Woke up the next morning with a proper stretch and a yawn that could've woken the dead. Opened my eyes and there was Anna, flat out beside me. We're not even flatmates, just neighbours, but she does more for me than my own family half the time. Rolled out of bed, and wandered into the kitchen.
I frowned at the empty grocery box and the used pot sitting there.
How much of a glutton can she be? This was three days' worth of foodstuffs.
I turned on the tap and filled the pot with water. I turned to the mug, and I instantly remembered how it shattered.
I spilled the coffee in the sink and washed the mug clean, and paused when I noticed written text underneath the mug.
"I know who killed your brother, Sandra Macholyn," I read, then gasped as I quickly dropped it. It shattered into pieces and a few sharp broken pieces injured my toes.
The only person I now suspected was the man I saw on the road, it's the only logical explanation for that, since it all started after I met him. He was the only person who mentioned my full name.
"What is all that noise?" Anna questioned from the corner of the room, and I quickly wiped off my tears and grinned a little. I peeped and realized she had gone back to sleep. I can't even show her this written text on the mug, since it was already broken, she's gonna think I'm some lunatic going gaga because of my overly depressed life.
I flinched as the buzzing of my phone almost scared the ghost out of me, because it had been like forever since I'd gotten a text. It must be Tina, she would be mad at me for taking time to submit my part of the project.
I picked up my phone from the counter and my eyes narrowed after reading the text.
Text from unknown: [Took you time to get my message from the mug, I hope the broken pieces haven't injured you]
I quickly looked at the window and couldn't spot anyone, but still ran to close it.
"Hell be with whoever is doing this to me," I mumbled as I rested my back on the wall.
(Phone Beeping)
Message from unknown: I can still see you, miss, so do you want to know the killer of your brother?
I bit my lower lip till it bled and stifled the sound of crying with my hands.
Me: (Typing) Please leave me alone, or else I will call the police on you.
Immediately I sent the text, I threw my phone aside.
"Are you okay Sandra?" Tina interrupted my thought, and I immediately flashed a fake smile.
"You're seriously freaking me out!" Anna said as she picked up my phone from the floor. "You need to see the doctor, you're not okay, you've been...," she paused as the phone buzzed. I snatched it from her hand immediately.
"I'm sorry it slipped from my hand, em... I was about to go out to get you something to eat anyway," I said and stormed off with my purse. All that was on my mind was the day I lost my brother. My beloved brother was brutally murdered by goons on the day of his college graduation. I felt guilty for not completely remembering him this month, due to the alter scatter of trying to gather money for my college.
I realized I looked like a mess when I spotted myself in the window of a car.
My hair looked terrible, including my face that had my dry saliva on my cheeks.
"Anna," someone called from behind. In the tick of time, I heard my name. My heart began to beat as if my soul was trying to pull out of my body. I looked back. There was nothing. I saw nobody. Everyone was walking their way.
"What was that?" I muttered. "I knew I heard something. Someone called me."
I walked to the shop close by, picking out food stuffs here and there, checking over my shoulder from time to time.
After gathering everything I needed, I rushed home. When I got home, she was sat at the kitchen table, hands in the sink.
"Hiya, you're back," she said. "You didn't have to go to all that faff making me something."
"It's no faff," I replied, setting the bags down. "I just fancied having breakfast together."
Anna's face lit up. "That's sweet of you."
We got the food going, chatting and laughing the whole time, and I was glad for the bit of friendship we had going. Even with odd things happening, at least I had someone around. I was sure there were cameras hidden about in my room.
"So, what you doing later?" Anna asked.
"Honestly, haven't planned that far. Might just relax with a book."
"That sounds like a good idea. Mind if I join you?" she asked.
"Of course not," I said.
I frowned a little after I remembered she wouldn't stay with me forever. She is not family, just someone who became my friend yesterday, and someone I wouldn't want to bring into danger. Whoever is watching me is taking note of her as well, which sucks.
"You okay Sandra? Did I—"
"No Anna. Just... the past."
"You wanna—"
"No, I don't want to talk about it." I smiled and hoped I didn't sound cruel.
"It's okay, I understand." She nodded.
"Anna, my parents got divorced last month. It was the worst news of my life. I did all I could to bring them together but it didn't work," I uttered, just to move the conversation to a different topic.
"Oh my, I am so sorry to hear that."
"Don't be, I am good. They told me to choose one of them and neglect the other, a decision that made me weak."
"That is insane, how could they do that?"
"I know right? But I had to do what I had to do."
"What did you do?"
"I walked out from them and rented this place."
"You are so brave, it might have been so difficult to cope in this situation with no parents by your side," she uttered, squeezing my cheeks.
"It was difficult as hell. I wish I knew why they decided to divorce," I mumbled.
"Don't put your head there for now, don't think about the things that would hurt you,"
"If that was easy, I would have done that."
"We do have similar stories," she curved her lips into a soft smile.
"Your parents got divorced?" I asked.
"Nah, I ran away from home," she replied.
"That was too cold, colder than I thought. Why did you leave?" I asked, searching for answers in her eyes.