Me.
Glimmer Dear.
A piece of me I had repressed for so long until I ended up here and embraced parts of myself I thought would lie dormant forever.
It’s good.
Until it’s not.
Until I peer across the room and seehimagain. He’s closer to the stage this time, though still in the shadows, so I can’t really see his face. All I can see is that he’s pale, thin, and tall.
Something creeps up my spine. Fear, I think. Almost like terror. It’s enough that I miss a step. Then another.
Rene shoots me a concerned look and lifts a brow like he’s asking if I’m okay, and I give a hopefully barely there nod before getting back on track.
Mostly.
I can’t keep my eyes off the stranger now though. What the fuck does he want? It reminds me of the feeling I got when the text messages started.
The stalker telling me he knew where I was. What I was wearing. What I was doing. Something about this is way too familiar, and I hate it.
I only breathe a sigh of relief when the song comes to an end and I notice the stranger is gone. I allow one long look around the room before feeling confident he’s left the bar. But even so, I don’t think I can relax.
Rene drags me behind the curtain. ‘Talk to me.’
‘The guy with the drink. He…’ I stop. I don’t want to sound like I’m losing it or that I’m being paranoid. ‘I don’t like him.’
‘Want me to have Casey ban him?’
In my fear, I almost forgot that was an option. I peer around the curtain as the Fruit Basket trio are setting up for their next number, and I see Casey talking to another man at the bar. I can’t see him well either. He’s in a dark shirt, hunched over, head bowed.
He looks just as dangerous, but I don’t get the same feeling as I got before.
Turning back to Rene, I nod. ‘That would be a good idea.’
Rene, once again, doesn’t ask questions. ‘Let me go talk to him while you get changed.’
There’s one more number left—the finale. Then I can go home and pretend like this night never happened.
If only those weren’t famous last words.
The feeling of being watched during the finale is making the back of my neck itch. I hate it, the feeling of dread everywhere I go, the thought that someone is out there, someone I don’t know, looking at me.
Watching me while I can’t see them.
The feeling gets stronger as the seconds tick by. It twists up my spine and makes my skin break out in goose bumps. It’s why I’m currently wiping the makeup off my face and simultaneously getting dressed.
‘You okay?’ Rene asks, his eyes crinkling as he watches me. ‘I told Casey to ban that guy, so you should be good.’
‘Thanks, but I think I’m just not feeling well.’ Rene cocks his head like he doesn’t believe me, but he just nods.
‘You see someone else out there?’ he asks.
The face I make must tell him I think I did. Or I felt someone who didn’t belong. But either way, that sensation is back, and I can’t ignore it. Last time I did, it didn’t go well.
I can’t go through that again. I’ve learned over time to trust my gut. The only problem is, my gut has me running more often than not.
‘It’s fine. The show must go on.’ He waves his hand toward the back door, and I stare at it, my hand faltering slightly. I need to sneak off before I get roped into anencore, but going into an alleyway when I feel like someone is out there waiting for me…but then again, I can’t just leave early.
