He looks at me with a huge smile.
"I want to walk with you, if I may?"
I couldn't find the words. Without hesitation, he grabs my hand, holding it firmly, and we walk toward the cafeteria. Searching for my best friend is a task, but I can't find her. Where is she? She should have been here by now. My eyes scan the room, and there she is, sitting between Jessi and her evil entourage. A rush of anger floods my chest. I know Jessi scares her, and I'm not about to stand by and let it happen.
With Alex still holding my hand, confused, I march toward their table, fury rising with every step. I walk right up to Jessi and glare at her.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I snap, my voice sharp.
"Oh my!" she says, feigning surprise. "Who's this fine piece you have with you?" Her voice is dripping with seduction, only adding fuel to my fire.
Before I can respond, Alex moves closer, his hand gently resting on my waist, pulling me towards him.
"She's my girlfriend," he growls with a dangerous edge. "You have five seconds to give back whatever you took from Rose, or I'll make sure you have something else to worry about."
His words, delivered with viciousness, make me freeze in surprise. Jessi and her friends recoil, looking like they've been slapped. I can't help but chuckle, amused by their shock. Katlyn rushes to my side, wrapping me in a tight hug.
"Thank you!" she says, her voice shaky as she holds back tears, her face flushed with embarrassment.
"This isn't over, you slut!" Jessi screeches, her voice high with rage as she storms off with her friends. I take a deep breath, the adrenaline still coursing through me, and gently pull Katlyn toward the food line.
We grab hot dogs and fries—an odd combination, but I don't care. As we sit down, I notice the tightness in my chest. Anxiety is crawling through me, the kind that makes everything feel overwhelming.
"Rose," Katlyn says, her voice trembling, "It was awful. They said if I didn't sit with them, they'd send their football friends after me…"
I see the fear in her eyes. "Katlyn, it's okay. They just want to mess with me. Nothing's going to happen to you. I'll keep you safe from them."
I forget Alex is still beside me until his hand wraps around my arm.
"What's going on with those girls, anyway?" he asks, concern in his voice.
"Well, their families are rich. They treat anyone who's not 'perfect' like dirt," I explain, trying to calm Katlyn with a reassuring smile.
"Well, at least I'm here to protect you both now," Alex says with a chuckle, clearly pleased by how Jessi and her friends reacted to him.
We eat quickly, barely noticing the time slipping by. The bell rings for class, and we rush out of the cafeteria. Mythology is my favorite class, and I'm excited to learn something new. But as I walk in and sit down, something feels off.
Looking out the window, I see the trees and the sunlight, a peaceful scene that feels wrong somehow. My gaze sharpens. At the edge of the tree line, a figure dressed in black stands still, staring directly at me.
"I'm coming for you, my love," the voice echoes in my mind, sending a shiver down my spine.
Panic surges. I stand too quickly, knocking my desk over. The room goes silent, and everyone stares at me with confused, concerned eyes. I turn to leave, but my legs buckle beneath me. The room spins, and the next thing I know, everything goes black.
---
I wake to warmth, soft covers around me. My head throbs, and I try to sit up, only to be met with the grim faces of my parents.
"How dare you embarrass us!" my mother screams, her face red with rage.
I curl into myself, pulling my knees to my chest. My father's eyes burn with a cold fury, and he steps closer.
"Dad… please… I didn't mean to… I swear I didn't mean to…" My voice breaks as I cry, desperate for mercy.
Without warning, he grabs my hair, pulling my head back painfully. I cry out, but it only makes him drag me down the stairs. Each step slams into my body, pain shooting through me with every jolt.
"You'll break, you little bitch," he growls, dragging me down to the basement. "Maybe then you'll think twice before embarrassing us again."
He spits in my face, the insult cutting deeper than any physical pain. The basement is cold, and the light from the overhead bulb flickers, casting eerie shadows on the walls.
With no strength left to fight, I collapse onto the cold concrete floor. My father grabs me by the hair once more, forcing me to face his workbench where his tools are neatly arranged.
He selects one of the blades, its gleam catching the harsh fluorescent light. I feel my heart race as he steps closer.
His grip tightens on my hair as he presses the cold steel against my skin, slicing it open. The sharp sting is followed by the warm rush of blood, flowing down my cheek and neck.
I try to scream, but the pain is too much. Another slash, deeper this time, across my shin. My body trembles, my mind spinning from the overwhelming agony.
"I will make you regret this," he mutters, as if this is all just a lesson for me.
The blade sinks into my thigh. The sound of tearing flesh is deafening, and I can barely hold on as the pain radiates through my body. I can't breathe, can't think. There's so much blood, too much blood.
Am I going to die here? The thought crosses my mind before everything goes dark.
No more pain. No more fear. Just silence.