It's you

Chapter 7 It's you

Be careful,

I wish I could say I was your stalker but that is obviously out of my character. First of all, I'm not afraid of you finding out who I am and second of all, I know who you are as a person therefore I don't need to see what you are up to all the time. Don't get too engrossed with the people's overreaction. They have no idea who you are nor who Leonard is. I detest how ignorant they can be. I'm glad you are fine.

Stay safe,

H.

***

Sav hugged the letter to her chest. Against all turmoil in the academy, she sought to her penpal's letters as her haven. There's a feeling of security that was never there before when she read H's letters, as if being watched over by a guardian angel. She bit her lip and for the first time, it tasted sweet.

"So you have a penpal who knows everything about you?" Brielle asked. "Don't you think it's creepy."

"No, it's anything but that. He can be really sweet if he wants to be."

"I bet he's ugly that's why he doesn't want to reveal his identity."

Sav laughed. "I actually don't mind. He has a wise and beautiful heart."

Brielle patted her head and smiled at her honesty. It's been a few days since her encounter with Leonard and she hasn't seen him since. Brielle kept her company when she wasn't busy but most of the time she was alone. Everyone still loathed her, sneering whenever she appears but none too dangerous.

Except for the death threats.

She continually received them day by day and they grew ominous each time.

I will cut your head off. Serve it on a platter. Then drink you blood from a chalice.

She shivered from the gory details. She refrained from telling anyone about it so that they don't worry. All except Brielle. Sav trusted her despite her being weird sometimes. She kept pushing her to tell the counselor but Sav's guts told her not to.

The counselor could be very uncanny. She even mistook her of being a witch.

"How are you feeling?" Ms. Beckett asked, her eyes almost protruding out of its sockets. Her eyeglasses made her eyes even bigger. She wore dark make up with black lipstick and her massive and curly hair was sprawled all over he cheeks.

"I'm okay."

"Are you sure?" The councilor pried as she sharpened her knives. Miniature skulls were tattooed on each of her fingers.

"Yes. Are you?" Sav asked instead.

She laughed in a high pitched tone. "No, darling you don't get to reverse psycho me. This is about you."

"I think I'm okay though. Nobody has tried to kill me yet."

"See you're starting to open up to me." She smiled proudly. "Did you know that Leonard has asked me of your name? He's never done that before."

"Oh. I think it's because I sat in front of him in class."

"Yes and I heard you talked to him and kept staring at him. Do you have a crush on him?"

"No, I'm just curious," Sav answered immediately. She wasn't interested in being in a relationship.

"That's good," Ms. Beckett noted, "He can be very snobbish. A lot of students tried to talk to him but he doesn't reply. Lots of them complain to me and says that he almost looks bored."

Sav didn't know what to say to that as she had a very lengthy conversation with him. "Oh."

Ms. Beckett studied her. "You talked to him more didn't you?"

"A bit, maybe?"

"Wow!" Ms Beckett suddenly jumped up and gave her a hug. "Darling you did great. I've always been worried about that brooding corpse. He must be interested in you."

Sav gave an awkward laugh. "I don't think so."

Ms. Beckett shook her head, suddenly in a good mood. She ushered her out and told her to come back every Wednesday.

Leonard on the other hand hasn't shown up for a week making Sav wonder if he found out who the culprit was already. During that pleasant and thrilling dinner with him, she volunteered on helping to catch the thief in exchange that he let her sit in front of him in class. After a long thought, he agreed and she hasn't seen him since that night. Sometimes she wondered if it had happened at all.

Being a man of her word, she would walk around the campus every night, hoping she'd catch the thief red-handed. She would do it so stealthily that not even her stalker would know nor the countless of body guards roaming around. They seem to multiply every night but Sav would still spot some blindsides. She'd stay there for a couple of minutes while gathering her thoughts.

Her big hoodie was a big help in keeping her warm and unidentified. It was her dad's after all and she smiled at the thought of her dad looking for his black hoodie.

Sav fixed her hood and inhaled a long whiff of the cloth. It smelled like home.

At that moment she was crouching low behind a bush when she felt a rush. The intent to kill.

She immediately got on her knees and tried to turn around swiftly but it was too late. She was knocked on the ground again. A knee was pressed on her lower back preventing her from standing up. Instinctively, she jabbed her fist sideways and managed to hit her attacker.

She quickly turned her body around and bent her knees to kick her opponent. Getting up would take another second and her attacker would gain an advantage. With no other better choice, She took her swiss knife from her hip as her opponent pushed her legs away and went on top of her. She couldn't see who it was, being in a position that was against the light but she gauged that she was up against someone way stronger than her.

She blocked his first strike with a knife and the next. The darkness was a hindrance but the occasional glints of the knives were helpful. Then the unexpected happened.

He dropped his knife next to her. Gasping, she regained her focus and tried to slash him but he caught both her wrists. The grip was so strong that she dropped her knife. Whimpering, her hands fell forcefully above her head.

She should scream. But it would take too long for the guards to find her. She should still do anyway.

The perpetrator pulled back her hoodie as her mouth opened. A sudden gasp from her captor filled her ears and she was immediately released.

"Savannah?"

Her attacker leaned closer as her heart began to beat faster.

Gasping in relief, she was met with deep ocean eyes.