CHAPTER 2: SHADOW OF OBSESSION

Seraphina woke up the next morning still holding the black rose in her hand

Rubbing her eyes grouchily, she stretched her arms out and eyed the rose.

¿_- How does he know where I live? -_¿

Shaking her head, she dismissed the thought while starting to prepare for her day.

Her classes were waiting, and she's had a busy schedule today.

¿_- Oh well, strange interesting males can wait. -_¿

—------

Seraphina moved through the crowded corridors of the university, going over her last lecture in her head.

Art history has ‘always’ been her refuge, one where she could escape into beauty, color, and meaning and everything else.

“Hey, Sera!”

She glanced up to see Mia, her best friend, waving her over.

Mia’s eyes were, as usual, sparkling with mischief, and her long, blonde hair kept bouncing while she walked closer.

“Hey.”

Mia gives her a curious look.

“You seem distracted. Everything okay?”

She clutches her bag a bit tighter. “Yeah... just a lot on my mind.”

Mia grinned, “Is it a guy?”

The question literally catches Seraphina off guard, and her face becomes the color of a tomato.

“What? No! I mean... kind of,” she stammered, looking here and there.

Her best friend’s mouth fell open, “Woah! Spill! Who is he?”

Seraphina bit her bottom lip; she barely knew him herself.

“It’s nothing, really,” she finally said.

“Just someone I met. It's not worth talking about.”

“Oh, come on, Seraphina,” Mia whined.

“You never talk about guys. You can’t just leave me hanging like that.”

But before her friend could get to convincing her, Seraphina felt her phone vibrate in her jean pocket.

She pulled it out, seeing a message from an unknown number popped up on the phone’s screen.

> Meet me at St. James Park at 7 tonight.

It was from Him, from Vnox, she could tell; she didn't really need a genius to tell her that.

“Is that him?” Mia asked, moving her head to try to take a peek at her phone but her reluctant friend quickly slipped it back into her pocket before she could see anything.

“No! It’s just... I’ll catch you later, okay?”

Ignoring her friend's protests, Seraphina turned and hurried off.

¿_- Why does he want to meet me? -_¿

—--------

The park was completely deserted when Seraphina reached the park, it seemed like it had closed hours ago which was odd;

St James Park was one of the busiest locations she knew of, usually, they closed by 9.

Looking around anxiously, she finally spots him—standing underneath the panned up light by the fountain, as if he’d been waiting all day.

“Good evening Seraphina.”

She flushed and mildly chided herself for forgetting her manners while she drew nearer to stand in front of him.

“Good evening Vnox. Why are we here?”

“Because you’re curious.”

He stepped closer to her, and she noticed again just how tall he was.

Her eyes then narrowed at him accusingly.

“You left a black rose at my door and sent a text with no name. Who does that? Why didn’t you even ask for my number when we first met?”

He cocked his head to the side, “Do you think I needed to ask?”

Seraphina was shut up for a good whole minute, and some, staring at him, in disbelief.

“Most people introduce themselves properly you know. But you... just appeared out of nowhere.”

“Would you have met me if I’d done it any other way?” he asked.

“I don’t know. Maybe,” she paused, looking to the side.

“You’re just... you’re not like anyone I’ve met.”

“That’s intentional,” he said, though his deep voice made it sound darker than it probably should have.

Looking back at him, her voice was softer now, “How did you get my number? And my address?”

“Like I said before, Seraphina—I make it my business to know things. Especially things that interest me.”

“So... I interest you?”

“In ways I’m not sure you’d understand.”

He took another step closer to her but stopped, tilting his head, “How old are you?”

“Why?” she retorted.

“Aren’t you supposed to know everything?”

A low chuckle escaped his lips, “Indulge me.”

“Nineteen,” she said quietly, suddenly feeling shy.

“And you? You look... older.”

There's an amused gleam in his eyes. “Guess.”

It was her turn to tilt her head, scrutinizing him, seeing the mature look about his face, the faint lines around his mouth, the dark eyes that seemed to hold years of memory, and the sharp angled jawline.

“I’d say... thirty?”

He raises an eyebrow, “Try again.”

Her brow furrowed, “Thirty-two?”

A small smile played on his lips, and he leans in whispering into the shell of her left ear:

“Thirty-four.”

Her eyes widened and more quickly than she'd ever been in her entire life, she back away from him, moving up to four feets away.

He let her.

“You’re... you’re almost twice my age.”

She said ‘twice’ like itself was a spell of its own but he just shrugged.

“Does that bother you?”

She looked away, “I didn’t expect it.”

Then paused and returned to look at him, still keeping her distance.

“Are you always like this?”

“Like what?”

“Cryptic,” She described, gesturing around.

“Who sends someone a message demanding to meet, without even saying ‘hi’?”

“I suppose I don’t usually entertain curiosity.”

“Then why are you entertaining mine?” she asks rather quickly, puzzled.

“Because you’re worth it.”

“That doesn’t tell me anything.”

“Let’s just say... I’m a businessman. I acquire what interests me.”

¿_- That doesn't tell me anything either. -_¿

“I won’t tell you anything until you’re ready,” He added, taking a step of his own backwards.

“For now, all you need to know is that I have resources, connections... and a reason to keep you safe.”

She frowns at this, confused.

“Safe? From what?”

++++ Where is he going with this?++++

He doesn’t answer, simply watches her and as seconds pass, she realizes he won’t offer any more details.

¿_- Why do I feel like he drank before coming here? -_¿

She shifts uncomfortably in her position at the thought.

“I should get going. I have classes tomorrow.”

“I’ll walk you home.”

Somehow, it surprises her that he agreed do easily.

Maybe he wasn't that much of a threat.

“I... I can walk myself.”

“I insist.”

“No, I don't want my friend seeing you, she'll get the wrong idea."

“Let her."

But she ignored him, turning back in the direction she came from, and started making her way home.

“Goodnight Vnox, don't follow me."

Watching her leave, he feels a smile coil up his cheek at her attitude.

“Goodnight Seraphina.”

_

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_

_

Seraphina lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling, she'd just finished taking dinner and brushing her teeth and was quite ready to sleep.

It was so late and all her assignments were done but her brain was giving her another one.

She didn't understand the man but she understood one thing.

If he texted her again or she bumped into him, she won't speak to him or involve herself with him.

¿_- He doesn't seem normal and he's too old. -_¿

With that settled in mind, her eyelids drope, falling shut but just as she’s about to fall asleep, she hears a soft sound.

Opening her eyes again, she listened for only a second and closed them back.

Then the sound started again a bit stronger this time, it sounded like a tap or a knock— she wasn't sure— so she sat up, feeling disgruntled.

Who was disturbing her sleep?

Turning with sleepy eyes to look at her room's closed door frame, she realised the taps were coming from behind her, not from her door.

Her eyes and ears followed the sound till she was face to face with the shape of a shadow forming on her window’s curtains.

And honestly, both the sleep and the disgruntled feeling flew out of her body.