The Stalker in My Bed

The star quarterback of our college football team suffered a freak accident that practically bashed his head in.

The second his eyes fluttered open, he had the audacity to crowd my personal space. Come here, baby, he murmured.

I had spent an entire year acting like a borderline stage-five clinger for this guy, and he had never given me the time of day. The exact moment I finally decided to throw in the towel and move on to fresh meat, he pulls a stunt like this.

His lips actually brushed against mine, stealing a quick, scorching kiss before I could even process what was happening.

I slapped my hands over my burning cheeks, my jaw practically hitting the floor.

Does getting a little amnesia magically rewire a guy's brain to swap out his ultimate, unattainable obsession for me?

Chapter 1

Declan was walking past the football field when a stray football nailed him right in the head. Word around campus was that it knocked him completely stupid. I panicked. I grabbed a box of his favorite glazed donuts and an iced Americano, rushing straight to the hospital.

When I got there, Declan was lying in the hospital bed, his usually tanned face looking pale and washed out. My chest tightened.

"How is he?" I grabbed the attending doctor by the sleeve and pulled him aside. "When he looked at me just now, his eyes were totally glazed over. Is there a chance he doesn't remember who I am?"

No way. No freaking way.

What about the past year? I handed him 237 sports drinks on the sidelines, wrote 352 bullshit Gen Ed essays for him, and washed his sweat-drenched practice jersey 475 times

Wait if he has amnesia, does that mean I can make him pay me back for all of that?

Holy shit, why is my heart racing? This is the best news ever.

"As of right now, the severe impact caused minor bleeding in his brain. The blood clot is pressing against his memory center, resulting in amnesia," the doctor explained.

"Will he ever get his memory back?" I asked.

"You can surround him with things he used to love. That might stimulate his brain and help him remember sooner."

Oh, I get it. So if I make him do things I like instead, he'll stay completely oblivious for longer. Say less, doc. I am fully on board.

I snatched the medical chart from the doctor, forcing my mouth into a grim line to hide my grin, and shut the door behind me. I leaned over his bed, studying his face. "Do you remember who I am?"

"No."

"But I must know you. Otherwise, why is my camera roll full of your pictures?"

His camera roll is full of me? Wow. He was definitely harboring a massive, secret crush on me. It all makes sense now.

I snatched his phone, eagerly swiping through the screen. My smile instantly vanished.

They were all hideous.

Since Declan was six-foot-two and I barely scraped five-foot-four, every single shot was taken from a terrible, looming overhead angle.

He made me look like a four-foot troll with the most deranged facial expressions. A string of curses flashed through my mind. No wonder I had chased this guy for an entire year and hadn't gotten so much as a kiss or a decent grope out of it.

"They look good. Don't delete them." Declan's long, calloused fingers suddenly wrapped around my wrist, stopping me.

I stared at him. Was he making fun of me? I tapped on a random photo and shoved the screen in his face. "Look at this. You think this looks good?"

It was a picture of me passed out on a library desk, practically drooling onto my textbook.

Declan stared at it intensely for a few seconds. "It's cute."

I pinched the bridge of my nose. Back then, he used to tell me I slept like a slob and my hair looked like a bird's nest.

"What about this one?" I swiped to the next nightmare. I had clearly just woken up. My mouth was hanging open, my cheek was flushed dark red, and you could actually see the imprint of spiral notebook binding stamped into my skin.

"Super cute."

I let out a slow, deep breath. The doctor forgot to mention that getting hit in the head obliterates a person's standards. "So what am I to you then?"

Declan furrowed his brow, thinking it over, before shaking his head.

"If you don't even know who I am, why the hell are you hoarding my pictures?" I snapped, my temper flaring. Thinking about my ultimate campus crush harboring a secret stash of my worst angles made me want to bury myself alive.

"I like them. I really like them." He paused, looking at me earnestly.

"When I see you, I just want to get closer to you. I want to hold you."

