Monday morning arrived with sunlight spilling through the windows, painting the hallways in golden lines. For once, the school felt calm. No whispering crowds. No hateful glances. Just books. Voices. Life.
Michelle walked in with Steve at her side. His hand brushed against hers gently—not holding it, but not hiding either. Just enough to feel real.
"Are you okay?" he asked as they reached her locker.
"I think so," she said honestly. "It's quiet… I don't trust it."
Steve chuckled. "Maybe peace just feels strange after everything."
Michelle nodded, pulling out her books. "Maybe."
Just as she closed her locker, Lila came rushing up, a coffee in one hand and her bag barely slung over her shoulder. "Okay, I have ten seconds before class but—double date next weekend again? Maybe bowling?"
Michelle smiled. "I'd love that. What about Jordan?"
"He's in. He said he wants a rematch with Steve."
Steve smirked. "He's going to lose."
As the bell rang, the group scattered to their classes. Michelle sat in the back of her English lecture, staring at her notebook but hearing nothing the teacher said. Her phone buzzed silently in her bag.
UNKNOWN NUMBER:We're not finished with you.
Her stomach twisted.
She didn't recognize the number. But the chill it sent through her spine felt all too familiar.
After class, Michelle found Lila by the vending machines and showed her the message.
"Blocked number?" Lila asked, her eyes narrowing.
"No name. Just this."
Lila crossed her arms. "Do you think it's Avery again?"
"Could be. Or Claire has friends we don't know about."
Lila didn't smile. "You're not alone this time. They don't get to scare you into silence again."
Michelle nodded slowly, but the unease lingered.
That evening, Steve picked her up for a quiet walk through the nearby gardens behind campus. The place was nearly empty, glowing with golden lights hanging from the trees.
They sat on a wooden bench, watching a couple slow dance under the fairy lights, music playing softly from someone's speaker.
"I got a strange message today," Michelle said finally.
Steve looked at her, serious. "What did it say?"
She showed him.
His jaw tightened. "We need to tell someone."
"I know," she whispered. "But first… I needed to tell you."
He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. "Whatever's coming—we'll face it together."
The music in the distance faded into a soft, haunting tune.
A breeze moved through the trees.
And somewhere, beyond their moment of safety, something else stirred in the shadows.
Watching.
Waiting.