the man next door....

that's who corey was, with his beautiful eyes and perfect hair and teeth. I haven't had the pleasure of meeting the man yet, and he definitely wasn't someone who was easy to track. All I had was a ripped piece of mail he threw away last week, searching for the name Becker didn't do much at first. Do you have any idea how many beckers are in the world?

Corey was easy to watch, to love from afar. It only took me a week to find out who he really was. He wasn't some random guy who was secretive about his name. Sure a few neighbors would call him Mickey, but I knew deep down that wasn't his real name.

I knew he hated taking out the trash every week, he would always walk outside in his robe. Not caring if his abs were on display for the neighborhood to see. I could hear the screams he kept hidden away in the safety of his bedroom, see the sweat that laced his skin. If I got close enough I could even smell his tears that slipped down the cracks of his beautiful eyes.

Finding out his past was a shock. A dead sister; I have a dead brother, a twin even too... something to bond over? Even if it sounds completely unreasonable.

Dead husband who tried murdering him, now this is starting to feel personal. It's almost as if we're meant to be, but Corey was damaged. His past was still haunting him, this ghostface persona ruined his life.

He was an innocent victim who got tied into it all, the last so-called ghostface incident was reported in 2011. Everything after that was silent, and it still is at least according to the internet it is.

Deep down I know Corey has experienced it recently, he had traveled halfway across the world and changed his name. It wasn't hard to miss that he was hiding away from his past, and so was I.

I had kept myself hidden, a nice neighborhood who owns a small bakery for the locals. I of course needed new staff members, so slipping the flier under Corey's door wasn't that hard. Especially when he's in such desperate need of a job, so many applications.

So many rejections, I watched him shift off his bed, his bare back held so many scars as he stretched. It's almost as if he wants me to watch him, to see his pain. I could fix him, take away his pain so easily but I just need him to accept me first.

Joe had ruined me, I can't mess this up again. So for once I pretend to be someone else, someone I know Corey will trust, a neighbor? A boss? A lover?

Corey let out a heavy breath as he walked outside of his apartment, he rubbed at his tired eyes as he held tightly onto the garbage bag in his hand. The air was colder this morning, it made the hair on the back of his neck stick upwards as he shivered.

He tugged open the lid of his trash can but jumped at the sudden sound of speaking. "You're Mickey right?" he let out a breath as he turned and eyed the woman.

"Uh yeah, sorry... wasn't expecting to see anyone out here this early, most people are already at work or just ignoring the guy taking out his trash". The woman chuckled as he let the garbage bag go into the bin, he pushed it shut quickly.

"I work at that bakery around the corner, so I tend to get up early to prepare a few things. I don't think we've had the chance to meet properly yet". She reached her hand forward and he grabbed it weakly "right, I haven't been really into the whole neighborhood meetings. I prefer being alone".

He let her hand go "I'm Mickey, which you already knew. Likely from all the other noisy neighbors around here. I think I actually saw that bakery you were talking about the other day. It's called Henry's or something like that, family name?".

The woman smiled "yeah something like that, I'm Emma I just moved here a few years ago, fresh start and somehow along the way, I managed to actually open a bakery. You should try coming by sometime".

He smiled "that'd be nice, I can never find any good bakeries around here. I have no idea what biscuits are, let alone how to properly make tea in this place". He rubbed at his eyes slightly as she chuckled.

"You'll figure it out, it only took me a year to master the perfect tea that people enjoyed, say Mickey you could stop by the bakery now if you want, I'm sure I have day old treats that no one else will buy".

He chuckled as he leaned into the pole beside his trash can. "I'd have to get dressed first, something tells me showing up to a bakery in nothing but a robe will get quite a few stares. Which then turns into people assuming that I'm some crazy guy who doesn't wear clothes, I promise I wear clothes".

She smiled and he moved back toward the steps of his entrance way. "I'll be five minutes, oh and it was nice to meet you Emma, kinda surprised we haven't meant yet, especially since we're neighbors".

He rubbed at his eyes before he walked inside and after failing to get dressed in under five minutes. He walked outside pushing his shirt downward as he locked his door with a swift movement.

He turned and was surprised to see Emma still waiting for him, "so let's head off to that bakery of yours, please tell me you have coffee".

He walked beside her as she smiled "yeah I have coffee, most of the places around here prefer tea but I have coffee for a few customers who are American". Corey nodded, turned the corner and his eyes widened at the sight of the bright big sign for the bakery.

"You weren't kidding, that's a bakery alright" Emma smiled as she unlocked the door. The way she held herself made Corey relax, he had spent so many months locked inside, paranoid of what's out there.

He faked his death and yet for some reason he still wasn't able to get rid of his past. He walked inside of the bakery finding it was a decent size, a few tables held chairs on top and the other side held booths.

The windows were open and full of sunlight as he trailed along the edge of the walkway. The kitchen was hidden behind two big wooden doors.

They creaked when Emma went behind them, Corey looked at the photos on the walls as he neared the counter. His gaze looked down at the bright red phone that sat beside the cash register.

He hated phones, he sighed softly as he looked away from it. He could hear the sounds of Emma in the back, he leaned into the counter as he tapped his fingers along the wooden surface.

Then for the first time in a long time, he screamed and he actually felt the familiar sensation of fear and paranoia slip into his veins. Sure for most people when the phone rings it's just annoying, but Corey thought the worst of it. In fact he prepared for the worst of it as he aggressively slammed the phone down on the counter.

He felt his hands ache as they bruised, felt the air leave his lungs as the tune of ghostface played in his eardrums. "What's your favorite scary movie?" He would've thought the world around him crashed and burned as the phone kept ringing.

Truth was he wasn't screaming, his lips were completely sealed shut and yet he wanted to scream. The phone was ringing, it wasn't a ghostface, it wasn't someone who wanted to kill him.

It was just a coincidence that the phone went off the second he was left all alone. He reached for it, he needed to be sure this wasn't a trick.

His hand was tense and as he wrapped his fingers around the phone he stopped. No one knew he was here, he was dead. He inhaled slightly as he moved back, he rubbed at his forehead to get rid of the sweat that coated it. The wooden doors creaked open and Emma walked out holding a tray of donuts.

"Oh that's probably just shipment, I'll let it go to voicemail" she set the tray of donuts down on the counter and then she looked at Corey.

He looked tense, his hands were pushed so deep into his pockets as he smiled weakly, "yeah, I let my phone go to voicemail all the time". He chuckled and then it faded "you don't own a phone".

His face went serious "how did..." she chuckled. "I mean the cell reception here sucks, I don't have one either so I figured most people in the area just don't own one, or keep it at home".

Corey laughed "right, I had one but it never worked properly so I just kinda threw it away. I don't really need a phone anyways, it takes up too much time to enjoy the scenery and the people around you".

Emma smiled "yeah I guess that's true" Corey leaned into the counter as he looked at the donuts in front of him. He watched the red jelly seep out of one, his eyes dazed for a moment as he looked at it.

He let out a heavy breath "hey you okay?" he flinched back when Emma touched his arm. He ignored her as he stormed out of the bakery. He groaned as he pushed his hand against his chest and made his way back towards his apartment.

So much for a fresh start, he had already started scaring away his neighbors. Unknown to him, Emma had followed him after he walked off.

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authors notes:
I normally never write in first person pov, but for the sake of this being a you book it just made sense. Also Love = Emma so half the time I'll likely call her Emma until it's revealed her real name is Love, but that likely won't be for a few chapters. Corey's fake name is Mickey but I'll likely always write Corey when I'm writing for him. Hopefully this first chapter is decent enough, I was writing it all night and today. Enjoy!!!!