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Orion had a feeling. It was a familiar yet unusual feeling. He was used to eyes always being on him, whether silently judging him or simply because he was standing next to Princess Atlanta. However, this time it was different. It wasn’t the many eyes critical of his every move nor the thousands of eyes that saw him as an accessory to the first princess. No, it was one set of eyes. A pair of eyes that had been following him…no, stalking him for days.
“I think that maid is following me,” Orion confided to Serena one morning at breakfast.
“You mean that one? The one who dyes her hair green?” Serena inquired, spying the aforementioned maid lurking a few tables away. Her food was untouched, and her gaze was fixed upon Orion’s back.
“Actually, I think her hair is natural, but yeah, she’s the one,” Orion nodded.
“I can see why you assumed that,” Serena didn’t like the look on the other girl’s face. It was too focused, and her smile was just off. “Is she one of the Regas, or the Diane?”
“I don’t know. I think she just started working here,” Orion shrugged. “But I’ve been seeing her everywhere, and I don’t think it’s a coincidence.”
“Hopefully, she’s just an admirer,” Serena suggested, but deep down inside, she knew nothing good would come of this. It was just a hunch, but her suspicions had been right more often than not recently.
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The green-haired girl continued to follow Orion for the next couple of days. The butler wasn’t sure, but he could have sworn she was growing closer each day. She kept her distance, but he felt like he could see her a little better every day and make out a few more details. He noticed that her hair and face were immaculately kept, but her uniform had seen better days. Orion wondered how she hadn’t gotten scolded for working in clothes with so many little tears and spots of dirt.
By the fourth day, Orion decided he would speak to Lady Aphros. Certainly, she would have helpful advice on this subject. She always did, and it always helped…usually.
“Lady Aphros, I have a problem concerning a girl,” Orion stated.
“Oh my god, what’s her name? How long have you known each other? Do I know her?” Lady Aphros burst into hysterical excitement.
“I don’t know, we don’t, I don’t think so,” Orion answered flatly. “This girl has been following me, and I don’t know what to make of it.”
“Oh, that kind of problem,” Aphros sighed.
“Actually, I think that’s her right there,” Orion pointed out a nearby window, and sure enough, the green-haired maid was perched on a tree spying on their conversation.
“Aw, she likes you,” Aphros laughed and patted Orion’s shoulder. A gesture that the green maid found anger-inducing. “Oh, she really likes you,” Aphros realized with a worried tone.
“What do I do?” Orion inquired.
“Don’t worry, I dealt with this sort of thing all the time when I was your age,” Aphros assured. “The best thing you can do is ignore her and pretend she doesn’t exist. Just like with the elephant in the room.” Said elephant leered down at the two with more than a bit of contempt.
“Lady Aphros, are you certain that’s a wise choice?” Orion asked.
“Of course I am,” Aphros brushed his concerns aside. “Now go out there and live your life without worrying about stalkers, paparazzi, and weirdos looking in your underwear drawer.”
“Lady Aphros?” Orion only grew more worried.
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Despite his reservations, Orion tried to follow Aphros’s advice. It didn’t work. The green maid simply grew closer and closer to him every day. In fact, she seemed to approach faster than before. But Orion wasn’t entirely sure. He had made a habit of quickly looking away whenever his gaze accidentally crossed over her. Alas, ignoring her seemed to embolden her approach.
“This isn’t working,” Orion admitted to himself after a week. The green maid was now mere feet behind him. She had grown so close he could hear her heavy breathing, even in his sleep. The implications of which were not lost on the young man. “At least this situation couldn’t get any worse.”
“Well, well, if it isn’t the man himself,” Medy confronted him in the hallway.
“Medy, I thought the families agreed not to start any more conflicts?” Orion pointed out.
“I’m just saying hi,” Medy lied.
“No, you’re not. You’re preparing to antagonize me like you always have since we were five,” Orion stated.
“You are such a stick-in-the-mud…Who is that?” Medy spotted his stalker.
“I don’t know. She’s been following me around for a couple weeks now,” Orion admitted. “Lady Aphros says I should just ignore her.”
“Oh, I see,” Medy smiled evilly, “someone has a crush.” The brunette maid laughed. “Who are you, little weirdo? You certainly don’t look like one of my relatives. You don’t even look lame enough to be a Diane. Are you just some rando who snuck into the palace because you liked our noble idiot over there?”
The green-haired maid did not respond with words. But if looks could kill.
“Medy, perhaps you shouldn’t antagonize her,” Orion suggested.
“Oh, puh-leeze, I’m not afraid of some rando little girl with…” Medy said until the green maid jumped her and began strangling her.
“Oh lord,” Orion prepared to intervene, until…
“As I was saying,” Medy continued as she slammed the green maid into the ground. “Listen here, creepazoid,” Medy stared daggers into the green maid’s eyes, “there’s only one girl who can stalk and torment my second cousin around here, and that’s me.”
The green maid opened her mouth to say something, but Medy silenced her with a palm over her mouth.
“Ah, ah, ah, I don’t care what your reasons are,” Medy declared, “I don’t care why you fell in love with him, what tragic backstory brought you here, or what mental disorders are terrorizing your brain. I don’t care if you’re some outside stalker who broke into the palace or some distant family member with an incestuous lust for him. There’s only room for one crazy bitch around here, and that’s me! Got it!”
The green maid turned pale before squirming away, then shifting into a full-tilt sprint and disappearing down the hall.
“You’re welcome,” Medy dusted herself off.
“Why did you do that?” Orion was taken aback.
“Like I told her, there’s only one girl who can torment you around her, got it?” Medy declared.
“I…guess?” Orion wasn’t sure what to make of the situation.
“I’m glad we understand each other,” Medy nodded. “Tata, second cousin, until I terrorize you again.” Medy waltzed away.
“Is this what Serena feels like all the time?” Orion wondered aloud.
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Being stalked by a coworker is an unfortunate possibility in the modern workplace and should be dealt with quickly and decisively through the appropriate channels. Better to have problem nipped in the bud then escalate into something worse, especially if it leads to a confrontation.
Until next time, Read, Comment and Enjoy.
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