Chapter 3
“Are you spying on me now?” Kirsten had walked out of the back door of the diner, taking out the last bags of trash after locking up. It was her first night closing since the robbery. Being hyper aware now, she noticed him almost immediately standing in a dark corner. “I told you I wasn’t gonna say anything.”
“I know. I’m just making sure you get outta here safely.”
“Oh. I don’t know how I feel about that. I mean how did you even know I was here? Or should I even ask that?”
“It’s better if you don’t.”
“Right.”
Kirsten didn’t know how to feel. It had been a week since the incident and she had done a good job at pushing down any of those feelings but now she was feeling uneasy. But she didn’t know if it was the man here talking to her, the man she served breakfast to the other day, the man who saved her, was the one she should be afraid of. He intrigued her, and ultimately, she believed she was safe with him. It didn’t hurt that he was so good looking. He was in the mask again and she fixated again on his lips. Her heart started to beat faster.
“You can walk me home if you want.”
The man got up from leaning against the dirty brick wall and slowly took off the mask. Finally revealing once and for all that he was exactly who she thought he was. He flattened down his hair and gave her a self conscious, endearing smile before he started to follow her, keeping a small amount of distance. She continually looked behind her, making sure he was still there.
“What’s your name?”
Matt hesitated to answer, but he knew what he felt and could guess how Kirsten felt. He trusted her. He wanted to know her and even more so he had a desire to let her know him.
“Matt.”
“I’m Kirsten.”
“I know.” Kirsten playfully elbows him and he laughs.
“Of course you do. Stalker.” She rolls her eyes as he continues to laugh.
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They eventually make it back to Kirsten’s apartment. The heat rises in Kirsten, not knowing exactly what to do now. What was the etiquette for inviting the masked man to come inside for a drink (or something more)?
“Well this is me.”
They both stand there, neither one knowing exactly what to do, but both knowing what they want.
“Thank you for-”
“For letting you walk me home? You’re welcome.”
He laughs, a little embarrassed.
“You can come up… if you want to.”
Before Matt can answer her though, Kirsten watches as his head tilts, a look of confusion (maybe?) forms on his face.
“I have to go.”
“Oh. Okay. Well-” Before she can finish her deflated goodbye he’s gone.
When she’s safely inside the comfortable apartment she sits down and sighs. Not even bothering to change out of her uniform and scrub off all of the grease and customer assault in the shower yet like she normally would do before anything else.
“What the fuck was that?” She says to herself.