I stared into Declan's earnest eyes, noticing the faint pink dusting his cheekbones. I swallowed hard, completely speechless. All I could think was: Is my dream of making him hand me 237 sports drinks, write 352 essays, and wash my dirty laundry 475 times actually going to come true?

Chapter 2

"Don't you think this is weird?" I asked.

Declan furrowed his brow slightly. He leaned in, his nose brushing against my hair as he took a deep breath. "You smell good," he murmured.

I pinched my lips together. That was absurd. My hair was so greasy today I was actually grossing myself out.

"Is it weird?" Declan blinked his innocent eyes. He looked down at his own long, pale fingers, and then glanced at mine.

My slightly chubby, unmanicured hands. "I really want to touch them. They look so soft."

Good lord, he had actually lost his mind. "You used to call my hands pig trotters," I deadpanned.

Declan fell dead silent.

At noon, while Declan was in the bathroom, I slipped out to the balcony and frantically texted my best friend, Gemma. My fingers flew across the screen as I typed out a massive paragraph explaining that her brother's brain was officially broken.

[Is your brother's brain actually fried?]

[You tell me. He's looking at you right now like you're his precious baby or something.]

[Is there any chance he's faking it?]

[Order a ton of food he despises and force him to eat every last bite!!]

[That's the ultimate test to see if he's playing you.]

I felt like her suggestion carried a heavy dose of personal vendetta.

[Did he force you to eat vegetables you hated when you were kids?]

[??]

[It's a traumatic history. Don't bring it up.]

[Lmaoooooo]

Catching Declan stepping out of the bathroom out of the corner of my eye, I scrambled to swipe out of the chat. "What were you typing? You looked so happy," he asked.

"Nothing. What do you want for lunch?" I opened Uber Eats and started tapping away.

"A double bacon cheeseburger, Buffalo wings" He paused halfway through. "And a glass of room-temperature water."

Oh, yeah, none of that is happening. I was ordering specifically to torture him. Pure vegan kale salad, boiled celery sticks, a green detox avocado smoothie, and a cup of ice water.

When the delivery arrived, I gleefully arranged the spread on his tray table. "Eat up."

A complete feast of green hell. Every single thing he despised the most.

Declan picked up his fork. Staring down at the sea of green, a vein throbbed lightly at his temple. "Did I usually like eating this stuff?"

I nodded, keeping my eyes wide and innocent. "Yeah, totally. You were so easy to please. Just some greens and you'd be super satisfied."

The corner of his eye twitched. He looked like he didn't even know where to stab his fork. Finally, he speared a piece of kale, shoved it into his mouth, and started chewing mechanically.

"Is it good? You used to be obsessed with this," I pressed, leaning in with a look of eager anticipation.

"It's alright."

"Then finish it all. No wasting," I said, flashing him a bright smile.

Declan just stared at me.

Once he had forced down every last bite and was completely full, I happily pulled out my phone and ordered every single thing he had originally asked for. It was just a little weird, considering that entire junk food order consisted of my absolute favorite things. When the second delivery arrived, I deliberately set it up right in front of him and stuffed my face.

"Are you mad?" I finally asked, a tiny sliver of guilt kicking in as I gathered the empty greasy wrappers.

Declan shook his head slowly. "How could I be? Sutton is the best to me. You ordered my favoritevegetables."

Holy crap. He was actually brainwashing himself to justify my bullying.

Chapter 3

I had a class with that notoriously strict old professor who was famous for failing half his students this afternoon. I cleaned up my trash, grabbed my bag, and got ready to head out.

Before closing the door, I caught Declan still staring blankly at the wall. My chest tightened with a sudden pang of worry, so I doubled back to lay down some ground rules.

"You still remember how to use a phone, right?" I asked.

"I have class this afternoon. I can't come pick you up to discharge you until tonight. Play this if you get bored."

I tapped open his favorite mobile game and shoved the device into his hands. Declan looked completely lost, as if the massive pile of kale he just ate had actually short-circuited his brain.

Feeling a weird mix of guilt and amusement, I reached out and ruffled his messy hair. "I'm leaving. Be a good boy and behave."

