Maya Rivers learned something important that night.
Fear didn't always scream.
Sometimes, it whispered.
She lay awake long after midnight, the blanket pulled tight around her shoulders, her eyes fixed on the faint glow of the streetlight filtering through the curtains. The house was quiet—too quiet. Even the usual hum of the refrigerator downstairs felt distant, muffled, like it belonged to another world.
Her phone lay face-down on the bedside table.
She hadn't touched it since the last message.
Dangerous.
The word pressed into her thoughts, heavy and sharp. She tried to connect it to Ethan's calm face, his steady voice, the way he looked at her like he saw more than she ever showed anyone else.
It didn't fit.
And that scared her more than if it had.
Maya rolled onto her side, squeezing her eyes shut.
This is paranoia, she told herself. Stress. Fear. Lack of sleep.
But deep down, a quiet part of her whispered something else.
You've been warned.
---
The next morning arrived with cruel normalcy.
Sunlight streamed through her window. Birds chirped. Somewhere outside, a neighbor laughed. The world had decided nothing was wrong.
Maya moved through her routine mechanically, brushing her teeth, tying her hair back, slipping into her uniform. She paused at the mirror, studying herself.
She looked fine.
But her eyes told a different story.
At school, she felt it immediately—the shift.
People looked at her.
Not openly. Not obviously. Just enough for her to notice.
She told herself it was imagination until she saw Ethan standing by his locker across the hallway.
He wasn't looking at her.
He was watching the crowd.
Like he was searching for something.
Or someone.
Her heart stuttered.
"Morning."
She nearly jumped out of her skin.
Lina stood beside her, coffee in hand, oblivious. "You're quiet today. Again."
"I didn't sleep," Maya admitted.
Lina frowned. "You really need to rest. You've been carrying too much lately."
Maya nodded, but her attention drifted back to Ethan.
Their eyes met.
Just for a second.
Something unreadable passed between them.
Then he looked away.
---
Mr. Kelvin's voice droned on at the front of the classroom, but Maya barely heard a word. Her notebook lay open, pages blank. Her pen rested idle between her fingers.
Her phone vibrated softly in her pocket.
Once.
Twice.
Her pulse spiked.
She didn't check it.
She couldn't.
The message buzzed again, insistently, like it refused to be ignored.
Maya.
She swallowed hard.
When the bell finally rang, relief washed over her—but it didn't last.
As students filed out, she felt it again.
That sensation.
Being watched.
"Maya."
Ethan's voice.
Close.
She turned slowly.
"Yes?"
"We need to talk."
Her chest tightened. "About the assignment?"
His gaze held hers. "About you."
They stood there, suspended in the noise and movement around them, as if the hallway had narrowed to just the two of them.
"I don't think that's a good idea," she said quietly.
Something flickered in his eyes—hurt, maybe. Or frustration.
"Someone's been bothering you," he said. "I can tell."
Her mouth went dry.
"You don't know that."
"I do." His voice dropped. "And I don't like it."
Her heart pounded.
"Why do you care?" she asked before she could stop herself.
The question hung between them.
Ethan exhaled slowly. "Because I should."
Before she could respond, a sharp voice cut through the moment.
"Maya!"
She turned.
A man stood at the end of the hallway.
Not a teacher.
Not a student.
He didn't belong there.
His clothes were casual but neat. His posture relaxed. Too relaxed. His eyes locked onto hers with unsettling familiarity.
Fear slid cold down her spine.
"Maya Rivers," he said, smiling. "We need to talk."
---
Everything inside her screamed run.
"Do you know him?" Ethan asked sharply.
The man chuckled. "Relax. I'm not dangerous."
The lie was immediate. Instinctive.
Maya took a step back. "Who are you?"
The man's smile widened. "Let's just say I'm here because someone cares about your safety."
Her breath hitched.
"You sent the messages," she whispered.
Ethan's head snapped toward her. "What messages?"
The man's eyes flicked to Ethan, interest sharpening. "Ah. So this is him."
Ethan stepped forward. "You need to leave."
The man laughed softly. "Protective. That's good. But misplaced."
Maya's heart raced. "Stop talking in riddles."
The man sighed. "You're running out of time, Maya."
He reached into his jacket.
Ethan moved instantly, placing himself between them.
"Don't," Ethan warned.
The man froze—then slowly withdrew his hand, revealing a folded piece of paper.
"No weapons," he said lightly. "Just information."
He dropped the paper at Maya's feet.
"Read it," he said. "Then decide who you trust."
Security guards appeared at the far end of the hallway, alerted by raised voices.
The man took a step back, already retreating.
"I'll be in touch," he said to Maya. "Whether you like it or not."
Then he was gone.
---
Maya's hands shook as she picked up the paper.
Ethan watched her closely. "What just happened?"
"I…" Her voice failed her.
She unfolded it.
A photograph slipped out.
Her breath stopped.
It was Ethan.
Older.
Bloodied.
Standing beside a car she didn't recognize.
The date stamped on the corner was two years ago.
"What is that?" Ethan asked sharply.
Maya looked up at him, fear and confusion tangling in her chest.
"Who are you?" she whispered.
His face drained of color.
"I can explain," he said.
Her phone vibrated.
Unknown Number:
Now you see why I warned you.
---
They sat in silence in the empty library, the photograph between them like a bomb waiting to explode.
"Say something," Maya pleaded.
Ethan stared at the image, jaw tight. "That was a long time ago."
"You were hurt," she said. "Why?"
He hesitated.
Then: "Because I got too close to the wrong people."
Her heart ached. "Are you dangerous?"
His eyes met hers.
"No," he said firmly. "But danger follows me."
Tears burned her eyes. "Then why stay near me?"
"Because staying away didn't work," he said quietly.
The honesty in his voice shattered something inside her.
She wanted to believe him.
That was the worst part.
Outside, the sky darkened again.
And somewhere beyond the school walls, the man who watched from the shadows smiled.
---