The Untitled Job

-8- Mr. Stalker

Moments after Daniel went upstairs with his food and the kids had finished their cookie dough, Madison came through the door. I look over to the wall where a clock is and realise the time's only 6:51 p.m. I tidy up after the kids as I hear them running towards their mum before I make my way out to greet her myself.

"Hey Madison. They've been great once again, a little over excited for the pizza and cookie dough though," she looks at me with vacant eyes and a faint smile, "Oh, and Daniel's upstairs." As soon as I finish my sentence her face turns expressionless.

"Thank you Lexi, you can go early if you want to. I'll see you tomorrow when I get home." She offers me a crestfallen look with a bleak smile. I grab my things to get on my way. I hear the kids shout a 'thank you' to me as I walk towards the front door. I make my way to my car but before pulling off I decide to ring the girls. After a few rings Lyla answers.

"Hey, have you finished work now boo?"

"Yeah, I thought I'd ring to see if you wanted to go for some drinks. What do you say? I'm going to ring Mel after I finish on the phone with you."

"When have you ever known me to turn down a couple of drinks?" She chuckled on the other line while I nodded along with what she said.

"Alright, social in 30?"

"I'll be there, see you soon." The conversation with Mel turns out to be very similar. Just as I'm about to pull out of my parking space I see Daniel slamming his front door shut before he starts to jog past my car. I make my way home before heading straight upstairs to get changed. I change my black jeans for blue ones and change my Black Stone Cherry top for a white cami with a black knitted batwing cardigan. I make my way back into the village and park in one of the social's parking spaces. There are only 5 minutes before the girls are meant to meet me here so I go to wait inside. I turn left into the bar lounge and find a table near the corner. As I walk over to the corner table I notice a bag in one of the seats, indicating that there are people sat there. The next table is empty so I sit and wait for the girls to show up. I feel a buzz in my pocket so I pull out my phone. I notice the number isn't saved to my phone but is familiar so I open it.

From: Unknown Number | 7:26 p.m.

I'm glad you know I like pizza and cookie dough. It makes up for running into me and the table. Don't run into me tonight though okay? A lot of people would see. Oh and you're just in time ;)

Daniel. I look around the room but he's nowhere to be seen. I decide to save his number so I know whether to open the text next time or not. I think it's time I reply.

To: Daniel | 7:27 p.m.

Alright Mr. Stalker. Where are you? Plus, it's just a coincidence, everyone loves pizza and cookie dough.

I put my phone back into my pocket and see the girls walking through the door. I wave them both over to the table before hugging them both as they reach me. Lyla is wearing a red and white long sleeved jumper tucked into black jeans. Mel is wearing a black vest with blue jeans and a leather jacket.

"Hey Lex, did you know it was open mic night tonight?" Mel is the first one to speak up.

"Nope, I didn't. Before you ask, nope we're not going on stage tonight, save it for Thursday." I give her and Lyla a cheesy smile before going up to the bar to get us a round of drinks. I suddenly feel a tap on my shoulder, I look over the shoulder that was tapped and find no one there. I try the other shoulder and see Kyle with a mischievous look on his face. I roll my eyes and turn back around hoping to escape the hell that is my ex.

"Aww come on now Lex, don't be like that. You know you miss me." He leans in over my shoulder so luckily he's close enough for me to elbow him in the stomach. I do so and he backs away holding onto his stomach with a pained expression. Well at least I know that works to get rid of a pest. I order our drinks, one diet coke, one double vodka and coke and one whiskey and coke. I walk back to the table with the drinks in hand. I place the drinks onto the table before pushing the vodka and coke to Lyla and the whiskey and coke to Mel. They both smile at me before turning their attention toward the small staging area at the opposite end of the room. I follow where their wide eyes are and see a very familiar back, which I just happened to run into earlier and sneak up on. He picks up an acoustic guitar and sits on a stool next to a microphone. He looks out into the room full of people before we lock eyes. He smirks to himself before getting ready to start playing his song. Both the girls exchange a look between each other before turning their attention to me.

"Okay Lex, so tell us...Since when does the infamous Daniel McCord notice girls like us?" I start to blush before looking down at my fidgeting hands in my lap.

"Possibly since I became his younger siblings' babysitter." Their jaws drop to the floor. I laugh at their gaping faces. "You might want to think about closing your mouths, you could end up catching some flies there girlies." I look back towards Daniel and to my surprise his gaze is fixed to my table. His expression quickly changes to complete deadpan before reaching out for the mic to pull it closer to where he's sat. He gets comfortable on the stool and gets his guitar into position to start playing it. When he starts to sing I know my plan is to focus on the lyrics of the song.

"She would not show that she was afraid, but being and feeling alone was too much to face. Though everyone said that she was so strong, what they didn't know is that she could barely carry on."

"But she knew that she would be okay, so she didn't let it get in her way."

"Sometimes it all gets a little too much, but you got to realise that soon the fog will clear up, and you don't have to be afraid, because we're all the same, and we know that sometimes it all gets a little too much."

"She would always tell herself she could do this, she would use no help it would be just fine. But when it got hard she would lose her focus, so take my hand and we'll be alright."

"She knew that she would be okay, so she didn't let it get in her way."

"Sometimes it all gets a little too much, but you got to realise that soon the fog will clear up, and you don't have to be afraid, because we're all the same, and we know that sometimes it all gets a little too much, yeah."

"A little too much, I said a little too much, oh."

"Sometimes it all gets a little too much, but you got to realise that soon the fog will clear up, and you don't have to be afraid, because we're all the same, and we know that sometimes it all gets a little too much, yeah!"

"Sometimes it all gets a little too much, but you got to realise that soon the fog will clear up, and you don't have to be afraid, because we're all the same, and we know that sometimes it all gets a little too much."

By the end of the song his voice turned soft and his eyes held a mixture of emotion. Most of all his eyes were honest and inviting. I know better than to get drawn to him that easily but there is more than meets the eye with him. Do I even want to know what's behind his bad boy façade? I think not.