Chapter 12

"Let's be honest, okay? Please if it is you, just tell me," Regan said through a desperate voice. She was willing to know the truth."I don't get it? What about red roses?" Vesper retorted, confused.Regan didn't know if she was acting or being honest. However, she hoped it was the first one."Did you place some red roses inside my room?""Why in the world would I do this?""Remember that one rose you saw once in my room? The red one?" Regan asked again.Vesper's posture was stiff when she heard the roses matter. However, she tried not to show it much."Yes, I remember, but I'm not the one who got them.""Who got them then?" Regan asked, her fear rising even more.Vesper noticed her frightened state and tried to get hold of the situation, forcing a smile. "Reggie, calm down. I didn't mean to scare you like that, it was me, of course!"Regan looked at her, forming a scowl, "Don't lie.""I'm not lying," Vesper replied, "it was just a prank.""And have you been entering my house stealthily?" Regan asked, her voice skeptical. She remembered that when she had found that first rose, Vesper hadn't yet entered her house. And it'd not be very appropriate for Vesper to enter her house stealthily.Vesper's words got caught in her throat as she thought of something to say. But sheShe couldn't just lie and say she had done it when she knew she hadn't."I.... Well, you see, Regan. I didn't do it," she mumbled, her expression changing into a mixture of anger and confusion. "I mean, I didn't put these roses in your room."Regan felt a hot wave of fear creep up on her as she listened at Vesper. Oh, well, it wouldn't have been her, would it? Of course not. Of course things had to be more tangled and scary for her. But still, Vesper looked like she knew something."I'm sorry, Vesper," Regan said. "I didn't want to blame you. But you could have told me earlier. I mean, you didn't have to lie."Vesper looked at her friend, "I didn't want to scare you. I mean, it's weird, right? Finding roses like that."Regan's jaw clenched, now knowing very well that these damn roses were following her around. "Never mind," she said, trying to calm herself down. "It's fine. Let's just forget about it."Vesper nodded, still uneasy about it. But then, as Regan was going to leave, she stood up and leaned closer to her. "Hey, I know who did this!"Regan's heart skipped a beat as she looked up at Vesper, hope filling her eyes. "Who?" she managed to choke out.Vesper's voice was barely above a whisper, "It's that dude from the class. That one who stares at you.""What the fuck?" Regan exclaimed, her eyes wide with shock and anger. She didn't know who Vesper was talking about because there were so many guys in their class who stared at her in mockery. "Which one?"Vesper hesitated for a moment, glancing around to make sure that nobody in the cafeteria was listening in on them. "Well, it's that guy named Mike. You know, that one who always wears that stupid cap?" she whispered."Mike?" Regan repeated, frowning. "Ain't no way." She knew there was a guy named 'Mike' in her class, and she had caught him staring only that first day of school. Then, he seemed to mind his own business."I swear, I've seen him around your house. I thought he was just walking home from school, but..." Vesper trailed off, looking unsure of herself. "He's always staring at you. Maybe he likes you?" she offered, her voice laced with doubt."Ew, no way!" Regan retorted, her stomach churning at the thought. Mike or whoever it was, she didn't want anything to do with him. "You better be right about this Vesper," she said, her fists clenching. She couldn't believe what was going on, how could a guy from her class sneak in her house? It was terrifying and she wanted to go and rip his throat out. She first thought it was her aunt, then him, then Vesper, and now it turns something else entirely."I am," Vesper said."Thanks, Vesper. I'll take care of it."Vesper nodded, looking relieved that Regan believed her. "Okay. Just be careful, yeah?" She paused for a moment, then added, "And if you need any help... you know where to find me."With that, Regan turned and walked away, her mind racing with plans to do something.The next hours, she saw Mike in her biology class. She didn't know what to do,

but she knew something.