"When are you coming back?" Declan suddenly grabbed my wrist, looking up at me with wide puppy-dog eyes.

"Around 4 PM. If you're in a rush to get out of here, I can text Gemma to come get you."

"No. I'll wait for you." He tightened his grip slightly. "Come back early. I'll be good."

Declan slid down under the hospital blankets, leaving only his striking eyes peeking out over the stark white edge. He looked ridiculously obedient.

Alright then. I closed the door behind me, immediately pulled out my phone, and texted my best friend.

[Gemma, your own brother just rejected you. Lmaoooo]

[I reject him too.]

[He has a garbage temper, he's high-maintenance, a total control freak, and never shuts up.]

[Sutton, please just take him off my hands. Save me from this living hell.]

Followed by a loudly crying emoji.

Halfway through my afternoon lecture, my phone buzzed with a text from Declan.

[Sutton, I want to leave the hospital.]

I glanced up at the professor who was currently ranting passionately at the podium, then ducked my head to text back.

[Tough it out. I'll be there soon.]

A minute later, he sent a photo of his hand. In the picture, his knuckles were prominent, veins trailing down the back of his hand, with a fresh red scratch from carelessly ripping out his IV needle.

[Sutton, it hurts.]

[Ask a nurse for a Band-Aid.]

[Sutton, the nurse wants to add my Snapchat.]

[Absolutely not!]

[Sutton, the nurse said I look exactly like her ex-boyfriend.]

[She's insulting you. She means you're just as ugly as her ex.]

[Sutton, a bunch of nurses are crowding outside my door, staring in.]

[They're just looking at the view out your window.]

[Sutton, the view outside is beautiful.]

He attached a picture of the window. It was nothing but a solid wall of depressing, dark gray storm clouds. I had no idea what was so beautiful about it. I shoved my phone face-down on the desk and forced myself to focus on the lecture.

I finally survived until 4 PM and headed out to pick him up. But halfway across campus, the sky ripped open and unleashed a massive downpour. I had to sprint into a nearby bus shelter to avoid getting completely drenched.

[Sutton, when are you coming back?]

[Hold on a sec.]

[Sutton, how long is a sec?]

I checked the weather app. The thunderstorm was supposed to last for another two hours.

[Two hours.]

A few minutes later, my phone pinged with a whole batch of photos. In the pictures, a group of young nurses were standing shoulder-to-shoulder with him, smiling brightly at the camera.

[Sutton, the nurses are all so pretty. They said they want me to be their boyfriend.]

My fingers tightened in a death grip around my phone.

[NO YOU CAN'T!]

His brain might be scrambled, but he still hadn't lost his natural ability to attract a swarm of rivals to ruin my life!

[Sutton, the nurses said if I become their boyfriend, I can have over a dozen girlfriends all at once and be the happiest man in the world.]

The second I get back there, I'm going to bash his head in myself!

Chapter 4

At 4:30 PM, I braved the torrential downpour to get to the hospital. I dragged Declan back to my apartment, a tight, fake smile plastered on my face.

The entire ride home, he kept stealing glances at me, his expression cautious. He looked like a giant puppy who knew he had just chewed up a favorite pair of sneakers.

Seeing him act like this for the first time was a total trip. I couldn't resist. I hopped onto Reddit's relationship advice board and posted a thread, attaching a picture of him staring miserably down at his kale salad.

It didn't take long for the notifications to start rolling in.

[Thank you ?? I was just crying over a toxic League of Legends match, but now the tears are flowing from my mouth instead. ??]

[Science says looking at hot guys increases your lifespan. I'm just trying to live forever, is that a crime? ??]

[When I get rich, I'm buying every girl in this thread five of these! ??]

I scrolled through the thread. Not a single person offered actual advice. Someone even slid into my DMs:

[Hey bestie, it's me, your long-lost sister from another mister. Can you drop his Snapchat? ??]

I pinched the bridge of my nose. I shot a glare at Declan's insanely gorgeous, chiseled face. Absolute menace.

