Chapter Six

Dara closed the door with trembling hands, her heart pounding in her chest. She locked it quickly, leaned against the frame, and stared at the crumpled note in her hand. Warning echoed in her head: they aren't what they seemed. Be careful. 

Her thoughts raced. Who had sent this? And why?

The handwriting was unfamiliar, tight, crisp, almost hurried. A new twist in the game Christian, Jackson, and Kim seemed to be up to something. She tried to shake off the fear, but the faint prickle in her neck wouldn't go away.

Dara closed the curtains and double-checked her keys before sitting down in the chair at the desk. She unfolded the note again and scanned it for clues, but found nothing else. No signatures, no markings. Only chilling words were written. 

The silence in the room was oppressive and the loneliness intensified the creaking of the building. She picked up her cell phone and wondered if she should call Chloe.

Chloe had warned her about bad boys, but by contacting her, she could endanger her as well. Instead, Dara dialed Tunde's number. She needed to hear his voice. 

After a few rings, he answered in a depressed tone. 

"Are you alright?" she said hoarsely. She didn't realize it was so late. "I'm sorry for waking you up." 

Tunde reassured her. "What's wrong?"

Dara hesitated. She wanted to tell everything - the note, the disturbing encounter - but something held her back. Tunde was thousands of miles away from her. What could he do? What if this whole thing failed? "I'm just stressed out at school," she lied, forcing her tone to soften. "I just wanted to hear your voice." 

Tunde immediately felt warmth. "You will be fine, Dara. You are unstoppable. My little warrior." 

She smiled weakly. "Thank you. I'll let you get some sleep."

"Good night." 

"Good night, love," she said, and the call ended. When she hung up the phone, the room seemed even emptier and Dara's thoughts less calm than before. 

She shoved the note into the bottom drawer of her desk. But the shadows she saw in the hallway haunted her thoughts. 

The next morning, Dara tried to forget the events of the previous night. She plunged headlong into lectures and studying and avoided unnecessary conversations with Christian, Jackson, and Kim. It wasn't easy. 

Chris's smile seemed more confident than ever. Kim's was an enigma. 

During lunch, Dara sat with Chloe in the busy cafeteria and tried to concentrate on her friend's chatter. Chloe was just talking about her roommate when she became silent abruptly.

"What's wrong?" Dara looked up and asked. 

Chloe nodded towards the entrance. "They're here." 

Dara didn't need to ask who exactly. Christian, Jackson, and Kim entered the room with their usual swagger. They made their way to a corner table. Dara's stomach twisted when Christian caught her eye and waved lazily.

"You know," Chloe said, leaning forward. "Maybe you should try being less interesting."

Dara sighed. "I am not trying to be interesting. I just want them to leave me the f*ck alone!"

Chloe shook her head. "Good luck to you then. They don't give up that easily."

Dara didn't think they would ever give up. 

That evening, Dara decided to linger in the library. She hoped the quiet would help her focus and take her mind off the day's stress. 

The bookshelves and the quiet sound of the heating system were a welcome respite for her. She was immersed in her textbook when a voice interrupted her concentration. 

"Burning the midnight oil."

She looked up sharply. Kim was standing on the edge of the desk, shoving his hands in his pockets. His posture was casual, but there was something in his eyes. Curiosity. Dara didn't understand. 

"What do you want?" she asked. 

Kim raised an eyebrow, but didn't budge. "Calm down, Dara! I'm not here to bother you. I just sense you are a little distracted." 

Dara frowned. "Why do you care?"

Kim hesitated, as if considering his answer. "I don't know. Maybe because you don't fit in this world." His words caught her off guard, and she didn't know what to say. Instead, she focused on her book, hoping he'd take the hint and walk away. But Kim didn't move from his spot. After a while, he said, "You think we're all the same. Me, Christian, and Jackson." 

"Well, are you not?" she replied, meeting his gaze. 

Before she could ask further questions, Kim turned and walked away. 

Dara tried to return to her studies, but her concentration was broken. When she left the library, the campus was eerily quiet. The moon cast long shadows on the walkways, and a cool breeze blew through the trees. Dara pulled her jacket tighter around her shoulders and quickened her pace. As she approached the dormitory, the prickly vein in her neck throbbed again, as if someone was watching her. She stopped and looked around, surveying the darkness. 

The campus seemed empty, but the feeling of unease never left her. She turned back toward her dormitory. As she approached the door, she began fumbling for the key, her hands trembling. Finally she unlocked the door, stepped inside and locked it. As she leaned against the door to catch her breath, her cell phone rang. Pulling it out of her pocket, she got a new message from an unknown number. You're in deep trouble. 

Dara's blood ran cold. Her hands shook as she stared at the screen. Who is doing this to her? And what did they want with her? She had no answers, but one thing was certain: she wasn't safe-not here and not now. And she had no idea who to trust.