Chapter 2: When Visitors Attack

      It was a sunny Wednesday morning, the birds were chirping, everything was just wonderful and it would have been even more tremendous if Simone hadn't screamed in their ears, ordering them to leave her estate. There wasn't a better way for her to wake them up. She has them up at 5am. She was in quite a hurry to gawk at her father's ancient yearbook. The girls saw her carry it from the attic but Simone didn't realize that they knew. They were going to ask her about it that morning. She shoved the girls out onto her freshly cut front lawn, told Sidney she'll be at her house in two hours for their sleepover, and slammed the front door which woke the neighbor's dog, Oliver. When Oliver starts barking, there was no stopping him.The girls stared at each other and shrugged. Simone was unpredictable like that. 
      Faye Martinez trudged down the street to her house. She was the only one who lived down the block from Simone. She still didn't know if it was a good thing or not. Sidney and Lauren lived across town. Her home wasn't as nearly as big as Simone's home. While Simone had a mansion, Faye had something close to a mansion. It wasn't as huge and glamorous but it was still respectful and comfortable. That was how she liked it. It always annoyed her how Simone would take advantage of her wonderful home and then go their not so great homes and criticize everything. Since they were friends, Faye would just ignore the comments and continue to have a great time.
      About a mile away from Faye was a towering, slender man leaning on a house and watching Faye closely. He had his arms crossed and one foot was planted on the side of the neighbor's house. He had a tan trench coat and black shades. The shades did a great job of hiding his eyes. The lengthy, black pantsuit was all the way to to his feet, much too big for him. He looked pretty shady. This was a very secured neighborhood. How did he get in? He had a bushy beard that was already showing some grey streaks. She couldn't see his expression and truthfully, she didn't want to know. She picked up her pace as she headed to her house. She went faster and faster but he was close behind. He followed swiftly and diligently. He may have been old but he could move like the wind. As she arrived at her house she rushed inside and slammed the door. Her heart was pumping and she felt woozy. She went to the fridge for a cool glass.
      Faye tried to make some lemonade but her hands were shaking viciously. Her heart beat finally slowed a  it but the anxiety was still there. She was in desperate need of some calming time. Whenever she wanted to be tranquil she would take a cold shower. It always helped. Then she would listen to some John Legend. It was her and her mother's favorite singer but Marc Anthony was a close second. Slowly, she stepped into the shower as the water came storming down. She immediately came out when she heard a twig snap. It is probably Selena and Nico, her younger brother and sister, playing in the front yard. When another twig snap followed by Mrs. Boyd loud squealing, Faye wrapped a towel around herself and went to the nearest window. Staring at her was her stalker. She screamed and fell backwards. The stalker looked surprised and a bit shocked. He started to back away. Mrs. Boyd came and pulled the stalker by the ear. She dragged him away from the window.
      Pervert. Faye thought as she glanced at Mrs. Boyd dragging the pervert by his reddening ear. She was both amused and intimated. If Mrs. Boyd hadn't came and got him, she would probably have had pictures of her getting out of the shower naked on the Internet. 

After her shower, Faye laid back to watch some television. Her mom had left a note on the fridge saying she had to work late today and that Selena and Nico were staying over at a friend's house. It was alright with Faye. She enjoyed having the house to herself. It was the only time she could actually get some peace and quiet. Nico and Selena were twins so that meant double the trouble. 
      Her house was cozy especially when two younger kids weren't running around trying to capture one another. When you walk in, the kitchen is to your right and the living room is straight ahead. Then if you go left you will find the rooms they have. They have two bathrooms on the 1st floor. They had placed Selena and Nico's room is right by the bathrooms because when they were younger they had to go almost always. There are some stairs that lead to Faye and her mom's room. Since her mom is a single parent, her room doesn't have to be so humongous. Just a queen sized bed, a dresser, a tv set, and a desk for her laptop and work papers. Faye had posters of the many sports players in her room. She had bought a basketball hoop and hung it at the door. Some people would see her room and actually think she was a boy living in a girl's body.
      She flipped on her favorite channel, National Geographic, and ate her popcorn. Sometime during the show about wild animals, Faye dozed off. The only thing that woke her up was the sound of the doorbell.
      She was a little groggy from her nap but nonetheless she still got up. The person at the door would it give up. They kept knocking and ringing until Faye opened the door. She didn't bother looking into the peephole. It was either her mom or Simone making sure Faye was ready to go to the sleepover at Sidney's house. She slung the door open as the stalker bolted in. Before she had time to even comprehend how he got pass her, he closed the door and hauled her to the couch by the arm. He sat on one side she sat on the other.
      "Calm down," he said in a thick Latino accent. "I am Marco and you are . . ."
      "Get out of here you pervert!" Faye said. She tried jumping over the couch but Marco pulled her back down by the leg. "Leave me alone! My mom will be here any minute."
      "Trina is still alive?" His face gave away a bit off a smile and he accidentally let go of Faye's arm in the process. Faye took the opportunity and dashed for the door. She was almost there but at the last minute he charged for her. He got her just before she was about to unfasten the door. 
      He wrapped his arms around her waist and yanked her back to the couch. "Come back Faye. You aren't going anywhere." She kicked and screamed as hard as she could, hoping that someone would hear her and try to pry this perverted man off of her.
      "How do you know my name?" She asked. The doorbell rung again. You could hear Simone's voice on the outside. "Come on in, Simone." Simone barge inside with her iPhone up to her ear. She paused when she saw the man. She looked at Faye then Marci and then back at Faye.
      "Well, well, well, I didn't know Faye was attracted to older men." Simone smiled while closing her phone. She shook her head mockingly at them. Faye and Marco scooted farther from each other realizing the position they were in. "Don't worry, I won't tell your dirty little secret." She turned to Marco. "I've seen you before. Do you live around here?"
      "No, I just came to visit. I was hoping to see some familiar faces. You must be Brooke Rivers, Cheryl and Jason's daughter." He held his hand out. Simone stared at it as of it was surgery gone horrible..
      "Wrong! I'm Simone Rivers, Brooke's younger sister. Come on, Faye. Sidney is waiting on us." Simone stood by the door waiting for her to hurry off the couch.
      "Faye, when will your mother come back?" Marco asked. His pleaded with her to tell the truth and the truth is what she reluctantly told him.
      "I don't know, maybe 9pm," Faye replied. Her eyes darted to Simone who was impatiently waiting.
      "I'll be back then. I . . . I love you." He said the last part a little hesitantly as if he was unsure if it was true or not. Faye got up and scurried towards the door and the outside air. She was so delighted to be away from him. It was too much and it was too confusing. He was just a perverted guy who wanted something from her. He also could be an expert stalker since he knew her and Simone.

