“I need a shower, too, but you definitely need one more.”
She chuckles as she walks out, leaving me alone. I immediately clutch my body, wondering whether my memory of being bound in chains and eaten out by both of them was a dream. As Ifeel my underwear, a wave of relief washes over me, and I lean against the counter, studying my reflection intently.
I tell myself it must have been a bizarre dream since it felt disorienting enough to be one, and it is not the first time I have had such filthy dreams involving my stalker, or nightmares in general. I have suffered from sleep paralysis on and off for as long as I can remember, as well as panic attacks, and hallucinations if I am scared enough and sometimes the nightmares can feel strangely real.
But last night I recall they cut off my underwear yet they are still on my body so it must have been a dream, right? To confirm, I slip my hand down into my panties, and when I feel the moisture on the tips of my fingers from having a wet dream, I roll my eyes and let out a frustrated growl. That one was insanely hot and weird, but what is going on with me? Maybe, whatever substance he used to make me pass out triggered such a fucked-up fantasy.
My mind continuously circles back to everything that transpired last night; Justin's lifeless body is hanging from a tree somewhere and it is all my fault. Nothing feels safe anymore; I had underestimated them. I failed to see how far their obsession for me would go and now I am realizing I am dealing with two monsters who are willing to go to any lengths to show their twisted version of affection.
I used to find it flattering, even romantic, but now the entire situation fills me with fucking fear. How did I end up with not one, but two stalkers? Is that even normal? Of course, it’s not normal; nothing is, and the realization unsettles me to my core.
I had become comfortable with it, letting their actions slide and they clearly felt they could get away with it because I wasn’t telling anyone. Their brazenness last night showed their trueintentions, and I cannot let another innocent person die because of incompetence.
I sigh as I shrug off my hoodie and let it fall to the floor, but when I glance back at the mirror, my eyes widen when I notice a small black heart drawn over my birthmark. My brows furrow as I step closer to inspect it, before reaching for a damp cloth, but while attempting to wipe it away, I realize it’s marker.
Annoyance swells up inside me as I let out a frustrated growl, and I toss the cloth into the sink before stripping out of my clothes. I then turn on the shower to hot and when I step under the water, I concentrate on scrubbing the stubborn ink from my skin. After a while, I find myself relieved when it starts to fade under the hot water. I let out a sigh as I reach up to turn off the shower, but I freeze as soon as my gaze falls upon the steamed glass surrounding me. My jaw drops as I take in the markings etched into the foggy surface, sending a shiver down my spine.
The phrases'Ours,' 'Don't touch,' 'Birdy,' ‘Cave intodesire,’ and'Tweet tweet' stand out as the shower gets steamier, but one in particular catches my attention.
‘For us, not him.’
My chest heaves with each breath I take, a rapid rhythm that matches the panic that is swelling within me as I stand motionless, and my wide eyes stay focused on the lettering. Wrath suddenly washes over me, replacing the fear I had just felt, and I attack the glass with frantic hand movements, swiping it away until the glass is clear. Feeling exhausted, I collapse to the floor with a groan, and I wrap my arms around my knees with my head lowered.
Me and Lucy are relaxing in our room while she starts talking about a guy from Chaos' party two weeks ago, who she has been dating ever since.
“Charley, he is actually so sweet and fucking hot.”
I sigh, leaning back against the headboard and pulling my knees to my chest, struggling to engage in this conversation once again.
“So, when will you see him next?”
She responds as she rummages through her wardrobe.
“Tomorrow. A small group of us are going to hang out at Chaos's pool.”
She suddenly halts and slowly turns to face me, smiling menacingly.
“You should come!”
I roll my eyes and look aside, responding bluntly.
“No thanks.”
“And why the hell not? You haven't been out for two weeks. It's not good for you, Char.”
When my eyes immediately meet hers, I grit my teeth.
“I'm just not in the mood.”
She examines me with her eyes before moving closer and sitting down on my bed beside me.
“You need to get out there and live a little. It'll be fun.”
As I stare at her, I wonder how I am going to hang out with these people when my 'stalkers' tend to become irritated whenever I am among guys, and they kill them.
“I don't know, Lucy. I just don't feel like it.”
She takes a long, defeated breath, nods slightly, and then stands.
