With Sarah over at Luke's for the weekend, i can hear the pair of them walking in and out of his apartment a bunch of times being loud and obviously fooling around abit for all who have ears to hear.

Which leaves me alone to do whatever i want in peace. Which also means, i can do my laundry without him asking me to help him with his this time.

Then i clean up the apartment, which takes me all morning to complete, by lunch time am starving, but i have run out of groceries, so i will need to spend the afternoon shopping.

Putting on some loose dark jeans, a fitting tshirt and blue sweater on, i grab my purse, phone and earphone and head out. Now that the weather is getting really cold, i need to buy a few more warmer clothes to suit the weather.

Walking into some of my favorite shops in the town center, i pick out some jeans, sweaters, a couple of warmer work clothes, some socks, thicker leggings and a few casual shirts.

My job with Ally means i am making a lot more money than i usually do, so i feel like spoiling my self a little more today.

I am on my way to the counter to pay for my things in one of the shops when i notice the underwear section and decide maybe i could use a few new bras and panties.

With my earphones playing my favorites tunes in my ears, i am so focused on my task that am taken aback when someone suddenly embraces me from the back, placing their chin on my shoulders as their arms come round to my front.

Am startled.

What the hell?

The only person with the audacity to do something like this is Luke, and am pretty sure i left him at the apartment.

"Hey beautiful" a male voice says as i twist my head to see who it is.

Eric.

"Eric" i burst out, almost wanting to shout as i step out of his embrace.

"Hi" he smiles.

"What are you doing here" i ask, beginning to feel nervous and irriated. The last few times we met were not very pleasant.

He shrugs in response and points to some underwear on display behind me.

"I like those, that color would look great with your skin tone" he refers to a black lacy pair of panties i already put in my basket to buy.

However, I don't respond. I carry the items i already selected and walk to the counter. He doesn't follow me thanksfully and i hope to the stars he has gone and left me alone altogether.

But as luck would have it, as i walk out of the shop, he walks up to me again.

"Let me get those for you, Mary" He offers, using my first name despite me having specifically asked him not to address me by my first.

"Eric, what do you think you are doing?" i ask, turning at an angle to keep my bags out of his reach.

"Helping you, i know you are alone here." he says casually.

"Are you following me?"

"I just happened to see you"

"Look, you need to leave me alone. I thought we were clear on that. I will seriously call the police if you insist on following me. This is not ok" i say, seriously, feeling pissed off.

"Will you relax, am over 18 now, so you have nothing to worry anymore" he responds.

"I don't care how old you are, but if you....."

"C'mon, we can talk on the way, i will take you home, i have a car, and i know you don't like to drive." he grabs my bags abruptly and starts walking in the direction of the exit.

I stand there trying to decide what to do.

His Parents are part of the board that run my school. I had met them several times during PTA meetings, after which his father asked me to help tutor their teenage son who had bad grades. I agreed and we met on weekends at their home.

At first, he used to be a polite, kind and sweet boy who was quite serious and attentive with our lessons. Then, he became too attentive and started paying me way too many compliments. Then the compliments became inappropriate and sexual.

I was too embarrassed to tell his parents at first but eventually i mentioned it to them, but his father made light of the situation and put it down to a 'normal teenage crush on an older woman' and not to worry about it, he would get over it, but he didn't get over it,and shortly after that, i quit when the situation became way too uncomfortable and he tried to kiss me forcefully, he was barely 17 at the time. I have not heard from him in months untill recently with the calls and all.

Would it be taking it too far to call Mall security? Or the police?

He stops when he notices am not falling.

"Why are you always so tense? You think too much, you need to relax a little. I swear i just want to help. We are in mall with all these people around us, what are you afraid of?" he asks casually.

"Give me my bags" i mutter, and he does.

"See? I am not here to make trouble. I am sorry about before, i swear i am. I am just trying to make it up to you" he says calmly and nicely.

"You don't have to do anything. Just..just move on with your life. Goodbye." I say, walking away past him.

