English novel - Aghast : Ch-12 Chase

It was a marvelous evening. Holding jam packed shopping bags; Nancy was walking down the footpath. In fact it was nothing left to be purchased now other than few things.
It will not take much time to buy the remaining things...
She thought.

As she finished purchasing the remaining few things, she started to return. She tried to finish up things quickly, but still it took time and now it was getting dark and the road was sparsely populated. Suddenly Nancy felt that somebody is following her. She started walking fast with fear, without looking back. When she realized that still she is been followed she increased her pace.
“ Nancy ...” Somebody called out from behind.
She stopped for a bit and continued.
“ Nancy” the voice came again from behind.
From the sound she could sense that the one calling from behind may not have an ill intension. Nancy turned back to look who was calling, still continuing her walking.
As she saw John, she abruptly stopped. Expressions of irritation crept over her face.
What the hell he is doing here?...
Its too much that he is following me every where..
John approached her, holding a flower bouquet.
“ Why are you following me?”
He did not speak anything. .
“ For God’s sake stop following me.” She said with annoyance.
Nancy turned in disgust and walked away. John followed her keeping some distance.
Knowing John’s chase again, she stopped angrily. John gathered his nerve and proffered the bunch of flowers, holding it in front of her,
“ I'm sorry...” He kept repeating his usual phrase.
Nancy frowned.
“ I swear, I mean it.” He continued.
Nancy angrily tucked few of her stray hairs behind her ear. John thought she was going to slap him again. He backed away, closing his eyes in fear. Nancy also realized why he closed his eyes. Nancy burst out laughing. She could not stop laughing seeing his innocent childlike fearful expressions. Her anger was evaporated. John opened his eyes; kept looking at her as she jogged father way. After walking some distance, Nancy turned, looked at John, and smiled mischievously. John acknowledged her smile, still confused. She took a turn and disappeared. Though she was disappeared, John was smiling alone, as if hypnotized. He was recalling again and again her smiling face.
Did she smiled really?...
Or it was just a hallucination..
No.. no how it could be?...
It’s true that she smiled...
Shall I assume that she had accepted my apologies...
Yes I can assume so...
But her smile was not just a smile...
There was something else hidden in her smile..
What was it?..
John was trying to get the hidden meaning. And as he got it, a similar, in fact the same smile crept on his face too.

.. contd..

English novel - Aghast : Ch-10 I am sorry

It was dark in the corridor. The lights in the corridor were either stolen or broken by the hostellers. A shadowy image walked across the corridor slowly. And a few steps away from it were John, Anthony, and their two friends crouched down, hiding behind a pillar. It seemed that they had decided today to catch the thief, whatever it may happen. They were hiding behind the pillar since long, waiting for the thief to come. As they saw the shadow they were delighted. At last their efforts were going to be useful soon, they thought. A joyful whispering started among them.
“Careful.... this is going to be a good chance to get him.” John murmured in low voice, to make them quiet.
They moved forward and hide behind another pillar. They were fully prepared and preplanned, distributing the tasks among them. One friend carried a black blanket with him.
“ He's stopped... “ John said in low voice.
The shadow stopped at one of the room.
“ Whose room is that...? “ One of them asked.
“ Mary’s.... “ Anthony answered.
The image stood in front of Mary’s door, put in the key in the keyhole.
“ He has the key? “ Somebody whispered.
“ Must be master key”
“ Or may be duplicate key, he seems to be sufficiently preplanned”
“ He can’t deny it now ... we'll catch him red handed.” John said enthusiastically.
John and Anthony glanced back, signaled their friends to move forward.
“ Come on... Let’s do it.” Anthony said.
The image was trying to open the lock.
Suddenly all of them rushed over the image. Anthony covered the thief with the blanket. John held him firmly.
“ Hey first let’s beat him’’
His other friends started beating the thief.
“ Asshole...”
“ Show us where you have hidden the stuff.”
“ Uuuu ...Aaaa...” From under the blanket a trapped voice was coming,
Suddenly the front door opened. Mary came out in confusion. She must have heard the noises going on in front of her room. As the door opened it illuminated the trapped figure in the blanket.
“ What is going on here? “ Merry asked scared.
“ We have caught the thief” Anthony said.
“ He was opening your door with the duplicate key” John said.
While holding the trapped thief, John felt something odd on thief’s body. In confusion, John put both his hands inside the blanket. As he put his hands inside, his grip eased and the image immediately came out.
“Oh my God Nancy? Merry cried.
Nancy Collins, around 22 was a beautiful girl from their class. John was confused, still holding her breasts. She released herself and slapped John hard as she can.
Johns was clueless, what to do next, said, “I'm sorry I'm really sorry”
“ We're sorry “ Anthony promptly apologized
“ But what are you doing here at this time of the night? “ Merry asked in surprise, approaching her and helping her to get up.
“Idiot... I was trying to surprise you. I came to wish you a happy birthday “ Nancy said in irritation.
“ Oh, thank you... I mean sorry... I mean are you OK?” Merry said in confusion.
Mary took Nancy in her room. As John tried to enter the room to apologize her, the door closed in his face.

..contd..