? I'm saying something. What happened? Is everything alright? Are you feeling okay?" she asked with concern.

"Yes, I'm okay," I replied, forcing a smile. "I was thinking about my parents." (I lied.) I didn't want Sofi to know about the messages from my stalker yet. I mean, I'll tell her, but not now.

"I was saying, Enzo Moritti will be hiring interns today, and I have a feeling he'll hire you too," Sofi said.

"Sofi, what makes you think that? I mean, there are more capable and efficient students in our college."

"Babe, trust my intuition. Okay, let's have a bet. If he hires you today, you're going to sponsor a trip, and if not, I will. Done?"

"Okay, done."

We both laughed, trying to lighten the mood. Sofi turned up the music, and we sang along to our favorite songs as we drove towards the college. The scenery changed from the peaceful countryside to the bustling city, and my nerves started to kick in.

Arriving at college, the campus was abuzz with excitement. Students were dressed in their best, hoping to impress Enzo Moritti. The anticipation was palpable, and I couldn't help but feel a mixture of anxiety and excitement.

As we walked towards the main hall, Sofi nudged me. "Look, there he is," she whispered, pointing towards a sleek black car pulling up.

Enzo Moritti stepped out, exuding confidence and power. He was even more handsome in person, and his presence commanded attention."Remember our bet," Sofi said, giving me a wink."Yeah, yeah," I replied, trying to keep my cool.

But inside, my heart was racing.We found our seats and settled in for the presentation.

Enzo took the stage, his deep voice captivating the audience. He spoke about his journey, his company, and the opportunities he was offering.

My mind raced with possibilities, and I couldn't help but imagine myself working for him, learning from the best.When the time came for the Q&A session, I gathered my courage and stood up to ask a question.

Our eyes met, and for a moment, it felt like he was looking right into my soul. I asked about the qualities he valued most in his interns, and his answer was thoughtful and insightful.

After the session, Sofi and I headed towards the cafeteria.Sofi handed me a coffee and went back to get some snacks for us.

The cafeteria was bustling, and I had to weave through people to find a spot. Holding two coffees in my hand, I collided with someone, spilling one all over his tailored suit.

He was a tall guy, probably over 6 feet. I looked up only to find it was Enzo Moritti.

"Shit, shit, shit! I'm sorry, sir. I didn't see you. I'm so sorry, I just ruined your clothes. I'm so sorry."

He looked deep into my eyes, and I felt like his gaze was trying to say something. Finally, he spoke.

"It's ok. Can you please lead me to the restroom? I need to clean this."

"Yeah, sure. Please, this way, sir."

He followed me as I navigated through the crowd, my heart pounding in my chest. I could feel his presence behind me, making me even more nervous. We reached the restroom, and I pointed it out to him.

Here you go, sir. I'm really sorry again."

He nodded and walked in, leaving me there, flustered and embarrassed. A few minutes later, he came out and said, "Do you have some tissues? This stain isn't coming out."

"Yes, wait a minute." I grabbed some tissues from my pocket.

He took them from my hands and started cleaning the stain, but he was struggling, so I offered help. "Do you need my help?"

He looked down at me with confusion.

"I mean, it's my fault, so let me help you."

He didn't say anything and gave me the space to clean the stain.

"I need to damp these tissues. Do you mind going inside?"

"No," he replied.

We walked inside the restroom, and I stood in front of the washbasin. He was so tall that I felt small in front of him. I started to work on his stain, and it slowly began to come out. His stare didn't spare a second, and I felt blood rushing to my cheeks.

We were quiet, and finally, he broke the silence. "You also applied for the internship?"

"Yes, this is my final semester."

"Oh, so what are you willing to work for?"

"I'm actually a psychology student, but I've also skilled in computing and designing."

"Impressive," he said.

"Thank you, sir."

He stared at me again, and this time, I was drying his wet shirt with my hand fan.

"You're pretty," he said.

I looked up at him, realizing that Enzo Moritti, the Enzo Moritti, was smiling at me. His smile was perfect, and if I could, I wanted to live in this moment forever.

"Thank you," I replied, feeling awkward. (Ugh, I'm bad at taking compliments.)

He laughed a little. "You're cute when you're being shy."

I didn't look at him this time, as my cheeks were already blood red. "It's done, sir, and again, sorry for this."

"Don't say that again. You already helped me a lot." He lowered a bit and said in a low and husky voice, "Thank you," beside my ear.

He then went away. I stood there for a few minutes, waiting for my heartbeat to slow down.

I finally came out and found sofi looking for me. "Where were you, Elena?"

"Nothing, just a coffee accident."

"What do you mean?"

" I spilled coffee over someone. Funny, right?"

She laughed

"And if I tell you Who I spilled it on, you are going to be shocked."

She looked at me and said, "Wait don't tell me you spilled coffee over Enzo Moritti?"

"Yes", i said awkwardly.

"Dude, what on earth is happening? I mean , you really found that guy to spill your coffee on?"

"Sofi, i didn't do it intentionally , and please, leave it for now. We'll talk about this later."

"You better give me every tea later, otherwise I'm gonna kill you bitch."

"Btw, elena."

"What now , sofi?"

