Chapter 2 Day Two

I barely slept.

Every time I closed my eyes I saw those red letters dripping on the bathroom mirror.” Stop asking questions”. The words was etched into my brain and wouldn't leave me alone.

My phone sat on the nightstand glowing in the dark. I kept picking it up to check those messages. Go home. Don't come back. We're watching you.

Who was watching me? And why?

I hadn't done anything wrong. I'd literally just shown up to school.

Around 3 AM I stopped trying to sleep and just stared at my ceiling. There was this water stain up there that kind of looked like a cat. Or maybe a dragon. I still couldn't decide.

Mom came home late. I heard her moving around in the kitchen making herself tea or whatever. She didn't come check on me which was probably good because I looked awful.

When my alarm went off at 6 I felt like I'd been hit by a bus. Everything hurt. My eyes. My head. Even my chest from all the anxiety and worry

Mom was already in the kitchen when I dragged myself out of bed.

"Morning honey. Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah."

She looked at me over her coffee mug. "You don't look like you slept okay."

"New bed. Takes time to adjust."

She frowned but didn't push it. "I have an early faculty meeting today so I can't drive you. Is the bus fine?"

"Yeah that's fine."

"Okay. Love you. Try to have a better day than yesterday."

If only she knew.

After she left I sat at the kitchen table holding my phone. Part of me wanted to just stay home. Tell her I was sick. Never go back to Lincoln High ever again.

But the other part of me needed to know what was happening. Why someone thought I was dangerous enough to threaten on my first day.

So I got dressed and headed to the bus stop.

The whole ride I kept looking at people. That old lady with her shopping bags. The businessman scrolling through his phone. The kid with headphones.

Any of them could be watching me. Reporting back to whoever sent those texts.

God I was being paranoid.

But was I though? Someone WAS watching me. They'd said so.

When I got to school everything looked so normal it was almost insulting. Kids everywhere laughing and shoving each other. The sun was out. Birds were chirping or whatever.

Meanwhile I felt like I was walking into enemy territory.

I went straight to my locker. My hands were shaking as I reached for the lock.

What if there was another note inside? Another threat?

I held my breath as i opened my locker

There was nothing except my textbooks sitting there all innocent.

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

"Hey!"

I nearly jumped out of my skin.

Iris was standing there grinning at me. "Whoa sorry! Didn't mean to scare you."

"It's fine. I'm just jumpy today."

"First week jitters?"

"Something like that."

"You'll get used to it. Everyone does." She adjusted her backpack. "You ready for Morrison's class? She's probably going to make us pair up for some group discussion thing. She loves those."

We walked to English together. Iris kept talking about the essay and some drama with the yearbook committee. I tried to pay attention but mostly I was scanning the hallways.

I was looking for Ezra. The guy who'd warned me yesterday.

I needed to talk to him. Make him explain what he'd meant.

In Morrison's class I sat in the same seat I sat yesterday. Iris sat next to me still chattering away about something.

Then I felt it.

A sharp gaze behind me

You know that feeling when someone's staring at you? That prickly sensation on the back of your neck?

I turned around slowly.

Three rows back there was a guy staring straight at me. He wasn't glancing neither was helooking in my general direction. He was just staring

He was tall and haddark hair. And his clothes look expensive, if I should guess they'd cost more than my entire wardrobe.

And his eyes gazed at me with this intensity that made my stomach drop.

My heart started pounding very hard

This wasn't normal. This wasn't some random classmate checking out the new girl.

This felt dangerous and probably scary

I turned back around fast. My hands were shaking and my palms were sweaty

"You okay?" Iris whispered.

"Who's that guy behind us? Three rows back with dark hair."

She glanced over her shoulder. "Oh that's Dante Ashford. He's in our grade but he keeps to himself mostly. Why do you ask??

"He's staring at me."

Iris looked again. "Huh. That's weird. Dante doesn't really pay attention to anyone."

I didn't say anything. Just sat there trying to focus on Morrison talking but I could still feel his eyes on me.

It was making my skin crawl.

After class I basically ran out of there. Didn't wait for Iris. Just needed to get away from that staring.

Calculus was a blur. So was History. I couldn't focus on anything. My brain was too busy spiraling.

Why was Dante staring at me? Did he know something? Was he one of those people who sent those texts?

By the time lunch came around I felt sick to my stomach.

