****
I blinked my eyes open, and we were back in the past again, but not of me as a child. This time, we’re in the middle of the street and I see myself hold the door open for Patience, that first night at Buona Sera. My chest tightened as I watched the scene play out before me. Patience and I walking down the sidewalk toward the bookstore. I moved to get closer, to watch us, but I was stopped by a hand on my arm.
“No, watch from here. There’s something you need to see,” Emma commented.
I stilled, looking from her to the scene. We waited a few minutes, until Patience and I emerged from the bookstore.
“Keep watching,” Emma stated.
I turned to watch us walk down the street.
“No. Not there.” Emma turned me back to the bookstore. “There.”
Lifting my gaze, I froze. The nerdy, bookstore clerk peered out of the glass window. I inched closer, needing to get a better look for some reason. But before I got too close, he moved from the window, to the door, peering out, watching Patience and I. He stepped out from the doorway, glancing over his shoulder before following us, leaving the bookstore unattended. We entered the ice cream shop not too far from the bookstore and he stood there, watching through the window.
“He followed you that night,” Emma whispered. “To her apartment…” She trailed off, but her hand touched my forehead again.
In an instant we were fast forwarded to later that evening, to the front of Patience’s building. I followed Patience inside, and a few moments later, the same bookstore clerk was there. He stood outside of the building. I could only see his profile from my vantage but he appeared to be pissed. His fists tightened at his waist and he stomped his feet, eventually yelling, scaring a few passersby, but he was obviously too far gone to even notice. He just kept standing there, as if he could see something.
“How long did he wait there?”
“All night,” Emma answered without hesitation.
I swallowed. “He was in love with her.”
“Obsessed,” she countered.
“That was almost seven years ago.”
Emma finally turned to me. “Obsession rarely goes away.”
My stomach muscles clenched. “It’s him.”
Emma nodded.
“Show me more,” I demanded.
Emma obliged, showing me scene after scene of this fucking maniac waiting outside of Patience’s apartment. We flashed to her graduation day, when we’d gone in to pick up the gift I had ordered. At the time I hadn’t caught it, too enamored with Patience to see it, but from my new vantage point I watched as the bookstore clerk threw daggers my way. But when Patience wrapped her arms around me, kissing me in front of him, his rage-filled eyes turned in her direction.
The next scene was from inside of the bookstore again, only Patience was alone, a solemn expression on her face. Somehow I knew it was because of me.
“Hey, Patience. It’s been a little while,” he intoned.
She gave him something that was supposed to be a smile but it was just a movement of her lips.
“Picking up.”
Patience nodded, taking the book and quietly paying for it.
“I’ll see you soon,” he stated, hopeful.
Patience shook her head. “I’m moving tomorrow.”
He went pale as a ghost. “Wh-where?”
“Oakland. Thanks for your help, Sam. Take care.” She exited the bookstore and again, he peered out of the window, watching her every step.
“Final scene,” Emma informed.