I get on a cab and go straight home feeling my stomach up in notes.

He will leave me alone right?

Walking into my appartment i immediately lock up. There are some moments i regret living alone, this is one of them.

I am home a few minutes when i realise, i didn't even get to buy my groceries and don't have much to eat, but i decide to wait until tomorrow to do it with Luke's help after Sarah leaves.

But Luke is not around all of sunday because of a work thing, and now i just have to go get a few things by myself. So grabing my purse, i head out to the shops down the street.

I am nearly back at my apartment from the shops with a couple of bags in my hands when someone speaks over my shoulder again, snaking their hands around my waist.

Immediately i know who it is and i nearly jump out of my skin, causing me to drop one bag to the ground.

"Stop doing that" i yell, when i turn around to face him.

"Sorry, i couldn't help it" He chuckles, putting his hands up in surrender.

"You are harassing me now Eric" I say, taking my phone out.

"Am calling the police like i said i would" I threaten him.

"Why would you do that, he says, grabbing my phone from me." Even at eighteen, his frame is taller and more muscular than mine, i know I can't fight him for it.

"Look, i just want us to be friends, no pressure. I am an adult now, so we can see each other whenever we want......Don't look at me like that, i care about you Mary and i wouldn't do anything to hurt you, deep down your heart you know that. Just let me be there for you, for example, i can help you carry those bags to your apartment" he winks, handing me back my phone.

"Am calling your dad"

"I moved out, they paid for my new place.... I mean, you can still call if you want, but i don't know what you hope to achieve by that" he says confidently.

Just then, Derrick, the guy who does maintenance in our building pulls up next to us.

"Hey Mary, i am told you wanted to see me" He utters, mumbling a brief greeting to Eric first.

I did want to speak to him about the air conditioning.

Eric just stands there with his hands in his pocket, all relaxed and chilled, as he returns his greeting.

"Bye" i say to him. He shakes his head briefly as if to scold me.

"Goodbye Mary, think about what i said" he says, turning on his heel and walking away.

That night, laying in bed, i feel angry about a lot of things in my life as i stare at the ceiling waiting for sleep to consume me.

*

With the whole family back at home over the weekend, it has been nothing short of dramatic back at home. My only source of comfort and peace is coming from my nine year old niece Issabela and four years old nephew Ivan named after my father, who will not stop following my every move.

"You need to come home a little more often Angelo. The kids are growing up not knowing you and they miss you, you see how they won't leave you alone" My mother scolds me for the millionth time, as we enjoy a family lunch, on a monday afternoon.

"I already said i will Mom, what more do you want?" i reply, making faces at Ivan who's sitting on my lap.

"It's because you say that all the time but never really come" She continues.

"Enough Lora... He has heard you already" Dad comes to my rescue.

"It's quite refreshing to see someone else as the center of Mom's wrath for a change." Andre my little brother who is still in high school and stays with my parents snickers.

"You can say that again" Benjamin, my older brother who along with his wife and kids, also stay with my parents in the family home agrees with him.

"You know, it's my tenth birthday on Saturday uncle Angelo, you are coming to my party right?" Isabela asks me with her pouty face.

Fuck!

She had to ask me infront of everybody, if i say no now, it will give Mom even more reasons to scold me.

"Certo princessa, i will be there" i wink at her from across the table" and i watch her giggle at her mum and give Alana and Andre a high five on either side of her.

Ahh, i see it was a planned move. I have just been played.

"I really have to go" i stand up, anticipating another few 'minutes' of just saying goodbye.

"Goodbye my love, we will see you this weekend" Mom murmurs kissing me on the cheek and surprising me by returning to her meal.

I bid the rest of my family goodbye while my father and Ben walk me out.

"Shouldn't you be sitting down" i ask my father concerned for his health.

"Am fine" He says matter of factly and proceeds to talk about work and business, as usual.

"See you over the weekend, and bring a date this time" Ben says as i enter the grey Range rover taking me home.