Rose was working at her desk when she heard a voice behind her, a slight shiver in it. She and her coworkers turned to look at the speaker. It was one of the outcast boys in the office.
He was tall but unremarkably average in appearance, with a face that never quite stood out. His demeanor was painfully shy and timid, the kind of guy who blended into the background without trying. People still called him a nerd, a label that had stuck since his school days, despite the fact that he had long since graduated. Everyone call him nerd except for Rose, who never disrespected anyone.
"Excuse me," he began, his voice trembling. "Ca-can we talk after work?" His words stumbled out as his eyes darted around, avoiding hers. He wore thick, outdated glasses that seemed to magnify his anxious eyes. His hands, always behind his back, twisted and fidgeted nervously, a telltale sign of his discomfort. There was something almost unsettling about his perpetual unease, as if he carried the weight of a thousand unseen anxieties. He was an outcast, an introvert, a nerd who never quite fit in and never tried to.
"And for what, Mr. Nerd?" Rose's best friend Rain stood up from her seat and asked . As she stepped closer, he backed off, his nervousness intensifying. He started biting his nails with his other hand behind his back.
"Rain, stop," Rose said, interrupting her. "Don't call him a nerd."
"What, Rose? I'm just asking," Rain replied nonchalantly.
"I'm not talking to you " he said .
"Oh, am I not allowed to talk to you? Am I that low compared to your level? I'm so hurt," Rain acted hurt, then turned to Rose with a baby face. "Look, Rose, what he is saying. He is disrespecting me."
"I didn't mean that, Rose. I just..." the nerd got scared, thinking she might see him as a bad guy.
"Stop it, Rain," Rose said firmly.
"Why do you want to meet her after work?" Zade, another male coworker, stood up and asked.
"Mmm," the nerd was silent.
"I'm asking you something. Answer it," Zade said, hovering over him, clearly taller and more intimidating. Rain smirked.
Rose stood up, trying to intervene. "Don't—" Rain grabbed her hand and gave her a look to stop.
"I'm asking you something," Zade repeated, standing over him. The nerd was too nervous to even look him in the eyes. Panic was taking over.
"I want to talk to her," the nerd said, trying to sound brave.
"Talk here, right now," Zade demanded.
"It's something personal," the nerd replied.
"We already know what it is, so just talk here," there was anger in Zade's words.
"I can't," the nerd replied.
"You can't?" Zade said, leaning closer, his height making the nerd even more timid and scared. He was shivering.
"Stop it," Rose said, not liking the way they were treating him.
Zade held up a hand to silence her. "Either talk here or don't talk at all," he said in a serious, angry tone. The nerd went silent. He gave Rose a look filled with anxiety, biting his nails behind his back, showing how nervous he was. "Understood?" Zade asked him.
"Look at me," Zade raised his voice. The nerd gave an angry glare. "Don't you dare come near her ever again," he warned.
"I will go. You can't stop me," the nerd said, determined.
"Is that so? Then should I tell her what you've been doing?" Zade warned him. The nerd's eyes widened. Rose was unaware of what they were talking about.
"Stop it! Why are you scaring him?" Rose said."You go. I will talk to you," Rose said.
"No, Rose, you will not go near him," Rain said, worried. Rose looked at her, confused.
"Why not?" the nerd raised his voice.
"You still have the nerve to raise your voice?" Zade roared over him, making him lower his head.
"I just did that once," the nerd said, lowering his gaze, rose still confused about what they are talking.
"As if we don't know," Zade said.
"I—" the nerd began to say something, but Zade went near him and whispered in his ear, "Get lost before I tell her everything."
He looked at Rose, who noticed he was scared. He quickly ran away. Rose was still unaware of what they had been talking about.
"What did you say?" Rose asked Zade.
"Just forget him. Let's get to work," Rain said, pulling Rose, trying to change the topic.
"Just tell me," Rose asked Rain as they sat back down to work.
"Leave it," Rain said. Rose was deep in thought but didn't ask further.
.....
It was 7 PM, office closing time.
"Let's go, Rose," Rain said, linking arms with her.
"Not today, I'm tired," Rose replied. Usually, Rose and Rain would go for a little walk and chit-chat after office hours before heading home, but today Rose didn't feel up to it.
She saw the nerd across the room. They made eye contact, and he kept looking at her, making her feel confused. "What are you looking at?" Zade shouted at the nerd from behind Rose.
The nerd got scared and quickly ran away.
"What was that, Zade? Why are you treating him like this?" Rose asked, displeased with what she had witnessed.
"I'm protecting you," Zade said, looking straight into her eyes.
