Sitting lonesome at my local coffee shop, I feel a pair of eyes burning holes in the back of my head.

Looking around, everyone seems totally casual. There is a woman with three young children in the red corner booth; where I usually read. There is a man reading a newspaper sitting at the bar stool by the front window. And the three baristas; Marcus, Beatrice, and Janette.

After putting my eyes back to the English class read in my hands, the uneasy feeling of staring eyes is back once again.

This time, rather than just looking around I pull my phone out of my small white shoulder purse, and put the camera to selfie mode. The mother and her children got up to leave, the woman’s brown curly hair was in disarray and the children looked angered, as if they had just been told no to another hot chocolate.

The baristas were making coffees and putting together pastries for takeout orders.

The man hasn’t flipped the pages. It’s been the same picture, of a baseball player swinging his bat, since the last time I looked around. In fact, my dad was reading that article last week, I know because he got all excited and showed me that his favorite player would be doing a tour with some other old players, or something to that effect.

I turned my phone off, and pushed it back into my purse; I really do need a new one. I finished the last sip of my peppermint coffee, I stood up slowly and went over to the trash can near the exit. I threw out my cup and opened the door. As I did so, the man with the old newspaper, folded it up and stood quickly to grab the door I had just opened.

He nodded, as if to say thank you I guess, and I began down the street. I still feel the eyes on the back of my head as I walk. My heart beats faster. The only thing I hear is it’s beating. I look around anxiously and the man from the cafe is following me. I’ve never seen him before; this town isn’t that big, I know most people.

I pick up my speed, with longer strides and a steady breathe. The next street corner I turn right, hoping to lose him. He’s gone. Finally... wait... I turn around hoping he isn’t still there and he is closer. There goes my heart beat again, faster and faster than before. He’s so close I can feel his presence behind me. I don’t turn around to appear calm; I’m most definitely not calm.

I turn another corner.

“No.... no....”