They were having breakfast at Gem's Diner. Gabby sat across from her ex-boyfriend, Dean. She adjusted her posture against the red faux leather seat.

Dean smiled. "Did you want me to order you your favorite? Blueberry pancakes?"

Gabby frowned. "I don't eat those anymore. Listen Dean, I called you here so we could talk."

"What did you want to talk about? Us getting back together?"

Not one to mince words, she got straight to her point, "Are you going around looking up my friends?"

"What? What are you talking about?"

Gabby sneered. "Dean, I know how you are. Did you tell Alexis I was your girlfriend?"

"Alexis? You asked me to meet you here because of her?"

Gabby nodded."Why else would I ask you to meet with me?"

"Oh I don't know...maybe to talk about our relationship?"

Gabby sighed. "What relationship? We used to go out. Emphasis on the words used to."

"You seriously don't want to give us a second chance?"

"Why would I, Dean? I told you I don't want to date an officer."

"Why? Because your friend told you dating a cop was stressful?"

"That's not what she said. I asked her how to deal with the stress of dating an officer. She told me it was something I would have to get used to and accept. I didn't want to accept it so we broke up. End of story."

"No, we didn't break up. You dumped me."

"Stop splitting hairs. Alexis just helped me work things out about what I did and didn't want in a relationship."

Dean gave a bitter laugh. "It always comes back to Alexis. Why are you so obsessed with her?"

Gabby laughed. "I'm not obsessed with her. She's my friend. Of course I care about her and what she thinks."

Dean snorted. "Yeah? Well I was your boyfriend and you didn't seem to care about what I thought. I should've known better than to think you wanted to get back together."

"Yeah you should have."

"When did you become such a bi-?"

Gabby stopped him from calling her a curse word. "Don't even go there, Dean. We broke up and I only wanted to meet you to tell you to stop bugging Alexis."

"Is that what she told you? That I'm bugging her?"

"Does it matter? We aren't getting back together. Leave my friends alone."

"God, why did you even date me if you hate me so much?"

"I don't hate you."

Dean reached his hand across the table to try and grasp hers. "You don't?"

Gabby quickly moved her hand out of his reach. "No, I don't. What I feel for you is something like..."

Dean smiled. "Love?"

"Indifference."

Alexis drove to the computer store to pick up her laptop. She had been a bit jumpy lately and even started paying attention to the cars in her rearview mirror's reflection. She was becoming paranoid someone might start following her. As she pulled into the parking lot, she looked for a spot that wasn't surrounded by other cars. She ended up parking at the far end of the parking lot.

As she made her way to the computer repair counter, she scanned the faces of the customers to see if any of them were familiar. For all she knew her stalker was here at the store with her.

"May I help you?" a young man with a nametag that read "Jesus" asked her. He had long hair pulled back in a ponytail and a faint mustache that looked like a smudge of dirt.

"Hi Jesus, I'm here because I'm supposed to pick up my laptop," Alexis answered.

"Name?"

"Alexis Reyna."

His eyes squinted as if the name sounded familiar to him. Alexis wondered if he listened to her radio show.

"I'll be right back," Jesus said as he left her waiting at the counter for a few minutes.

"Okay ma'am, we cleaned it up for you. It had a pretty nasty virus on it so we installed new antivirus software on it. You know you're supposed to update your virus protection software every year, don't you?"

Alexis didn't know that. "Oh...I thought it stayed current on its own."

Jesus shook his head in dismay. "I have customers come in here all the time and they don't realize new viruses are created every day. Old software isn't advanced enough to protect your electronics. You need to update your software all the time."

"So which virus did I have on my computer?"

"A pretty scary one. It has a lot of different names. It's a spying program that allows hackers to watch their victims."

Alexis shuddered. This was something she was aware of. "Is it gone?"

Jesus nodded. "Yes, but you should still be careful about what videos you're clicking on. Sometimes a link on Facebook or in an e-mail can install it again."

"Okay, thank you." Alexis paid Jesus who scratched his head as though he were thinking.

"You seem really familiar," Jesus said. "Have you come in here before?"

"No, this was my first computer repair."

Jesus looked at the receipt's signature and smiled. "You're Dr. Reyna? Dr. Reyna the advice columnist, right?"

Alexis smiled. "I give relationship advice for the newspaper and am on the radio show Heartbreakers."

"Wow, that's so cool! My girlfriend loves your show. She only went out with me after you told her that she should try dating someone different. She used to only date athletic men and I'm not exactly athletic."

"That's wonderful," Alexis replied, "I'm happy to hear that. Normally people tell me that I'm the cause of their girlfriend breaking up with them but I'm glad I was able to help you in your relationship."

