I somehow managed to fix this story. I’ve renamed it ‘Netflix and Chill’ and just submitted it. Those who had to suffer through those awful sentences, deserve something better. Hope you like it.

The night was supposed to be perfect. Alice and I, the couch and a movie on Netflix that we would only watch halfway. Most guys in their twenties I know would have gone all out on something like this. Rose petals, a fine red wine with hake, romantic music and dimmed lights. I love her for the fact that she hated of guys like that. Alice likes men. I chose the best movie I could find and nearly giggled with excitement. It had a reputation for its raunchy sex scenes. I hopped when the doorbell rang and answered it immediately. Even with soaking wet hair, Alice is still the most gorgeous girl on the planet. She gave me a quick kiss and ran in to change into some dry clothes. I hadn’t even noticed that it was raining. I sat down on the couch, pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and put it on silent. She came into the living room, wearing one of my large white T-Shirts. I wanted to take her there and then but I kept my composure. We both knew what was going to happen that night for the first time… or we thought we did. She curled up next to me and rested her head on my shoulder. I pushed the play button and turned down the volume the moment the opening song rattled the entire apartment. Ten minutes later, we were kissing. Her hand started going up my leg when my phone started to ring.
“Just ignore it.” She told me. “Let it go to voicemail.”
‘Strange.’ I thought. ‘I could have sworn I turned it off.’
The phone eventually stopped ringing. She started to unbutton my shirt when the phone started to ring again. She looked at it, irritated.
“Who would call at this time of night?” She asked.
“Maybe its Chris who is stuck in the rain or something.” I said. I looked at the caller ID on the screen. “It’s an unknown number.”
“Then put it on silent and come here.” She instructed me.
I did so and we went back to what we were doing. As she undid the last button my phone went off again.
“I thought you put it on silent!” She scolded me.
“I did! The damn thing must be broken or something.”
“Just answer it or we’ll never get anywhere tonight.”
I picked up the phone and put it to my ear. “Hello?” I asked. Nothing. “Chris? Is that you?” I could suddenly hear breathing on the other end of the line after I asked the question. “Chris?” I asked again.
“Stop what you’re doing.” A deep voice said.
“Excuse me?”
“Leave. Her. Alone.” It said.
I placed my hand over the phone and looked back at my fiancée. “Do you have a stalker I should know about?”
She frowned and shook her head. I put the phone to my ear again.
“Who is this?” I asked.
“Death, if you don’t let go of my daughter, now!” It commanded me.
Despite all logic, a shiver went down my spine. Alice’s parents died a few years ago. They were murdered by a robber for a few bucks. We were in college and had just started dating. “Look, Chris, if this is some kind of sick joke…”
Before I could finish, Alice screamed and pointed behind me. I turned around to face a man just outside my window, holding a cell-phone to his ear. Infuriated, I ran to my room, grabbed my gun and went outside to confront the pervert. As I suspected, the man was gone. I went back inside and called the police. They found footprints outside my window and Alice and I filed a report. Without anything more they could do, the police left. I decided to take Alice home after that. I proposed to her the next week and we got married a month later. During our honeymoon, we went to a cabin without any reception. Alice soon became pregnant. I’m not superstitious or anything but what happened that night really made me believe that ghosts may exist. Who else could it have been that night? It had to be Alice’s father, whose ashes now stand above the fireplace of our new home.