Her anxiety won that.She wasn't going to speak to him directly. No, it felt like a nightmare. It felt worse than the nightmare she had last night.She sat on her seat and kept looking at Mike, trying to catch him doing something suspicious. But he didn't even seem to acknowledge her. He was just focused in his work, taking notes and looking at the teacher. She couldn't help but be even more panicked at this whole thing, her mind doing its best at trying to keep her tense.No, she couldn't just go to him and accuse him of that thing. It was embarrassing and creepy. What if Vesper was misunderstood? What if it was him involved? She didn't know what to think or believe amymore, it was so weird and confusing.***After school, she arrived home, lost in thought. She didn't say anything to Mike or Vesper, however, she kept a wary eye on Mike, trying to see if he had anything to do with this mess. But she didn't see anything weird or suspicious.At home, Monica asked her about the red roses matter and Regan was caught at a loss for words. She didn't want to worry her aunt further, so she said that she was still trying to figure it out. Monica said that she was exaggerating and it was a misunderstanding but Regan was still on unease."I also wanted to talk about your sleeping schedule." Monica said."Why?""You haven't been drinking the sleeping pills."Regan rolled her eyes as she leaned on the couch, "They aren't really important.""They are. You need good sleep so you can do well on school. You were absent the first two classes today."Regan had totally forgotten about this. Of course, Mrs. Claire was going to tell Monica about her absence."She must have told you I wasn't feeling well, right?""Yes, and you skipped the exam.""Aunt, come on, it was just once.""I understand you my dear, that's why I said you need to sleep normally." Monica said, her eyes filled with affection and care."Fine. I'll go to eat something now."After Regan shifted from her place, she grabbed a sandwich that was made in the morning and walked to the backyard. She sat on a plastic green chair and listened at the peaceful nature sounds.Suddenly, she felt a piercing sensation in her face. She ran her hand over it, and it was the scar that hurt. It was strange because she never remember it to hurt. The sudden pain only lasted for about two seconds and then went away.Still, her mind was clouded with the never-ending cycle of intrusive thoughts. Now not only about the previous ones that she had always had, but also about him, and about Mike, that Vesper said.He, the one in the dream, was taking a big part of her brain. She'd think about it so much that it made her think she'd go insane.She went inside and studied in the living room. It was better to change place of study after all. Her room brought up some strange vibes.Regan also did the essay because the day after, she was going to give it.However during her study, she ended up procrastinating. It was all unusual, because whenever she studied, she'd focus easily. These times she found it hard to focus. Regan had what to blame. But in the end, she blamed herself, because it was her who was anxious and seeing dreams with a terribly handsome guy.She tried everything for past hours. Drank coffee, energy drinks, took breaks, listened to music, changed rooms but no matter what, she still couldn't focus. Her mind wandered around at all sorts of matters. It had been just three days and the mysterious man had gotten inside her mind insanely.She feared her mental state. She hated to think about that guy nonstop and to see his eyes wherever she closed hers. It was obvious, she anxious about this whole thing, but she had already been her whole life and it didn't have to add up to that.Then, she felt that non-belonging feeling and cursed under her breath, wondering why she couldn't get rid of these torments.She let out a tired sigh, wanting to decipher this unknown web. Her mind was so clouded and foggy that it was impossible to try and find the way out of the maze in her brain.Although her aunt cared for her, she felt lonely. Maybe it was because of the cage she had but herself in. Maybe she had isolated herself from certain things and ended up this way. She wasn't sure.The girl consistently felt like no one understood her. She didn't blame anyone, but her herself. She knew that there was a weird thing within her and she was a weird person.Her aunt would think her as completely normal, because Regan never told her anything of what she felt and thought. If she did, was pretty sure that Monica wouldn't understand. And of course she didn't blame her. She blamed herself only."Dear, you're still awake?" Monica's voice startled her. She was so lost in thoughts, that didn't even notice her."Here are your pills, I bought you milk so you can sleep well." Monica said, putting the tray on the nightstand."Thank you." Regan muttered.

She saw the clock and it was half past eleven. The girl was bewildered at how much time had passed, when she was drowning in thoughts.

"Goodnight.""You too."She left the room and went to finish the work on her laptop.Regan looked around her room, where she had been staying after she changed places to study. The room was messy and she had to clean it.She sat on her bed and drank the sleeping tablet with water. Then, she checked her homework, so she wouldn't deal with much more irresponsibility. The girl really wanted to sleep but guess what, sleeping didn't feel safe for her.She wasn't in mood for anything, watching movies, playing, reading or anything else.Suddenly, an idea appeared in her mind. When the girl saw her phone fully charged, she thought to record herself as she slept.For some reason, she felt as she was missing something when she slept. The thought was a frightening, a very frightening one. However, she tried it.Regan walked around to find a good place to put her phone and record. She managed to find a place near the window. At least it could catch the view of the room.She closed the doors and went in the bathroom to change into her pink pyjamas. Then, merely a quick glance on the mirror got her attention. She haven't looked in the mirror since morning.What caught attention was the red strand, that wasn't alone anymore. She could see another strand of hair being red colored.That made the girl's mind even more troubled. She didn't know if she was imagining this. Sometimes she thought that the red strand was just one, sometimes she thought the otherwise."Oh, God."She stepped back to her room and fell asleep in her bed.