Enigma

Brooke let out a loud groan as she let herself fall on the chair, she’d had a whole week of sleepless nights just to make this paper the best she’d written yet only for what? For her professor to send it back to her and tell her there’s still much to be done on it? If she was being honest all she wanted to do was cry out loud and scream in his face and tell him that there was absolutely nothing wrong with what she had written and he was just being a bitch, she sighed. Oh to be able to actually do that. She giggled a bit imagining the sight and opened her laptop, scrolling through her files, her attention was caught by one she could swore wasn’t there this morning. She clicked it and the little smile she had on her face fell instantly. Her face turned pale and she looked around her apartment frantically. What the actual fuck. The file that was titled “Aimer” was filled with photos of Brooke. Photos she doesn’t remember taking, photos she knew she definitely did not take. They were photos of her sleeping in her bedroom, photos of her in the bathroom, photos of her eating and photos of her empty apartment. Ding! Her phone went off startling the lights out of her. She picked it up, it was a message from an unknown number. hope you loved my gift mí amor. 

A chill ran down her spine as she quickly read over the text for the second time as if it would somehow show who the sender was. Brooke shook her head in disbelief. No way in hell was it what she was thinking. This was something she saw in the movies, something she’d listen to on a murder podcasts.

She felt sick to her stomach thinking she was probably being stalked right now and then it hit her: she was as a matter of fact being stalked. 

Quickly opening her phone she scrolled through numbers until she dialed the particular one she was looking for. "Hello Sasha...if it's not too late can you please come over? I need you," she spoke into the speaker nervously biting her lip. "Thanks girl.” Ending the call she sped up and made sure to close all her curtains then made sure her doors were locked. Her eyes scan the room as she does so.

Time had seemed to pass slower as she waited for Sasha to show up, eventually the moment she’d been waiting for came as she heard the soft knock of Sasha. She swung the door open almost immediately. 

"I need to show you something" She said with a serious expression on her face while dragging Sasha with her. In Front of her laptop Brooke showed Sasha the pictures she found and the text message that followed, she waited patiently for Sasha's reaction. "Holy shit Brooke," she breathed out.

"Yeah..holy shit," She replied softly. 

"Okay I see why you called me over, you're clearly freaked out, I am as well. Do you have any idea who this could be?" Brooke shook her head. "I don't even want to guess..." her shoulders sag in defeat.

"We obviously need to inform the Police... this is stalking in actual real life, not like in the books you read.”

Brooke looked at her friend, “you think I don’t know that?!! Obviously we have to go to the police, also how the fuck did he even get into my apartment?!”

“So he’s probably someone you know then! Also who the fuck still uses Mi Amor… He couldn’t think of a better pick up line?!” Sasha said, trying to lighten the mood. Brooke gave her a weak smile and Sasha wrapped her in a big hug.

With a shaky breath she admitted, “I’m scared sash.” She couldn’t even think of a single person that was capable of doing such a thing. The thought that someone was in her home, going through her stuff had the chance to put up cameras and watched her while she slept, ate and was in the shower made her skin crawl.

If you asked Brooke she’d tell you she loved everything murder and stalking and was so intrigued by it, she would sometimes imagine scenarios that were most likely never to happen with herself in it and think how exciting it would be. 

She was far from feeling excitement right now, she had this crippling fear in the pit of her stomach like something bad was about to happen and she couldn’t shake it off.

“You’ll be fine, now let’s try looking for the cameras. Based on the angle of the photos I’m sure we can find where the cameras are hidden.” Brooke gave a little nod and broke free from the hug.

They’d searched her whole apartment for the past hour but were unable to find a single camera.

“Go get your stuff Brooke you’re not sleeping here tonight, I’m sure the police will do a better job at looking for the cameras.” 

“Okay.”

*

“You’re not listening!” Brooke yelled feeling frustrated, “Are you gonna wait until something bad happens to me before you see that this is a problem?!”

“Well I’m sorry ma’am but there’s nothing we can do, we see the pictures but you’re not harmed in any way and we can’t find any cameras at your place, plus this could just be a college prank, probably your friends are playing a prank on you.” The officer repeated the bullshit he’d told Brooke to her again. She let out a sigh and looked around feeling defeated.

The lady officer, Bella, Brooke believed she said her name was, placed a comforting hand on Brooke's shoulder, “look you think of anyone who could have motive to do this, all you have to do is give me a call and I’ll go see the person. Ask him a question or two.” 