After Alexis walked out of the store, she couldn't help feeling good about herself. She scanned the parking lot and spotted her car. Parked next to it was a large white van. It was old and dirty. It had a door on the side that probably slid open.

"Great," Alexis mumbled facetiously under her breath as images of being shoved into the van ran through her head. Her pace slowed as she looked around the parking lot. She doubted anyone would even notice her being abducted into what she imagined as a dream vehicle for kidnappers everywhere.

She took a deep breath. "Chill out Alexis. It's just a van. Just a creepy-ass van that parked next to your car even though there are about a million empty spots closer to the store."

She walked to her car and cautiously placed her hand on the door handle.

The sound of the van's side door sliding open startled her, and she gave a frightened yelp.

A few kids began laughing as they scrambled out of the van. Alexis had her back to her car with her hand over her chest.

She was becoming paranoid.

When she finally got home, a car she didn't recognize was parked in her driveway. As she walked inside, she saw her brother Nicholas talking with his friend Luke.

"Hey Alexis, Luke's here."

Alexis smiled. "Thank you Captain Obvious and hello Luke."

Luke laughed. "You two act like kids sometimes."

Nicholas shrugged then looked at Alexis. "Luke works at a security company. He's going to help us install an alarm system."

"Really? I didn't know that, Luke."

Luke grinned. "Yeah. I've worked there for a few years. I was telling Nicholas he wouldn't get so many shiners if he had an alarm system installed."

Nicholas touched his black eye and grimaced. "Yeah...this black eye is stopping me from getting dates."

Alexis laughed. "Sure. Blame it on the black eye."

Luke laughed and Nicholas frowned. "I swear if that guy tries to break in again...it's on like King Kong."

"Donkey," Alexis corrected.

"What? Are you calling me an ass? Why? Because that burglar landed a punch on me?"

"No. It's not King Kong it's Donkey-" Alexis was about to continue but shook her head instead. "Nevermind. Yes, I'm calling you an ass." Alexis was about to leave the room when she saw her brother smirking. She laughed when she realized he had purposely aggravated her.

"So are you paying for the security system Nicholas?" Luke asked his friend which gained Alexis' attention.

"Yes, Nicholas, are you paying for this security system?" Alexis repeated.

Nicholas pretended to huff and answered. "I'm not some homeless drifter. I work. I can afford it." He looked at his friend Luke and whispered, "How much is it?"

"If you install the upgraded package, the installation and two cameras are free but the price per month is a little less than sixty dollars."

"We get cameras?" Nicholas asked.

"Yeah, you can watch the house from your smart phone or laptop...whichever you like."

Nicholas whistled. "That sounds pretty high tech."

Alexis thought of the virus in her computer and how technology was helping to scare her. "I'm not sure if we need something that fancy Luke. An alarm system with just a code key should be enough."

"Are you sure?" Luke asked looking from her to Nicholas.

"I'm sure. Nicholas, you don't have to pay for it. I will."

"Alexis, I can pay for the alarm system. Besides I live here too."

Luke stopped them before they got into an argument. "You can always upgrade later if you want to. Alexis, how about you and I discuss the installation?"

Alexis nodded, and placed her laptop down.

"You picked up your laptop. Did they fix it?" her brother asked.

"Yeah. They also installed new virus protection so I think I'll be okay."

Nicholas and Alexis continued talking about the laptop while Luke stared at it.

"Hey, are you okay?" Nicholas asked his friend.

"Huh? Oh...sorry, my mind drifted off for a minute. Yeah I'm fine."

"Still thinking about your ex?"

"What?" Luke asked, embarrassed.

"Hey there's no shame in getting dumped. If you need help, ask Alexis. She's a love doctor remember?"

Alexis smiled at Luke. "I'd be happy to listen if you ever want to talk Luke."

Nicholas interjected, "Just don't forget to return the favor by way of a discount on the security alarm."

Luke laughed while Alexis punched her brother in the arm and chastised him. "Stop being an ass."

After the three of them had decided on a date to install the alarm system, Alexis walked upstairs.

It had been a few days since the break-in and she was still paranoid. She looked around her room, taking in the familiar dresser, nightstands, and lamps. She was amazed that just a few days ago, everything in the room had felt foreign to her.

"I can still see you."

Alexis turned around to look at the doorway. No one was there. She wasn't sure if she had heard anything. Did someone just whisper to her? A few minutes had passed but she didn't hear the voice a second time.

"Alexis!"

She jumped and turned around to see her brother and Luke standing in the doorway.

"We're going to pick up some burgers. You want one?"

"Uh...yeah. Get me a cheeseburger."

"You got it."

After Nicholas and Luke left, Alexis sat on her bed and couldn't help but wonder if she was going crazy.