Afraid to love

Chapter 23

The music plays on, we maintain a reassuring closeness, I subtly adjust his hold whenever necessary, ensuring our movements flow seamlessly together. I show him how to do a turn, then later how to flow from a one step to a two-step dance. And though my heart races with every touch, I remain composed, masking the flutter of anticipation that dances within me. I don't know how long the dance goes for, but my phone ringing breaks the trance. I let go of his hand, without speaking I step away and almost run to my phone. It's Nina. My fingers shake when I pick it up,

"You're still at the theatre?" she asks,

"Yes"

"Alone or with Daniel?"

"With Daniel"

"Okay. Good. Just making sure you're safe"

When we hang up, I look up at Daniel who followed me to my bag so is standing right behind me.

"How did you find it?" I ask,

"Surprising" he says,

"In what way?"

"I enjoyed it"

"I knew you would! Everyone likes to dance"

"Maybe it's not the dance? Maybe you're just a good teacher?"

"The best. You learned from the best" I joke, trying to seem at ease, though his words rattle me,

"You can do that dance whenever partners dance. Even in a club or something. Just do the steps faster with the beat"

"Forget clubs. I plan on doing it at my wedding" he smiles,

"Well, hopefully your bride will like it..." my mind goes to the beautiful blonde that was looking for him the other day, will she be his bride? Or someone else? Someone like Lara maybe?

"We should probably go, though. It's really late" I say, breaking my train of thought, he seemed to be lost in thought, too, so he just nods at my words.

We leave the theatre and walk to his car, he parked it right at the door. When we near it, Daniel stops walking, I glance up at him,

"What's wrong?"

"My tyres are slashed" he says, I look at his car, and true enough, the front and back tyre are slashed, I follow him as he makes a circle around his car. The tyres on the other side are slashed as well.

"I have one spare tyre, but not four" he says,

"Who did that?" I ask,

"I don't know"

"What if it's the stalker?" I ask after a pause,

"Likely" he responds, looking around, but there's no one in sight,

"What will we do?"

"We'll take the bus. Show me where it is" we walk over to the bus stop together, and wait for the next one. As we wait, we're talking about what happened, and who might have done it. Because it's so late, we're alone on the bus, we sit at the back together,

"I'm really sorry. If you didn't come here that wouldn't have happened"

"Why would you be sorry? You didn't slash them"

"I know, but I made you go to the theatre"

"I came because I wanted to. Something else is on my mind, Sofia"

"What?"

"I know you feel trapped now, with the stalker following you. But until we get him, you can't leave the house alone"

"What if he breaks into the house?"

"He could, but it's unlikely. It's an apartment, if he entered he risks being seen by a neighbour, or someone passing by. And if he knows you live with roommates he might not know when you're alone"

"Okay" I say quietly,

"Another thing. I was thinking how to get him. I think the best way is for you to walk alone, maybe tomorrow night to your theatre. I will follow you from a distance, that way if the stalker is there, I will see him" I bite down on my bottom lip, thinking his words through. I imagine myself walking alone at night. The stalker coming after me. Would Daniel's plan work?

"But what if he attacks me again?"

"I'll be there"

"What if he has a weapon?"

"I'll have one too"

"No. I don't want that"

"What?"

"For you to have a weapon. For there to be an altercation. We don't know what he's capable of"

"Don't worry about that part, I'll take care of it. But do you agree to walk to the theatre tomorrow?"

"But I am worried about that part, it's the worst part..."

"You think I can't take the stalker on, is that it?"

"I know you're a boxer, and... and strong and stuff. But what if he fights dirty? What if he's crazy enough to kill?"

"I can fight dirty too" he says. We get off at our stop and start walking home,

"That's not the point" I say, "we can't risk-"

"We're not risking anything, Sofia. We're going to get him. And if not tomorrow night than the night after, or the one after that. You'll need to walk alone each night until we get him"

"And how will you find the time to keep watching over me each night? Don't you have your training and stuff? You're always busy"

"We need to get him so you can have your life back. I will train after"

"But-"

"Will you do it?" he cuts me off, I think it over, I think of all the possible scenarios. One of them is that the stalker is caught. That mine and Lara's nightmare is over. I nod, looking up at his face,

"Okay"

"Good" he says, "you will call your theatre tomorrow and tell them to put you back on everything you used to do"

"Even giving lessons to kids?"

"Yes"

"But that's almost every night"

"Good. More chance we will get him faster"

"No. I don't want you to miss out on your stuff because of me"

"Don't worry about it"

"No. I will just go tomorrow, and the day after. We have a performance on Sunday that I really didn't want to miss"

"I told you. Tell them to put you back on full schedule. I'll take a break from my stuff and make sure I am free"

"No, Daniel. We'll do two nights a week, until we manage to see him. Don't argue" I say when he's about to speak, he only shakes his head, giving up.

The walk to the apartment is peaceful. I feel safe although it's close to two in the morning. I also feel happy. That dance with Daniel, the way he held me, looked at me. And then the fact he's willing to adjust his schedule just for me. It's giving me a weird hope that maybe I am his type. Maybe, just maybe, he might actually like me.