Clueless to my internal meltdown and assuming I was still pissed, he obediently leaned in. His cheek brushed softly against mine.

His broad shoulders and massively intimidating frame pinned me into the corner of the sofa. Even playing dumb, that pure, aggressive Alpha male energy and his scorching body heat left me with absolutely nowhere to run. A sudden, totally irrational wave of giddiness washed over me.

Feeling a little reckless, I turned my head at the exact right moment.

His smooth cheek collided directly with my lips.

He froze. The tips of his ears flushed a brilliant, burning pink.

"Sutton what did you just do?" he breathed out, his dark eyes snapping to mine, locking on with sudden intensity.

My heart did a violent flip in my chest. I scrambled for an excuse. "It was an accident. We just bumped."

"Sutton. Have other guys 'accidentally bumped' you like that before?"

"Yeah, sure." My pulse was hammering out of control. I grabbed my glass of water, my fingers trembling slightly as I took a desperate gulp.

Declan went dead silent for a few agonizing seconds. Then, he let out a low, dark scoff. He stood up, spun on his heel, and slammed the guest room door behind him.

Leaving me sitting there with a wildly racing heart and zero idea what just happened. I had no choice but to text my best friend for emergency backup.

[I think I just pissed your brother off again]

Followed by the grimacing emoji.

[Ignore him. Let him stew.]

Gemma fired back.

[If he's throwing a tantrum, don't give him the time of day! Once he cracks, he'll come crawling back to grovel.]

Solid logic. I marched into my bedroom and slammed my door shut, too.

By the time I finished my afternoon classes the next day, I realized Declan hadn't texted me a single time. Clearly, Gemma's advice was absolute trash.

But the second I unlocked my front door, I stopped dead. The living room was spotless. Even the tower of dirty dishes that had been festering in the sink for days was gone.

Declan was sitting on the couch. The moment he saw me, he shot to his feet, looking like a desperate, overgrown puppy.

"Sutton," he called out softly.

Remembering my best friend's militant strategy, I completely ignored him. I kept my face blank, flopped onto the opposite end of the sofa, and started scrolling mindlessly on my phone.

He edged closer. Like he was presenting me with a priceless artifact, he pulled a bouquet of sunflowers from behind his back and offered them to me.

"Sutton. Your favorite." His eyes were practically glowing.

"Thanks," I mumbled. I shoved the flowers into a vase, snapped two quick pictures, and posted them to my Instagram story.

[A good mood starts with a bouquet of sunflowers from him ~]

[Sutton, you should cook my brother a nice meal so he can have a good mood today too. ??]

[Yes, exactly! Sutton, don't let his sweet flowers go to waste! ??]

I frowned at my screen. Thinking back to the mountain of bitter kale I forced down his throat yesterday, a sharp, uncomfortable twist of guilt hit my stomach.

Chapter 5

I darted into the living room, mischievously pinching his cheek. "Declan, we're going grocery shopping."

We both threw on oversized sweatpants and baggy t-shirts. He even pulled a face mask up, leaving only those striking dark eyes visible. He looked ridiculously obedient, and I was entirely here for it.

I held out my hand, signaling for him to take it. "You're a big boy now. We have to hold hands so you don't get lost."

His palm was massive and radiating heat, the pads of his fingers slightly rough with calluses. Strolling down the sidewalk, my mood skyrocketed. Even though I had deliberately dressed him down to look as scrubby as possible, his broad shoulders, narrow waist, and insane proportions still had girls breaking their necks to check him out as we walked by.

I pinched the bridge of my nose.

Passing by an ice cream parlor, he pointed at the chalkboard sign out front. "Sutton, soft serve is buy-one-get-one today."

"You can't eat cold stuff on an empty stomach. It'll hurt."

"We'll get it next time."

I tugged his hand to keep walking, but he planted his feet like a tree. He stood frozen on the pavement, his eyes downcast, looking at me with the most pathetic, wounded-puppy expression.

We locked in a tense standoff for exactly two seconds. Fine. I caved. I ended up buying a cup of hot water and two vanilla cones.