"What?" Rose was about to ask more, but Rain interrupted.
"Let's just go," Rain said, dragging Rose out.
Rose and Rain walked in silence toward their homes, eating chocolate. Finally, Rose broke the silence. "What are you guys hiding?"
"Nothing," Rain replied, avoiding her gaze.
"Rain," Rose said, stopping.
"What?" Rain asked, turning to face her.
"Just tell me already," Rose insisted.
"You better not know. It will just break your heart. Just stay away from that nerd; he is not what he seems," Rain replied.
Rose was about to ask again.
"Don't ask," Rain said, silencing Rose.
"Let's go. I'll walk you home," Rain said.
"Why?" Rose asked.
"Just," Rain said.
"I can go by myself. No need," Rose said, walking past her.
"Don't," Rose said, as she felt rain was going to come after . Rose thought Rain was acting weird today. only if she knew.
........
Rose approached her apartment, making her way down the dark alley that led to her home. She had recently moved in alone due to her job, and the alley was dimly lit, making it feel even more isolated. As she walked, a growing sense of dread washed over her—she felt someone following her. The alleyway led to only her apartment, and the realization that someone might be tracking her made her heart race.
Quickening her pace, she began to walk faster, then broke into a run. But before she could get far, a hand grabbed her.
"Please, don’t hurt me," she begged, closing her eyes and bracing for the worst, her heartbeat pounding uncontrollably with fear.
"I won’t," a familiar voice replied, soothing her somewhat. She opened her eyes to see the nerd standing before her.
"Hello, Rose," he said with a disconcerting smile.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, pulling her hand away from his grip.
"I just came to see you," he said, still smiling.
"How do you know where I live?" she questioned, her confusion evident.
"Mmm, I just found out," he said casually, brushing his hair away from his neck.
"What?" Rose said, bewildered. She had only told Rain and her boss about her new place, and she couldn’t understand how he had learned her address.
"Even in fear, you look like a goddess," he said, his smile unsettling her further.
"Why did you want to meet me?" Rose asked, struggling to keep her anger in check while feeling a surge of irritation.
"Oh, I forgot," he said, pulling out a bouquet of roses. "Roses for Rose."
"What’s this for?" she asked, her confusion growing.
"I’m in love with you," he confessed, leaving her stunned.
"What?" she asked, struggling to process his words.
"I’m madly in love with you. From the first moment you spoke to me, I fell for you," he said nervously, his smile wavering. "No, even before that," he added, lowering his gaze as if lost in thought. "When I saw you for the first time, I knew. Yes, from that moment, I fell in love with you at first sight," he said with excitement.
"What are you saying?" she asked, trying to step away.
"Don’t go like this," he pleaded, his desperation evident as he reached out to stop her.
"Rose, you can’t imagine how much I love you. I think about you day and night, I dream about you, about spending my life with you. I dream of marrying you, of making love to you," he continued, his voice filled with longing.
"Stop," she said firmly, feeling a wave of disgust.
"Why are you behaving like this, Rose?" he asked, hurt. "It’s such a beautiful thing," he added, his tone softening.
"I’m sorry if I led you on in any way; that was never my intention," she said, trying to maintain her composure. "I can’t accept your proposal. Please don’t take it personally. You should go; it’s late."
He stared at her with a blank expression, his emotions unreadable.
"Sorry," she said again, and attempted to walk away, leaving him standing there, the roses still clutched in his hand.
"How can you do this to me, Rose?" he said angrily, grabbing her arm tightly. "How can you deny me?" His grip was so firm it caused her pain, and his rage was palpable.
"Let me go!" she pleaded, trying to free herself, but he only tightened his hold, making the pain worse.
She continued to struggle, but he yanked her closer, holding her neck from behind and forcing her to look into his eyes.
His anger seemed to waver when he saw her face, tear-streaked and terrified.
"Baby, don’t make me angry," he said, his voice softening but still tense.
"Rain was right. You’re not what you seem," she said, her voice trembling.
"What do you mean, baby?" he asked, a hint of confusion in his voice.
She shut her eyes and turned her face away, unable to bear the term "baby" coming from him. It made her feel even more repulsed.
"Stop it," she said, her voice shaking as she tried to remain calm despite her fear.
"Why are you acting this way now? You wanted this, didn’t you?" he demanded.
"What do you mean?" she asked, continuing to try to free herself from his grasp.
"You wanted me to confess, so we could be together, right?" he said, his voice laced with a mix of hurt and determination.
"What?" Rose was stunned, unable to comprehend his twisted reasoning.
"I know you're shy and couldn't confess at first. You were giving me signs. I didn’t understand them at first, but I gradually realized," he continued, but she interrupted him.
