No matter how cold and long the night felt, the sun still rose the next morning. I took a day off school to settle my messed thoughts and calm my wretched heart. After musing all day long, I finally came to my resolve of not letting my past or anyone related to it, disconcert me anymore. I had made up mind to uncover the truth and tackle it head-on. I didn't want to worry anyone so I didn't say a word about it to Emily or my dad.

The notes kept coming for the next few days but I was no more afraid rather determined to find the person behind it.

I was keeping a keen eye on my surroundings and took notice of every single person that acted suspiciously. For some days during out of cla.s.s sessions, I intentionally stayed behind in the cla.s.s but was unable to find any clue.

One day, during the lunch break, I hid in the restroom near my cla.s.sroom to catch the person red-handed. I knew he would come as this was the only time he has the opportunity to leave today's note without being caught by someone in the act.

I stood behind the wall of entrance to the restroom, my heart pounding hard, but as soon as I heard a pale sound of footsteps, the thumping beat of my heart died down as if it stopped beating. The treads kept getting louder, someone was walking in my direction!!

After a couple of strides, the sound ceased a bit far from me, to what I a.s.sume was, in front of my cla.s.sroom. I sneaked a peek and spotted someone in a black hoodie standing in front of my cla.s.s. I didn't hesitate for a moment and sprang out from behind the wall. My sudden move alarmed him and he sprinted back to the hallway. I rushed behind him. As I was pursuing him around the hallway, he suddenly darted towards the stairway. I followed him but on arriving there, I found no sign of him.

As I was bounding down the stairs in search of him, I misjudged the placement of my foot and my smooth-soled boot slid off the end of the last step. I stumbled down but instead of falling on the floor, I felt a muscly arm around me, holding me in a firm yet exquisite manner.

His one hand strongly gripped my shoulder and the other wrapped around my waist.

"Are you alright?" I heard a familiar voice.

I opened my tightly shut eyes and saw Shaun's face near me. For a few moments, I stayed still starring in his eyes. As I looked into his eyes I could feel him searching deep into my soul. They conveyed me a chill and I couldn't bear it.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I looked away.

My hand slid over his shoulder as I supported myself to stand.

He accompanied me to the dining hall and we eventually sat together to eat. Looking around I realized how everyone there was staring at us.

Well, it was an astonis.h.i.+ng sight so their response was expected and most likely justified.

Shaun was quiet the whole time. He didn't even ask for the reason for my presence on the stairway at the unlikely time neither about my absurd fall.

*****

After cla.s.s, as I was walking across the schoolyard to the library, I was distracted by strange noises coming from the backside of the gymnasium.

I hurried there and catching the sight was left bemused. Shaun was on the ground as if he was yanked down with three boys hovering over him.

"So tell me now, will you go near Claire again?" said one of them.

"He won't dare to get close to her after this beating." chortled the other boy.

Hearing it I dashed towards them. Seeing me there, their mouths dropped open.

"Why are you here, Claire?" asked one of them who I recognized to be the one who has been following me around, after publicly announcing his love for me.

"What are YOU doing here??" I raised my voice.

"Claire, it's not what you are thinking, I was just helping you get rid of him," he said taking a few steps towards me.

"Stay away from me!!" I bawled, "Who do you think you are? I am warning you, don't you dare come near me or him ever again. If it happens again, I won't stop with just a warning. Now leave before I lose my control and don't ever show up before me." I clenched my fists.

They walked-off glowering at Shaun.

I gave Shaun my hand to stand up.

"Are you a kid? Getting beaten up by someone of your age. Were you always this weak. How can you let them do this to you." I bleated, giving my eyebrows a raise.

He stood up without taking my hand. Instead of replying to me, he sauntered pa.s.sed me.

"Hey!! Why are you doing this to me? I even saved you from those jerks." I cried to stop him.

Shaun turned around, held me by my wrist, and pinned me against the wall. He put his hand on the wall over my shoulder and, looked straight into my eyes.

His ghastly face with a bruise on the cheekbone and blood dripping from the cut on his lower lip was enough to agitate me but his bloodshot pallid eyes gleaming with baleful fire, thrilled through me. His eyes were different from the one I saw when he saved me from falling, more wild like a bloodthirsty murderer, they held no warmth yet they were beautiful, captivating me to never look away.

"I'm far more dangerous than those jerks. Stay away from me or you'll get hurt," he said in a distressing tone and walked away.

"I can't," I said under my unsteady breath.

A few days went by without much happening but the notes stopped coming. Though a part of me was relieved, I was still anxious about what's coming my way next.

*****

I was walking my way to the cla.s.sroom when I saw Shaun coming towards me. He had been ignoring me since the incident from that day. I hesitated at first but with the excuse of apologizing to him for that day, I decided to approach him.

As we came close enough for me to say something, someone came running our way and shoved Shaun that made him drop the books he was holding. I rushed to pick it up for him but before I could, he hurriedly collected the books and brushed past me.

As he left, I saw a piece of paper left behind on the floor. It was an item from the language a.s.signment we were working on. But this wasn't something that caught my eye, it was his handwriting that startled me.

I hastened to the cla.s.s, took out one of those dreadful notes that I have been receiving.

What I feared has come upon me.

My doubts solidified spotting both the handwritings were the same.

My mind was in a state of utter confusion.

After sorting out all the occurrences from the past few days, I can't stop myself from pointing out how it all makes sense if the person behind those notes is none other than Shaun.

As far as I remembered the height and built of that guy in the black hoodie was similar to Shaun's. I kept a.n.a.lyzing all the possibilities that can prove me wrong but from the similarity in Shaun and the culprit's appearances to his warning and now this handwriting, everything was tracing him out to be the person behind the notes.

But my heart kept siding with him, disregarding all the proofs, my mind approved of.

Should I go and ask him about it?

Is he the one behind those notes?

Is this why he's been acting cold towards me?

How does he know about my past, what has he to do with it?

Tired with all these questions, that kept clouding my mind, I gave a long weary sigh and put my head down in my arms in a complete daze.