“Is it so lonely in your place?” Joe asked, rolling his eyes playfully. He heard you complain about missing him and how you felt lonely in your large Brooklyn rowhouse. He was your boyfriend—or something similar—he was working on it.

He held his phone close to his ear, listening intently, as he stepped out of a dimly lit alleyway that was directly across the street from your place.

“I have to go now. I’ll text you in the morning, okay?” he said with a smile before looking at the screen and pressing the red hang up button.

Joe pulled up the face mask over his face as she climbed the fire escape to your apartment window. Glancing in, he saw you pacing around, getting ready to shower. The bathroom light that illuminated the hallway had dimmed meaning the bathroom door shut.

He had never been in your apartment—at least not while you were present. He got a sick thrill of sneaking in, watching you sleep, or even taking photos of you in moments of privacy.

Joe sang songs in his head as he skillfully picked at the lock, his fingers moving with a delicate touch. He pushed the window open and stepped inside, keeping his footing light and graceful. As he shut the window behind him, he carefully scanned the room, his eyes darting from one corner to another.

He thought to himself, “New niche movie poster, how nice…” as he took in the plants and record player on the side table near the bookshelf.

Joe strolls over to the shelf, his finger gently tracing the spines of the books as he reads their covers—judging their appeal and searching for any new reads.

He read “Either Or, Norwegian Wood, The Castle” before a book he had never seen caught his attention. “Oh, hello you,” he thought, raising his brow as he pulled the book from the shelf.

“The Collected Schizophrenias by Esme Weijun Wang, how curious…” He placed the book back on the shelf before heading to the hallway.

His senses were enveloped in the delightful aroma of shampoo and body wash, a scent that was unmistakably yours. He took a deep, savoring breath, allowing the fragrance to fill his senses and evoke a sense of comfort and familiarity. As he stood there, lost in the moment, he noticed that the bathroom door was slightly ajar, a small detail that piqued his curiosity and hinted at the possibility of your presence nearby.

“That’s not good,” he thought, his mind racing with a sudden fear. ”What if there was some pervert taking a peek?” Before he could close the door, his eyes glanced up, and he saw you.

You appeared serene in the bathtub, surrounded by the soft glow of candlelight and the gentle aroma of lavender and eucalyptus. A book laid open on a wooden bath tray alongside your phone, with faint music playing through your headphones. The warm, steamy water cradled you as you relaxed, lost in tranquility.

For a moment, Joe wished you’d see him. Would fear be in your eyes, or would you simply recognize him? Did you know him as much as he believed?

He turned his eyes towards the doorway and softly pushed it open slightly further, positioning himself against the wall outside. He remained there, curious to see if you would notice his presence.

Joe stealthily observes you from the shadows of your apartment, driven by an unsettling obsession. Using his burner phone, he captures secret photos of you as you relax, unaware, in a candlelit bath. The scene is filled with sensory details—the soft glow of candles, the scent of lavender, and the faint sound of water. Joe’s internal thoughts reveal a mix of control, anticipation, and a disturbing fascination, as he imagines the possibility of you noticing him and how you might react. The suspense builds through his quiet movements and the tension between his calm actions and racing mind.