Add those people to the "Hide Story From" list in Settings > Privacy > Story. This ensures that people can still follow you and see your posts, but they cannot view your Stories or Highlights. It is the recommended solution for this given problem.
2. Share stories only with your "Close Friends" list. Anyone who is not included in the Close Friends list will not be able to see your Story when you post it, or even after you add it to your Highlights. This solution is useful when you want to share something only with your inner circle of friends and family. Just make sure to add their accounts to your Close Friends list first.