Brooke left the station after she agreed to keep thinking and if she remembers anyone she’d let them know. She doubts she could think of anyone though. Her circle was as small as it could get, there was just Sasha and Andrew, her best friends and then a few of her coursemates she hung out with some times.

She felt her phone vibrate in the back pocket of her jeans and she took it out.

“You’re late.” Liam’s stern voice sounded through the phone, his Irish accent thick.

“I know, I’m sorry I had to take care of something, I just got to the school and I'll be at the library soon.”

“Okay.”  

She felt a hand on her shoulder and her fingers instantly balled up into a fist, “hey brooks!” 

“Fuck Clovis! Don’t just sneak up on me like that!” He sheepishly pushed up his glasses.

“Did you think about the date? What do you say?”

“God I told you! I don’t like you like that!”

“Why won’t you go out with me? I thought you liked me?”

“What? Clovis we’ve spoken only four times, this making it the literal fourth time we’ve spoken to each other, what do you mean I like you?!” She clicked her tongue praying to God that this conversation would be over soon. 

He looked down at his shoes before slowly nodding "But you smiled at me" Brooke was this close to screaming her gut out. She smiled at everyone, if that was the case then she would be in love with half the school. 

"Clovis I don't know what you're trying to get at but I've got more important things to worry about right now…so please if you'll excuse me" With that she stormed off. 

Clovis bit down on his lower lip so hard that he began to taste the metallic taste of blood. "..my feelings are important too Brooke" He whispered to himself. 

***

"If you sense anything fishy, call me immediately!" Sasha sternly warns 

"I still don't understand why we're letting her sleep in this house," Andrew was more than angered when Brooke and Sasha broke the news to him. He wanted nothing more than to stake out at Brooke's front door. 

Sasha sighs running her french tipped fingers through her red hair "My parents are out of town and it's just my lil sisters alone, so I have to go over to theirs, I can't leave them," Brooke nods in understanding. She didn't want everyone worrying too much about her. Maybe she was taking it a little too far, maybe it's really nothing, just like the officer's said. 

"Are you sure you don’t want to come over to mine?" Andrew frowns. “I’m telling you Dave wouldn’t mind!” Brooke shook her head.

“I wouldn’t feel comfortable imposing on you guys like that,” letting out a small smile Brooke continues, "You guys, I'll be fine!!! Now you go to your sisters and you go to your boyfriend!! Don’t worry guys, I’ll be okay, I promise.”

Brooke pushed her best friends out of her house and made sure to do a round twice, making extra sure to lock up every door and pull down every window blind. 

All she needed after all the adrenaline rush was hot coffee. Click!  her head snapped to her front door as she saw the knob twist open. 

Her throat ran dry, her palms sweaty and she suddenly needed to pee. 

"H-Hello? Is anyone there?" The little voice in her head scolded her for making a sound, the last thing she needed to do was let whoever is trying to get in know that she’s inside. Fuck! Has she learnt nothing from all the crime documentaries she watched?!! She quickly ran to her kitchen and pulled out a knife before sprinting for her room. 

Quickly locking the door. Sliding down the wall she tightly held the knife close to her chest. Her phone! She needed her phone! She aggressively tapped her pocket for her phone, that was when it downed on her, her phone was next to the coffee maker. 

"Y'know one would think you had a life or death situation to take care of when you said you had more important things to worry about," Brooke's blood froze , she could literally no longer function. A tear slips down her left eye, her hands shaking. 

Wait, that voice sounded familiar. Clovis?!. 

“I could make this easy for you Brooks, or you could put up a fight. Either way I assure you I’ll be having fun.” She held the knife tighter to her chest.

“W-why are you doing this Clovis?” She choked.

“Why? Why am I doing this? Now what have I done that is so wrong?”

“You put freaking cameras in my apartment! Watched we while I was sleeping, and in the bathroom!!”

“I just wanted to share special moments with you!! You know how much I love you and it’s clear you feel the same way about me!!”

“What on earth gave you the idea that I love you?!”

“Of course I could tell! You’re alway smiling at me, you go out of your way to help me. I just figured you were probably too shy to tell me how you’re really feeling.”

“Clovis! I smile at everyone! And I just helped you pick your books from the hallway once when they fell. I barely even know you!”

