Chapter 7 Something Following Me
~ Lina’s POV ~
“Okay, but start from the part where Bellamy was shirtless.”
I stared at Lexi across the cafeteria table with pure disbelief.
“That’s your biggest concern right now?”
Lexi leaned forward with her eyes sparkling like I had just told her the greatest gossip in history.
“Lina, be serious. You said he was wearing only black boxer briefs. BLACK boxer briefs. On Bellamy Middleton. Do you understand how insane that sounds?”
I dropped my sandwich back onto the tray with a groan.
“Lexi, I was terrified. Martin was literally standing in my room in the dark watching me sleep!”
“Yeah, yeah, creepy brother stuff,” she waved a hand dismissively. “But Bellamy ran in half naked to save you. That’s kind of hot.”
I blinked at her slowly.
“You cannot be real right now.”
She laughed loudly, attracting attention from nearby tables.
“Come on, Lina. Tell me at least this much. Was his body as good up close as everyone says?”
My jaw fell open.
“Lexi!”
“What?” she said innocently, though the grin on her face gave her away. “I’m asking as a friend.”
“You’re asking like a thirsty lunatic.”
That only made her laugh harder.
Meanwhile, my stomach stayed twisted in knots from everything that had happened last night. I kept remembering the growling sounds in my room and the way Bellamy and Martin had looked ready to tear each other apart. Nothing about it had felt normal.
“I’m serious,” I said quietly, leaning closer. “Something is wrong with that family.”
Lexi rolled her eyes immediately.
“Here we go again.”
“No, listen to me.” My voice dropped lower. “The way they move sometimes isn’t normal. And Bellamy’s eyes keep changing. Then there’s Martin sneaking into my room and Bellamy somehow catching up to me outside in like two seconds barefoot...”
“Lina.” Lexi cut me off with a sigh. “You are being paranoid.”
I sat back in my chair, frustrated already.
She shook her head while fixing her blonde hair.
“You’ve been through a lot lately. You got kicked out, you’re stressed, you barely sleep and now you’re staying in a giant mansion with ridiculously attractive rich people. Your brain is making things dramatic.”
“My brain did not imagine growling.”
“Maybe the brothers were fighting.”
“People don’t growl like animals, Lexi.”
“Well, maybe rich people do,” she said dryly before sipping her iced coffee.
I groaned again and rubbed my temples.
“Honestly,” she continued, “most girls would kill to be in your position right now. You’re living in Bellamy Middleton’s house. THE Bellamy Middleton. And instead of enjoying it, you’re acting like you’ve been cursed.”
“Because maybe I have been!”
A few students glanced toward us.
Lexi lowered her voice.
“Do you know how lucky you are? He likes you, Lina. He’s obsessed with you.”
“I don’t want him obsessed with me!”
“That’s because you’re stubborn.”
“No, it’s because every time I’m around him, something weird happens!”
Her expression hardened slightly.
“You know what your problem is? You always think the worst about people trying to help you.”
I stared at her, shocked.
“That’s unfair.”
“Is it?” she challenged. “Bellamy gave you a place to stay when nobody else would. He cooks for you, protects you and looks at you like you hung the moon. Most girls would be grateful.”
“I didn’t ask for any of that!”
“But you accepted it,” she snapped.
The words hit harder than they should have and for a second, neither of us spoke. The noise of the cafeteria filled the silence between us.
Then Lexi scoffed softly and grabbed her bag.
“Honestly, Lina, I’m getting tired of this attitude.”
“My attitude?” I repeated. “You’re the one acting like I should throw myself at Bellamy because he’s rich and hot.”
“Maybe because you’d be stupid not to!”
I pushed my tray away angrily.
“I’m not some desperate girl looking for a rich boyfriend.”
“No,” Lexi said coldly, standing up. “You’re just the girl living in his house while complaining about it twenty-four seven.”
That stung.
Before I could reply, she turned and walked away.
I watched helplessly as she joined Macie, Nathalie and the rest of their little queen bee group near the cafeteria doors. Macie whispered something that made all of them laugh loudly while glancing back at me.
