A/N: As usual, I would recommend putting the video on loop.

Somehow, she had made it through dinner, but she didn't want to have another one of those. Unfortunately, the next one might be at the café. She still didn't agree to that, but it sounded like Anita was going to make it happen one way or another at some point in the future. Even after dinner and relaxing the best she could at the bar, she didn't trust him. Despite all of his words and reassurances, she wouldn't just let him waltz into everything.

Much to her disappointment, though, Anita had gone back with him. (F/n) didn't care if they were dating; she didn't think that Anita should be alone with that guy even if they had been officially together for two months. In her eyes, it was a mistake, and the protective friend in her wanted to tail after them and make sure that he didn't hurt her. But, she was no sneaky spy, and she'd probably be found out and possibly lose her friend's trust. That, she didn't want at all.

So instead, she had to head home on her own and leave her friend with that guy who probably remained a jerk but had learned how to act and win her friend over again. Entering the building, she closed and locked the door behind her. At least, Anita remembered to take her key with her since she had brought it to the restaurant in her purse. Hopefully, she didn't pass it over to Kaleb or let him make a copy.

Frustrated at the whole thing, she headed into the kitchen, set down her clutch and rested her hands against the counter. She groaned out loud and hung her head as she muttered a few things to herself about how irritating it all was. Looking up, her (e/c) optics glanced over to the mannequin in the corner. It was just her and it. The mannequin didn't move; it didn't make eye contact with her. "For once, you're not the worst thing around here," she commented before she groaned again and rubbed the bridge of her nose.

Pushing herself off of the counter, she was ready to get a glass of water until she heard creaking and saw its right arm move. She didn't run off; she didn't scream. H*ll, she didn't even look the tiniest bit of fearful. No, she glared. "I really don't have time for you right now," she practically sighed out in an annoyed tone. (F/n) rubbed her temples and continued on her way to the fridge. "My mind seriously needs to take a f*cking break and let me be for a bit," she muttered as though the mannequin moving was a figment of her overworked brain.

Once she had her water, she grabbed her purse and left the kitchen, not noting that the arm really had moved. He watched her go and was smirking as well as laughing. What the h*ll had happened at that dinner? Whatever had, it obviously pissed her off a lot. No doubt, something about Anita's boyfriend didn't suit (f/n), which made him wonder just what else Anita was hiding from her friend. There had to be more.

Figuring that (f/n) was too far off in her anger, he began to walk through the kitchen. He still could hear her steady steps going up the stairs. She wasn't running, and she probably still thought that she was imagining things. Well, that worked in his favor, especially if she thought him less of a threat than this boyfriend of her friend's.

By the time he was in the entrance hall, she was up in her room. The door was wide open, but he heard another door close. Perhaps, she had gone to take a shower or bath. Oh, that would be fun. Going up the stairs, he heard water running. He looked into her room. Inside, the bathroom door was closed, and the light was on the other side of the door.

When the bathroom door opened again, he hid back in the hallway. Her steps came over to her closet. (F/n) grabbed some undergarments and pajamas before she made her way back into the bathroom. Around her form was a towel, and her clothes from the day already were in the plastic hamper. The bathroom door closed, and with the water running, she didn't hear the creaking.

Hanging up her towel for the time being, she checked the water temperature before she turned off the faucet, climbed into the bathtub and pulled closed the black shower curtains. In the warm water, she had a milk and honey bath bomb, which already had dissolved. The water had a soothing scent to it and gave off the illusion that she was bathing in milk.

Inside, she sunk into the water until only her neck and head were showing. She had her head rested against the back of the tub. (F/n) closed her eyes but made sure that she didn't fall asleep, but she wanted to relax and just enjoy the quiet. Her mind needed to calm down so that she could perform well tomorrow during work. So, she focused on the warm water and how soothing it felt against her skin.

During her relaxation, she was so focused on just the peaceful quiet that she didn't even hear the bathroom door open very quietly. Not even the creaking bothered her. Then again, the intruder was being a lot more careful than usual too. It didn't help that her curtains prevented her from seeing outside of the bathtub. So, she didn't see the form now crawling on the grey floor tiles towards the tub.