"Drink the hot water while you eat the ice cream. That way your stomach won't cramp up."

He let out a soft hum of agreement, his eyes literally sparkling.

Further down the street, he spotted a couple sharing a boba tea, two straws crammed into one cup. They took turns sipping. Declan stared, completely transfixed.

"Sutton, I want to drink that."

I pretended I didn't hear him, but he wasn't letting it go. "Sutton, does it taste different when two people use two straws in the same cup?"

"Obviously it tastes different."

Like, were they even tasting the boba? They were practically just drinking the sickening sweetness of being in love.

"Then I want to eat yours."

Before I could react, he dipped his head and swiped his tongue over my cone, right exactly where I had just been eating. His lips were soft, flushed a faint pink, and now dotted with stark white vanilla ice cream.

"Sutton, yours is sweeter than mine." His eyes were wide, completely innocent, like a kid making a brand-new discovery.

I seriously can't believe I'm falling for this bullshit.

Once we hit the grocery store, I had to let go of his hand to pick out produce. I figured a few minutes of vegetable shopping wouldn't be enough time for him to attract another swarm of rivals.

"Declan, listen to this. Does this watermelon sound ripe?" I thumped the rind, waiting for the hollow echo. "Declan?"

I whipped my head around. A gaggle of girls had already circled him over by the imported cheese counter.

He caught my eye, his lips curving into a bright smile. "Sutton, I want this one."

I pinched my lips together in a tight line. I stepped closer and checked the price tag.

Holy shit! Twenty-five dollars an ounce?!

He stared at me with those big, expectant eyes. Even with his memory totally wiped, he still somehow managed to look both incredibly soft and dangerously cocky. This guy was going to be the death of me.

"Sure. Pick one out," I forced a sharp smile.

He reached past the girls and confidently selected two massive, premium blocks of black truffle fermented blue cheese, weighing in at a solid five pounds.

Waiting in the checkout line, he pushed the cart while the girl next to us blatantly checked him out. I just stared right back at her. Wait till you find out a single grocery run with this guy costs hundreds of dollars.

Just as we were about to hit the register, he suddenly started digging through the cart. "Sutton, I just realized I forgot to grab the fruit gummies."

"Next time."

"But the bags have the little red hearts on them. I really like those."

I let out a long sigh. Popping up on my tiptoes, I aggressively ruffled his hair, messing up his neat strands. "Stay right here."

He just grinned.

By the time I sprinted back with the gummies, he was already standing past the registers, waving at me. "Sutton, I already paid," he said, his voice low and raspy.

Wait, what?! Jesus! Since when was he this incredibly smooth?

In the end, the only thing I actually paid for was a five-dollar bag of gummies.

Chapter 6

He carried the heavy grocery bags with the blue cheese and vegetables, while I swung my single five-dollar bag of gummies. We walked side by side down the sidewalk. The setting sun cast a golden glow, stretching our shadows long on the concrete.

A few days drifted by. While I was zoning out and scrolling through TikTok during a boring lecture, I stumbled across a viral prank video of girlfriends waxing heart shapes into their boyfriends' leg hair.

That night, I dug a box of waxing strips out of my bathroom cabinet and flashed a bright, wicked smile at Declan, who was looking at me in pure confusion from across the room. I motioned for him to come over. I rolled up the legs of his sweatpants, carefully cut the wax strips into heart-shaped stencils, pressed them firmly against his skin, and ripped them off with a vicious yank.

Within minutes, he had a perfectly bald, pale heart stamped into the thick hair of each of his muscular calves. To top it off, I painted his toenails a violently bright shade of bubblegum pink.

I pulled out my phone and snapped a couple of pictures of my masterpiece. Declan just sat there, his expression totally blank.

I stared down at his freshly manicured, pink toes and actually paused to think for exactly two seconds. If his memory suddenly magically snaps back in a few days and he remembers all of this is he going to think I'm an absolute psychopath?

I fired the photos off to Gemma and asked her that very soul-searching question