"What are you talking about? When did I give you any signs?" she demanded, her confusion turning into anger.
"Your eyes," he said, pulling her closer. "Those eyes of yours gave me signals. The way you look at me—no words needed. Your smile, how you smile at no one else the way you do with me. The way you help me. The way you engage with me, unlike with others. I noticed everything. I know you want to be with me, just like I want you," he declared, but she cut him off.
"Stop it. This is all nonsense. I never did any of that. I treated you just like I treated others. It's all in your head," she said, her voice filled with frustration.
"Don’t you want to marry me?" he asked, pulling her closer.
"Why would I?" she retorted, trying to pull away.
"Fine, don’t accept it, but I do. I want to marry you. I want you to be mine and only mine. I want us to have children, and I want our kids to have your eyes," he insisted, his tone growing more desperate.
"Stop it," she said as she released herself and attempted to leave. But he pulled her back and pinned her against the wall.
"I want to show you how much I love you," he said, trying to kiss Rose on her lips. But she turned her face away, feeling disgusted by his advances.
His grip on her tightened as he started smelling her hair, a sick smile spreading across his face. "Heaven," he whispered.
Rose struggled to break free, but he was too strong. He pinned her arms above her head with one hand and started touching her body with the other. She felt a wave of fear wash over her as he started lifting her dress.
"Please no," she begged, but he just laughed and continued his assault.
But just as he was about to take things too far, a hand stopped him.
"What the..." he began to shout, but the sight of the person who had intervened left him speechless.
"Sir," he muttered, looking up at the figure.
Rose looked up too, feeling a glimmer of hope.
"How dare you," the figure roared, kicking him to the ground. He pushed him onto the floor and looked up at Rose with concern.
The nerd, desperate, lunged at the his, swinging wildly.but he dodged with ease, his movements precise and controlled. He retaliated with a powerful punch to the nerd’s stomach, causing him to double over.
The nerd stumbled, gasping for breath, but quickly recovered. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a small knife. "Watch it " rose said her boss saw the glint of the blade and moved swiftly, sidestepping the nerd’s frantic slashes.
With a swift maneuver, he grabbed the nerd’s wrist, twisting it to disarm him. The knife clattered to the ground. He shoved the nerd back, pinning him against the wall. The nerd struggled, but his grip was firm and unyielding.
"Stop fighting," he said through gritted teeth, his face inches from the nerd's. "You’re not going anywhere."
The nerd's struggles weakened as his strength overwhelmed him. With a final, decisive move, he slammed the nerd against the wall, his hold now immobilizing him. The nerd groaned in pain, clearly defeated.
"Stay down," he warned, his voice low and dangerous. He could hear the distant sound of sirens approaching.
As the nerd lay subdued,he turned to Rose, who was slowly getting to her feet. She looked shaken but relieved.
"Are you alright?" He asked gently.
Rose nodded, her eyes still wide with fear but filled with gratitude. "Thank you," she whispered.
He glanced back at the nerd, now groaning on the ground. The fight was over. As the police sirens grew louder, he remained vigilant, making sure the nerd stayed down until the authorities arrived.
........
He was exhausted after a long, hectic day at work. It had been a particularly busy day, and he hadn't had a single chance to glance at Rose. Now that he was finally free, he decided to check on her through the hidden cameras he had installed in her home and office.
Entering the secret room he had meticulously created to monitor her, he felt a thrill. The room was filled with computers and LCD screens, each one providing a different view of her apartment and office. He saw her working at her desk, looking as breathtaking as always.
He reached out and traced her image on the screen with his hand, imagining what it would be like to touch her. She looked so innocent, so pure. He marveled at how someone could look like that in today's world.
He stalked her relentlessly, keeping close tabs on her every move. He had even installed a voice tracker in her phone, and she was completely unaware of it. Although she knew she had a stalker, she had no idea it was him. He had sent her messages but had not approached her in person yet. Despite being a dangerous individual, he found himself unnervingly nervous around her, an anomaly he couldn't quite understand. His knees felt weak whenever he thought about meeting her, a mystery that confounded him.
As he watched her on his monitors, his frustration grew. When he saw the scene with the nerd, he leaned in closer, muttering, "What's going on?" He replayed the footage and began listening to their conversation. Being a skilled hacker—skills he had perfected out of his obsession with Rose—he could usually decipher any data. The voice clarity was poor, so he hacked deeper into her phone to access the recording.