"I know where I remember him now!" Simone leaped from her yellow beanie bag and grabbed her backpack. She searched wildly. She pulled a red yearbook out. She scanned page after page until she found what she was looking for. "He is Marco Martinez. He was in this group with our fathers. Cool, right!" 
      She laid it gently on the white rug carpet. Sidney had an all white room. She said the color helps her to be a calm and more centered Sidney. They just think she's a whack job. She had a white bed, white curtains, white wallpaper, and mostly white clothing. Yep, definite whack job. Then she painted over her posters to make them white.
      "He looks like you," Lauren commented. "Yep same hair color, same eye color, and you both refuse smile with teeth while taking a picture."
      "That man was in my house remember!" Faye shouted as they examined the man's picture. He may look like her but she didn't have to admit to it. It just made her more uncomfortable. She was related to a stalker. When she got there, she had told the girls the entire story about how the man was stalking her. He could be a killer and Lauren was cracking jokes about how they look alike. Lauren was like that though. She didn't like the cold hard truth do she would hide behind using humor.
      "Calm down, Faye. I'll put on some centering music." Sidney rushed to her stereo and popped in a CD labeled "Center". A bunch of oceans sounds came from the stereo. Birds, waves, and people laughing bursted from the speakers. She danced around the room making a swaying motion with her hips. She looked ridiculous. "Don't you feel better now?" She asked. He dancing got worse and worse. They couldn't hold it in anymore, everyone howled with laughter soon Sidney joined too. A typical sleepover with Sidney.
      The girls got back to the sleepover activities. Sidney had set up some instructions on how to make a gingerbread house using paper, they made Christmas cards with funny sayings, and even had a wrapping race where they would just wrap and unwrap presents to see who was the fastest. Simone made the best gingerbread house but it was Lauren who made the funniest Christmas card and wrapped the fastest.
      Faye just couldn't get the idea of that man being related to her out of her mind. He knew her name and Simone's sister's name. Either he was an expert stalker or he was a family member. She decided to go back home to meet him again but with her mom for backup. Now all she had to do was sneak out when the girls fell asleep. That wasn't too hard. Lauren and Sidney sleep pretty hard and Simone sometimes snores really loud. It would be a breeze getting last them.
      When the time finally came to sneak out, Faye was fully dressed in her regular clothes. She made sure she positioned her sleeping bag close to the door but she realized she had out her duffel bag all the way across the room, typical Faye. She stepped swiftly over Simone but Sidney's floors were known to the creak so when Faye laid her foot down beside Simone, a loud squeak came from the floorboards. She panicked for a minute when Simone uneasily turned in her sleep. When Faye saw that Simone was sound asleep, she continued her quest to her duffel bag. 
      She reached it just when Sidney sat up. She was a little groggy and confused. "Faye is that you?" 
      Faye had to think quick. "No, you are just dreaming," she said. "Now rest your head and go back to sleep."
      Sidney looked a little confused but she laid her head back on her pillow. Faye quietly crept through the door and down the stairs to where the exit was. The only thing left for her to do was to call a taxi.