Page 54 of Haunt the Mall

Parking lot. 9 p.m. Behind the theater exit doors. It felt like a forbidden handoff. It was kind of sexy.

The semantics of locking up and clocking out meant I had to go through the security exit. Mall cops were so insecure. The guy tonight was an older gentleman who winced at my outfit.

I flashed him my teeth in an equally insincere grin and covered my ears as I headed through the metal detectors. Their silence was always a minor victory considering all my piercings and keys.

I snatched my stuff, including Victor’s jacket, and headed to the car. My keys jingled as I strode down the employee lot.

Fresh night air hit differently after a full day of mall life. No music or glaring lights. As much as I loved the store, this was actually kind of nice.

< Me: I just got out. I’ll drive over to the theater and bring your jacket in a few minutes [purple heart emoji] >

< Victor: [black heart emoji] >

I smiled at the glowing moon. Despite how it started, today was magical. Part of that was because of Victor. And now I got to see him again.

I shook my head to quiet my eager heart. Just the thought of him made my insides flap like a flurry of bats. We were in the early days of our relationship–presuming that’s what we were headed for. Yeah, we’d worked out our schedules to date, but we still had to nail down some details. And I still wanted to nail him.

I smirked at my bad joke and started my car, waiting for a few exiting mall employees to pass behind me.

The brake lights of a red car parked in the spot kitty-corner behind me flared. I waited for them to go. Then, waited some more. But they didn’t move.

Fucking weirdos. I guessed I could go, then.

I backed out and drove around to the theater side of the mall. The red car slunk behind me.

Okay, that was…a coincidence. Maybe they were seeing a movie after their shift.

I pulled into a spot by the theater and kept an eye on that car, my heart thudding hard as they parked farther down. Away from the light.

They didn’t get out of their car. No way in hell was I getting out of mine.

I double-checked my locks and nudged the glass-breaking mallet with my feet.

My older sister would call me a fucking psycho for being so fixated on the possibility of someone stalking me. Strange cars. Driving the same direction.

Maybe I was being paranoid. All those horror movies were getting to me.

But I also had to trust my gut on these things.

Fear could be a gift. I wasn’t going to suppress it for the sake of not looking silly.

Why would it take so long to back out and exit a car?

I supposed the driver of the red car could be chatting on the phone and not want to disconnect their wireless yet. Or they might be hooking up with somebody. Although it’d be uncomfortable in the front seat. And—

Someone rapped on the back of my car.

Shrieking, I jammed the horn.

Victor held up his hands in surrender. “It’s me.”

I rubbed my forehead. Fuck. He was also going to think I was overreacting.

I slid out of the car with his jacket in hand and let out a nervous laugh. “Sorry. I wasn’t expecting you to meet me in the parking lot and there was a car…” I sighed and glanced at my maybe-stalker. “It’s probably nothing.”

He looked over his shoulder and frowned. “There are lots of cars out here. But only one beautiful lady.” He lifted me into a hug and pressed me against the car, placing his body between me and that red monstrosity.

I laughed, tightening my arms and legs around him, almost out of breath from how much I wanted him like this.