Even Lexi laughed too. My chest tightened painfully. For the first time, I felt completely alone.
I swallowed hard, adjusted my backpack on my shoulder and left the cafeteria before I could embarrass myself by crying.
The hallway outside buzzed with students rushing between classes. I kept my head down as I walked, trying to ignore the heavy feeling sitting in my chest.
“Red.”
My entire body stiffened.
Bellamy.
I didn’t even need to turn around to know it was him. His deep voice somehow wrapped around me every single time.
I kept walking.
A second later, his long strides caught up easily beside me.
“Lina, wait.”
“No.”
“Can we just talk about last night?”
“There’s nothing to talk about.”
His jaw tightened as he matched my pace.
“I know you’re upset.”
“You think?”
A few girls nearby openly stared at us. One of them whispered something to her friend while glaring at me like I’d committed a crime.
Bellamy ignored them completely.
“Martin crossed a line,” he said quietly. “I’m handling it.”
“That doesn’t magically make me feel safe.”
His face softened slightly.
“I never wanted you scared of me.”
I laughed bitterly.
“Then maybe stop acting scary.”
That made him fall silent for a moment.
I kept walking faster, but Bellamy stayed beside me effortlessly.
“Red...”
“Stop calling me that.”
His mouth twitched slightly like he almost smiled.
“You look good in red.”
I shot him a glare.
“Go away, Bellamy.”
One girl standing near the lockers scoffed loudly.
“God, she acts like she’s too good for him.”
Another girl snorted.
“Right? If Bellamy Middleton wanted me, I’d never complain.”
“Maybe charity cases like playing hard to get,” someone else muttered.
Heat crawled up my neck.
Bellamy’s expression darkened instantly. His blue eyes snapped toward the girls so sharply that they immediately went quiet but I was already done.
I turned away and headed straight into my next class without another word.
The entire lecture passed in a blur. I barely paid attention to anything the professor said because my mind kept replaying everything from this morning.
Lexi laughing with Macie. Bellamy following me. The girls calling me a charity case. By the time class ended, my head hurt badly.
Normally Lexi and I walked together after class, but today she disappeared with her new little group before I could even see her. So I walked alone.
The afternoon air was chilly as I headed down the sidewalk with my backpack bouncing lightly against my shoulder. Students passed by laughing and chatting while cars rolled through campus roads.
Then a sleek black car slowed beside me. I didn’t even need to look twice. Bellamy lowered the passenger window, resting one tattooed arm against the door.
“Get in.”
I kept walking.
“We’re going to the same place,” he continued. “I’ll drive you.”
“I’d rather walk.”
“Lina.”
“No.”
His car rolled slowly beside me while other students openly watched us.
“Come on, Red. It’s getting late.”
“I said no.”
A group of girls sitting near the fountain started giggling.
“Oh my God, she’s rejecting him again.”
“She acts like such a saint.”
“If I were her, I’d already be in his lap.”
I ignored every single word and kept walking.
Bellamy exhaled heavily.
“You’re seriously going to walk all the way home?”
“Yes.”
“Out of stubbornness?”
“Out of survival.”
His brows pulled together slightly at that, but before he could answer, I turned down the smaller trail leading toward the woods.
It was a shortcut to the Middleton property. I’d taken it once before with Emmett.
Bellamy cursed softly under his breath.
“Lina, wait.”
But I was already walking deeper between the trees.
The sounds of campus slowly faded behind me until only the crunch of leaves under my shoes remained.
The woods felt colder than usual today.
Tall trees blocked most of the sunlight, leaving shadows stretched across the narrow dirt path. A breeze moved through the branches above, making them creak softly.
I hugged my arms around myself and kept walking. At first, everything seemed normal. Then I heard it.
Crunch.
I stopped walking immediately. Silence. My heartbeat quickened. Slowly, I looked behind me. Nothing. Just trees.
I let out a shaky breath and started walking again. Crunch. This time the sound came faster. Closer. Every hair on the back of my neck stood up.
Someone was behind me… or something. And suddenly, deep in my gut, I knew one terrifying thing for certain.
I wasn’t alone in those woods…
