Chapter 38: Was he stalking me?
Mark Rodolfo was my older brother who was older than me by five years.
He was a jealous child. A really really jealous child. And he was the one controlling my parents with his manipulative schemes.
That’s why I said I had caring parents, but they never really paid as much attention to me as they did my older brother. Whatever I wanted, they gave it to me, but if my brother wanted what was mine, they would give it to him without exceptions.
This sort of situation is mostly a reversed situation in other families. The younger one was the pampered one and the one who always got to have the things the older one owned with their parents saying things like, ’You know he’s younger. You should pamper your younger one.’
But it was the complete opposite in my family.
It was almost like a curse.
My older brother was a menace, and sometimes, I still have this gut feeling that the reason my luck in life was so bad was because of him.
I didn’t have any proof but I just felt it was so.
And now, Zane suddenly mentioned Mark. It was starting to make little sense to me. If Mark was involved then it would explain why so many unfortunate incidents happened in one day. It was as if it had all been planned?
"Are you okay?" Noah asked and I nodded.
He had given me a can of soda to calm my nerves and even if I wasn’t completely calm, it was better than when I was so shaken up.
"Was that your ex?" Noah asked and I nodded.
I couldn’t say any words yet because I was so confused.
Noah saw this and shook his head.
"Come to think of it, I’ve seen him around the apartment building a few times when I went to throw out the trash." He said and my eyes widened.
"What?"
"And I caught his scent at our doorstep more than once. He looked suspicious, so I’ve always been keeping my eyes out for him. But since the neighbors know him, I thought he was someone staying in one of the apartments." He said and my eyes began to tremble again.
Zane had been lurking around our apartment building?
What for? Why?
"How long have you noticed this?" I asked and Noah gave it a little thought before answering,
"Three weeks."
I felt weak, all of a sudden.
Was he stalking me? Why? Was it because he ran out of money and wanted to shamelessly ask me for it? But then, he wouldn’t just lurk around. He would knock on the door and act out.
Even now that we met, he should’ve said something about it, but its not about money.
It’s as if... He’s watching me. He’s watching me for... Mark.
Realizing this, I suddenly felt nauseous. I wanted to throw up. What was going on with him? Was he working for Mark now? Was he spying on me so he could tell if I was still living or dead?
Noah patted my back to make me feel better and then I raised my head.
Nothing was certain. If he was working with Mark or not, I would have to find out. And... I hoped more than anything that it wasn’t true.
"I have to find Zane," I said and just the sound of it made my throat itch.
"What are you going to do once you find him?" Noah asked but I honestly didn’t know.
Maybe we’ll talk. I’ll get him to spill what he knows and why he’s been spying on me.
"Just hold on," I ran towards where Zane had approached us but he wasn’t there.
He couldn’t have gone far if he was here to buy something. Wait, what if he had followed us here and our meeting wasn’t a coincidence?
It was plausible.
I squeezed my eyes shut and pressed my palm on my forehead. This was sick. It was really sick.
I never wanted to associate myself with Zane again but I had no choice.
I later found him at the counter, getting ready to check out. A little more and I would’ve lost him.
"Zane," I called and he turned around.
As soon as he saw me, he snickered.
"Did you finally come to your senses?" He asked. "In this life, you don’t deserve happiness. So, give up on trying."
Yeah, that’s the same thing I thought a few months back. It was as if everything that happened was so that I could end up like that. I was dejected, betrayed by the world, and felt like it was better if I just died.
But thanks to Noah, I was able to get over it. And maybe that’s why someone decided to poke his nose into my business once again.
"We need to talk," I said but he looked smug as he stared at me.
"And why would I want to talk to you?" He asked. "After calling me a flee, do you think I’d act like we were buddies and say, ’Sure, let’s have a drink while we talk’?"
I stared at him with seriousness in my eyes. This was no time for jokes.
"Zane," I called.
"I won’t talk to you unless you apologize and then I might actually consider it." He said and my forehead crinkled.
"Zane," I called, and he waited for my apology, but instead, he got my angry roar. "Fuck you, asshole!" I turned around and left him cussing out at me.
I was already so angry so it looked like I wasn’t going to do things the normal way.
If I wanted to know if Zane was in connection to Mark, then I’d have to do it the old-fashioned way.
"What will you do now?" Noah asked as we walked out of the Mart and I gnashed my teeth. I was angry and annoyed.
How dare Zane bare his teeth at me?
"What else am I going to do?" I zipped up my hoodie again and said, "I’m going to follow him."