"Atleast, he didn't fire you even before hiring you." She teased me.

"So funny. Come on, let's sit down and eat."

We found a table in the corner of the crowded cafeteria and sat down. Sofi immediately started picking at her food, but I could tell she was dying to know more about my encounter with Enzo. She leaned in closer, her eyes wide with curiosity.

"Elena, you have to tell me everything. What happened after you spilled the coffee? Did he say anything?"

I sighed, knowing I couldn't avoid her questions forever. "Fine, but keep it down. I don't want the whole cafeteria to hear."

Sofi nodded eagerly, her eyes practically sparkling. "I promise. Now spill!"

I recounted the entire incident, from the moment I accidentally collided with him to our awkward exchange in the restroom. When I mentioned how he called me cute and thanked me in that husky voice of his, Sofi's jaw dropped.

"You're telling me Enzo Moritti, the Enzo Moritti, called you cute? Elena, this is huge!"

"Yeah, well, it was embarrassing. I was just trying to clean up the mess I made."

Sofi's eyes twinkled with mischief. "I think he likes you. I mean, he could have been a total jerk about it, but he wasn't."

"Don't be ridiculous, Sofi. He was just being polite. Besides, he's way out of my league."

"Out of your league? Please, Elena, you're gorgeous and smart. If anything, he's lucky you spilled coffee on him."

I laughed despite myself. "Thanks, Sofi. But seriously, let's not read too much into it. It was just a coffee spill."

We finished our meal and started heading to our next class when Sofi suddenly grabbed my arm, her expression serious. "Elena, whatever happens, just remember to be yourself. You're amazing just the way you are."

Touched by her words, I nodded. "Thanks, Sofi. I needed to hear that."

We walked to class together, my thoughts still lingering on Enzo Moritti and the strange, intense feeling I had when he looked at me. As much as I tried to push it aside, I couldn't help but wonder if Sofi was right. Maybe there was something more to his gaze, something I wasn't ready to face just yet.

We entered the class, and our professor promptly announced some exciting news. "Class, I have an important update. In a few days, we will be receiving feedback on your projects and assignments from none other than Enzo Moritti. He'll be returning to our college to review your work and announce the chosen interns for his company."

A ripple of excitement and nervousness swept through the room. My heart started to race. After the announcement, the professor continued, "Once he announces the selected interns, you will need to prepare a presentation to showcase your work to him."

I turned to Sofi, my anxiety evident. "Sofi, do you think our projects are good enough to be selected by Enzo Moritti?"

Sofi squeezed my hand reassuringly. "Elena, chill, baby. You've worked so hard on this. Hard work always pays off. Besides, he already laid his eyes on you, and I doubt he'll take them off now. After all, my bestie is a sexy bitch."

I laughed, feeling a bit more at ease. Sofi always had a way of boosting my confidence, making me feel like the most beautiful woman on earth, even when I didn't see it myself. She hugged me tightly, her support unwavering.

"Thanks, Sofi. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"You'll never have to find out," she replied with a wink.

We left college once our classes were done. Sofi saw me off halfway and headed home. "I'll catch you later, Elena. Bye!" she said, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek before driving away.

I drove back to my home, enjoying the solitude but feeling a strange sensation as if someone was following me. I checked my side mirror but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Shaking off the feeling, I continued on my way.

Upon reaching home, I unlocked the door and stepped inside, only to be greeted by a surprising sight. Black and red roses were scattered all over my couch and table. A plushie and some gift boxes sat prominently on the table. Curious and slightly unsettled, I walked over and picked up the plushie.

It was incredibly soft, and I couldn't resist hugging it. To my astonishment, as I squeezed it, my mother's voice emanated from the plushie. "Elena, baby, Dad is saying he loves you."

Shocked, I pressed it again. The same message played. My mother's voice, so clear and familiar, pierced through my heart. Tears welled up in my eyes and began to spill down my cheeks. Overwhelmed, I collapsed onto the couch, clutching the plushie tightly.

I cried out, my voice breaking with emotion. "Mom, Dad... why is this happening?" The flood of tears turned into sobs as I screamed into the empty room, the weight of my grief and confusion crashing over me.

I sat there for what felt like hours, the plushie clutched tightly in my arms, as the roses surrounded me in a silent, poignant testament to my parents' love and the haunting presence of my stalker.

Exhausted from the emotional rollercoaster of the day, I drifted into an uneasy sleep on the couch, the plushie still nestled in my arms. Dreams and nightmares intertwined as my subconscious grappled with the events of the day.

In my dreams, I found myself wandering through a labyrinth of memories, each corner echoing with the laughter of my parents and the warmth of their love. But amidst the nostalgia, there lurked shadows, ominous and foreboding, casting a pall over the cherished moments.

Images of my stalker flashed before my closed eyes, his presence like a sinister specter haunting the edges of my consciousness. His cryptic messages and unsettling gifts seemed to weave themselves into the fabric of my dreams, creating a tangled web of fear and uncertainty.

I tossed and turned on the couch, caught between the comfort of sleep and the torment of my subconscious. The night stretched on, each passing moment laden with a sense of unease and disquiet, until finally, the first light of dawn filtered through the curtains, pulling me reluctantly back to consciousness.