The silence made Brooke’s heart beat even faster, did she upset him? “I-I mean I care about you but-”

“Get out of the room Brooke I don’t like how you’re treating me like a criminal.” When Brooke said nothing he proceeded, “you asked how I could get into your apartment set up and take down cameras right? Well that’s because I have your keys,”

The blood ran from Brooke’s face, “How did you get them?”

“I sit behind you in class. All I had to do was take them and make duplicates.” He says proudly.

“How?”

“Fuck you ask too many questions! What difference is it going to make? I could get into any room right now if I wanted to, I mean you saw how I opened your front door so come out while I’m being nice.” 

Brooke could hear his approaching footsteps, she stood up from her crouching position and stood defensively, her trembling hands waiting to attack, she heard the key go in and the lock turn.

He broke into a smile and his eyes shone with excitement once he saw her ready to fight.

“It’s not too late to stop this Clovis, I promise I won’t go to the police and we could just pretend like this never happened.” She said, her hands shaking uncontrollably. With a swift move he took a hold of her hand and pried the knife out of her hand.

“I told you I hate how you’re treating me like a criminal,” he cupped her cheek, and creased her face. Brooke couldn’t bring herself to move, he wrapped his long fingers around her neck and started squeezing down on it.

A mean laugh left his mouth, “you should have said yes when I asked you out Brooke, why wouldn’t you just say yes? I know you love me so why, why wouldn’t you say yes?!!”

Was this how she was going to die? “P-please.” She managed to let out. She did not want to die, there were too many things she hasn’t done yet, too many places she haven’t seen yet. “Please.” The tears won’t stop coming. She didn’t want to seem weak but her tears won’t stop flowing.

“Don’t worry I won’t hurt you.” He released his hold and dragged her to her bed. “Strip.”

Brooke shook her head, “no plea-” Brooke’s body abruptly hit the hard surface of the dry earth beneath her as the air escaped her lung, she placed her hand on her stinging cheek and looked up. He did not give her time to register what had just happened as he grabbed her by the hair and threw her on her bed.

“Why can’t you just do as you’re asked ?” She watched as he took off his belt and pulled down his trousers. “I told you to strip,” he grabbed her by her arm, his nails digging into her skin, she shook her head and the malicious smile was back on his lips.

Brooke had tried pushing him off her, she pushed as hard as she could but his weight far overpowered hers. She could do absolutely nothing, her will to fight suddenly nonexistent. She closed her eyes tightly and prayed he’ll be done soon. Her fear turned into anger, she was angry at herself for being so helpless, angry at him for doing this to her, she felt rage, she swore she was going to kill him, make him kneel and bleed and beg for her forgiveness then that anger gave way for guilt, she should have left with Andrew when he offered, why did she insist on staying by herself? Slowly the guilt she felt turned to shame. She felt dirty, with each thrust he took her pride and dignity.

When he was done he climbed off her, took his trousers and pulled them up while whistling to a song.

 As soon as he left the room she covered her mouth to muffle the sobs that were coming out. Her entire body trembled, she curled herself into a ball, she felt completely numb, empty, broken.

She hated herself for feeling this way, hated him even more for doing this to her and hated the fact that she couldn’t do anything about it. Nothing she did now could take away what he had just done to her.

It felt like the night was mocking her, reminding her that it was still early and she had gone nowhere with time. "I made you dinner, '' Clovis announced as he walked back into the room. Hovering over her with a tray, he placed the tray of food on the nightstand and pulled her into a sitting position then he smiled. God! She hated his smile."You look more beautiful now that you're fully mine," Using his thumbs he wiped the tears from her face.

His hand moved from her face down to her jaw line, he stopped, closed his eyes and inhaled before he pressed a kiss against the skin behind her ear. “God, you do things to me. Eat, I’ll be right back.” He took her keys with him and locked her in this time.

Brooke felt sick to her stomach, she was disgusted with herself. She pushed herself off and got out of bed, walked to her ceiling to floor window, pushed it open and got onto her balcony . A few minutes ago her worst fear was dying , but now death doesn’t seem so scary, living life feeling the way she feels now is, feeling like absolute garbage. She closed her eyes and a tear rolled down her cheek. The only thought on her mind as she jumped down her two story balcony was hope. Hope that her mom and best friends don’t end up hating her for the decision she made.