Are You in the House Alone?

Gail's family relocates from San Francisco to a quieter town after Neil cites the city as dangerous following a burglary. Gail, a budding photographer, tries to adapt to her new environment and continues to pursue her passion. The move sets the stage for the stalking plot as Gail navigates new relationships and threats in a smaller community.

Gail starts dating her classmate E.K. Miller in the new town. When he pressures her to sleep with him, she refuses and he ends the relationship. The breakup hints at Gail's willingness to stand up for herself, a trait that becomes crucial when the stalker targets her.

Gail begins dating Steve Pastorinis despite her mother's objections. Anne worries about safety and boundaries, but Gail pursues the relationship anyway. Their budding romance adds personal tension to the unfolding danger.

Gail receives an anonymous note saying I am watching you and initially brushes it off as a prank. Her best friend Allison suggests it might be harmless schoolyard mischief, easing Gail's fear. A chill runs through her as the letters arrive and the danger feels real.

A second note appears with a direct threat and creepy phone calls begin. Gail realizes the messages are a real danger. The harassment escalates.

Gail decides to warn her principal, who explains the case could be linked to someone she knows and stresses the importance of taking threats seriously. He suggests possible suspects and encourages careful documentation of all incidents.

Gail confronts her mother, but Anne is too preoccupied and urges her to stay silent to avoid Neil's embarrassment. Feeling unheard, Gail travels to San Francisco to visit her father at work and learns he has been fired. This revelation deepens her sense that dangerous forces are closing in.

Back home, Gail decides to ignore the notes for a while, believing she must protect her father and avoid stirring trouble. Her mother keeps pressuring her to stay quiet, which pushes Gail to retreat further.

One day a black and white photo of Gail with the word RAPE across her face is found in her locker. The image confirms the stalker's capabilities and marks a new, terrifying level of threat.

That night, during a babysitting job at Jessica Hirsch's house, Gail answers a phone call she thinks is from Steve, but the stalker uses a ruse. A man named Phil Lawver then knocks at the door, reveals himself as the stalker, and rapes Gail. The attack marks the escalation of the danger.

Gail is hospitalized after the assault and initially refuses to name her attacker, fearing disbelief. A female officer pressures her to remember and press charges, and Gail eventually names Phil Lawver. This moment forces a confrontation with the crime and its aftermath.

Gail's father is furious, but they cannot sue because Phil Lawver's father is a close friend of the local judge. The family faces social and legal roadblocks that frustrate Gail's quest for justice.

Back at school, another girl begins receiving the same creepy notes, and Gail resolves to catch the stalker on camera. Phil becomes aware of her efforts and tries to threaten or beat her, but Steve intervenes.

Phil Lawver pleads guilty to assault but is not charged with rape and then disappears from town. Rumors persist that he has been sent to a boarding school in New Hampshire.