He watched the scene unfold on the screen while listening to the audio, his frustration mounting. The voice was garbled, making it difficult to make out exactly what was being said. Still, the tension and hostility between the nerd and her coworker were palpable, leaving him increasingly puzzled. The confrontation seemed out of character for the nerd and alarmingly intense, which only deepened his confusion and concern.
His eyes landed on another screen, and his heart shattered when he saw Rose crying. "Why is she crying?" he asked himself, his voice filled with anguish. He started listening to the live recording of Rose and her friend.
.......
"Stop, Rose. You’ll get ill if you keep crying like this," Rain said.
"Why do they always do this to me?" Rose sobbed.
......
"Who, Rose?" he asked, his anger flaring.
......
"Rose, calm down. It’s not your fault," Rain said, trying to soothe her.
"Do I seduce them in some way? Do I do something that makes them think of me like this?" Rose asked, her voice filled with shame.
......
"Why is she thinking like this about herself? She’s such an innocent and naive girl," he thought to himself, feeling a deep sense of sorrow.
.....
"No, Rose. They just get attached to you," Rain explained. "They take your kindness the wrong way."
"You guys knew about him, right? That’s why you were saying me to stay away from " Rose asked.
"Are they talking about that nerd?" he wondered aloud.
"Yes, Rose. We didn’t want to tell you because we knew it would hurt you," Rain admitted.
"Tell me," Rose insisted.
.....
He listened intently, hanging on every word.
......
"As you know, he is not what he pretends to be. He’s not just a nerd," Rain began to explain. "Zade caught him taking pictures of you secretly." She paused, letting the gravity of her words sink in. "At first, Zade thought to let it go, but then it started happening every day. Zade decided to confront him and make him stop. So, he followed him to the washroom..." She trailed off, leaving the rest unsaid.
Rose looked at Rain with tears streaming down her face. "In the washroom,He masturbated to your pictures," Rain explained, her voice heavy with disgust.
......
Her words ignited a deep, seething anger within him. "How dare he," he thought to himself, feeling a surge of fury.
........
Rose began crying uncontrollably, her sobs wrenching and heartbroken.
"Zade warned him that if he ever did it again, he would tell you," Rain continued. "He begged for forgiveness, saying he would stop, but Zade caught him doing it again. Zade knew he wouldn’t change, so he told us. Zade wanted us to keep him away from you."
"What did I ever do to deserve this?" Rose cried, her voice breaking.
Rain pulled Rose into a comforting embrace, holding her as she wept. "Don’t cry, Rose. He will pay for this," she reassured her.
.......
The scene left him seething with rage, determined to ensure that that nerd would face the consequences of his actions.
...
It had been three days since Rose last went to the office. Rain had informed her that her boss had fired the nerd. He was at the police station the night of the incident, but someone managed to release him the next day. Now, her boss was trying to locate him, but his whereabouts remained unknown.
Rose had just finished a bath when she heard the doorbell ring. It startled her. "Who could it be at this early hour?" she wondered. Her thoughts immediately jumped to the possibility that it might be him, especially since he was still at large.
She approached the door cautiously and peered through the peephole, but there was no one in sight. "Who is it?" she called out, but received no response. She asked again, growing more anxious, but again there was silence.
Tentatively, she opened the door and found a parcel left on the doorstep. She glanced around, but no one was in sight.
Rose picked up the parcel and locked the door behind her before bringing it inside. As she unwrapped the package, she found a note on top. It read:
"He can only fire people from the office for you, but I, I fire them from their lives for you."
The message sent a chill down her spine, and she felt a surge of fear mixed with confusion.
She didn’t understand the note until she re-examined the parcel. Inside, something was wrapped in a plastic bag. As she opened it, a nauseating stench filled the air, making her feel like she might throw up. The sight that met her eyes was horrifying: severed human fingers. Her heart raced, and her hands trembled uncontrollably as she uncovered the gruesome contents. She stumbled backward, tears streaming down her face, and the parcel fell to the floor, scattering the fingers around her.
In addition to the severed fingers, there was a photo included. The image was of the nerd, naked and severely beaten, with blood splattered over him. The brutal scene made her gasp in terror, and she recoiled in fear.
Just as she was on the verge of a panic attack, her phone rang, startling her. She was too shocked to answer, but the call kept ringing. Eventually, it was answered automatically.
“Don’t feel bad for him, love. He deserved that,” a voice said, leaving her stunned and unable to move. The words made her feel paralyzed with fear.
“I wanted to send his...,” the voice hesitated, “but he didn’t deserve that sight of you, so I sent the dirt he used to degrade you instead.”
“Who are you?” she managed to ask, her voice trembling.
“You’ll find out soon enough,” the voice replied before abruptly ending the call.
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