With her eyes closed, she didn't sight the hand opening the curtains a little and turning the faucet on so that only drops of water came out. It slipped out in time when she opened her eyes in confusion, the drip-drop finally breaking through her daze-like state. Her brows furrowed before she sat up and turned off the faucet the whole way, but she didn't think too much of it. Maybe, she accidentally had hit it with her foot without noticing.

Leaning back against the tub, she closed her eyes again. The hand slipped back in before it sunk into the water. Fingers moved down through the water until their tips brushed skin. She shifted her leg a little bit as she thought that it was just a slight itch. An unheard chuckle occurred, and fingers touched skin again. (F/n) groaned a bit in irritation and moved her leg before she rubbed that section of her leg with her other foot to get rid of the itch there.

Quietly, the arm moved into the water. The creaking didn't occur since the limb didn't bend too much. It stayed relatively in the same position, and the fingers were under water. This time, they didn't touch skin. They moved through the water as the form held open the curtains more, making sure that the curtains didn't get pushed too much since that would cause the metal rings to move and make noise.

Eventually, they hovered over where her midsection should be. The form was somewhat hovering over her now, and there had been a light creaking. She hadn't paid it mind, thinking it was the old ceiling. Already, the mannequin had proven not to be alive with all of their tests. At least, she kept telling herself that, and the small ripples of water she felt in the water were from her own slight movements every now and then.

Hand lowering, the fingers soon glided across her midsection. She sighed in slight vexation at the itching feeling now there. Her own fingers touched the spot and scratched. They missed the other fingers only by an inch. Another unheard chuckle happened. Fingers moved up and began to tap lightly against the porcelain side of the tub.

"Why can't I just relax?" she muttered to herself, opening her eyes a bit. However, her annoyance quickly slipped away. She blinked a few times. Had that been a hand leaving the tub? Slightly, her heartbeat increased. Her mind was playing tricks on her again. The mannequin hadn't moved earlier, and all those sounds had been the house or her imagination. (F/n) rubbed her eyes and sat up a little bit.

To make sure, she grabbed the curtains and slid them back. Nothing was there, but she didn't look down. Instead, she reclosed the curtains and settled back into the tub. She definitely was going to get some sleep after her bath. When she did finish, she drained the water, creaking being covered by the water, and stood up. (F/n) reached out and grabbed her towel with her arm, not looking past the curtains, so that she could keep some of the heat from the bath in the small space with her better.

It was harder to grab her towel than usual, but she figured that it just had got caught on the towel rack a little. Drying herself off, she soon wrapped the towel around her. She opened the curtains from the faucet end and stepped out onto the bathmat just as she heard creaking and the bathroom door opening. (F/n) paused and looked over that way to see the bathroom door close. Creaking followed. Her heart rate picked up again. Again, she blinked before she steeled herself and threw open the door.

Nothing but her ordinary room greeted her. But ... But ... Rubbing the bridge of her nose, she realized that the dinner was getting to her too much. She needed to relax before she let her mind get the better of her again. Being bold and wanting to break the habit her mind was taking, she left the bathroom door open. (F/n) didn't even realize that her closet no longer wasn't unoccupied.

Dressed in her clothes, she hung up her towel, brushed her teeth and finished up with her night routine. She turned off the bathroom light, but she left the downstairs lights on for Anita when she came home. According to Anita, she'd be back before sunrise. Hopefully, that was true. (F/n) climbed into bed and curled under the covers. Tired from the exhausting day, she drifted off to sleep since she convinced herself that she was imagining those things in the bathroom and that the house was old.

Deep in sleep, she didn't hear the creaking leaving her closet. He stood there in the doorway and chuckled. Most likely, there would be many more nights where she would be on her own, and he could play with her more. And, Anita might just think that her friend was making up bizarre stories, if (f/n) disclosed the happenings to her and she probably would sooner or later, due to her not liking her boyfriend. It'd create separation between them, and he could have even more fun as he watched the two friends' lies come out. That was one of his favorite parts when he messed with his victims.