I found Iris at the same table as yesterday. Marcus and Jade were already there talking about some movie. They seemed nice enough

Then Ezra showed up.

He sat down across me without saying a word. He didn't even look at me. Just pulled out his lunch and started eating.

I stared at him. This was the guy who'd warned me yesterday. Who'd told me to be careful. Who'd acted like he knew something was wrong with this school.

And now he was just sitting there like I didn't exist?

"Ezra," I said.

He looked up. His eyes were tired with dark circles underneath.

"What."

Not even a question mark. Just flat.

"I need to talk to you."

"About what."

"About yesterday. About what you said in the hallway."

His jaw tightened. "I don't remember what I said."

"Yes you do. You told me to be careful. You said people here don't like it when students ask questions."

The whole table went quiet. Marcus and Jade were staring at us now. Iris looked confused.

"I was just being friendly to the new kid," Ezra said. His voice was different now and Cold. "Giving general advice. That's all."

"No it wasn't. You specifically said this school isn't what it looks like."

"I don't know what you're talking about." He stood up abruptly. His chair made a scraping sound on the floor"I have to go."

"Wait..."

"No." He grabbed his bag. And I swear his hands were shaking. "Leave me alone okay? I can't help you."

"I didn't ask you to help me! I just want to understand what you meant!"

But he was already walking away. He was walking so fast it felt like he was running

I sat there feeling like I'd been slapped.

"What was that about?" Marcus asked.

"I have no idea."

But I did know. Ezra was scared, really scared. And he didn't want anything to do with me.

Which meant I was on my own.

The rest of lunch was awkward. Nobody knew what to say. I picked at my food but couldn't eat anything.

When the bell rang I was relieved.

Last period was Art. Ms. Rivera was talking about shading techniques or something but I wasn't listening.

I pulled out my notebook and just started drawing. Not thinking about it. Just letting my hand move.

Circles appeared on the page. Three of them overlapping each other. Lines cutting through them.

The same thing I'd drawn yesterday.

Why did I keep drawing this? I didn't remember seeing it anywhere.

But my hand knew what to do. The pattern came out automatically.

I stared at the page. The symbol looked familiar but I couldn't place it.

It was driving me crazy.

The bell rang. Finally.

I shoved my notebook in my bag and headed to my locker. The hallways were packed now. Everyone trying to leave at once.

I fought my way through the crowd and finally got to my locker.

I Opened my locker and something fell out

It was a piece of paper that was folded in half.

No!!!

My heart was pounding as I picked it up. I looked around but nobody was watching me. Everyone was too busy minding their own business

I unfolded the paper with shaking hands.

It was the symbol. The exact same one I'd been drawing. Three overlapping circles with lines through them.

And underneath it someone had written in red ink:

“You've been marked.”

The hallway suddenly felt too hot and crowded

I couldn't breathe.

I shoved the paper in my pocket and slammed my locker shut. I needed to get out of here now

I pushed through the crowd heading for the exit. People were shoving and yelling but my chest felt tight and I just needed air.

"Excuse me. Sorry. Move please."

Finally I burst through the doors into the parking lot.

The fresh air hit my face and I bent over trying to catch my breath.

You've been marked.

What did that even mean?

I pulled out my phone. My hands were shaking so bad I almost dropped it.

I needed to call Mom. Tell her something was wrong. Ask her to come get me.

But what would I say? That I found a note in my locker? That someone drew a symbol I'd been doodling?

She'd think I was being dramatic. Or paranoid. Or making things up for attention.

I stood there in the parking lot watching buses pull away. Watching cars leave. Watching everyone go home to their normal lives.

While I was apparently marked for something I didn't understand.

My phone buzzed.

Another text from that unknown number.

My stomach dropped.

I opened it.

You were warned. You didn't listen. Now there are consequences.

Then another text came through. This one was a photo.

Of me. Standing right here in the parking lot. Taken just now.

From somewhere close.

I spun around looking for whoever took it but there were too many people. Too many cars. Too many places someone could be hiding.

Another text.

We told you to go home. You should have listened.

I was being watched, right now , this second.

Someone was out here with me.

So I ran, I didn't think of anything. I just ran toward the bus stop. My backpack bouncing against my shoulders. My breath coming in gasps.

I made it to the bus just as it was pulling away. Banged on the door.

The driver opened it looking annoyed. "You almost missed it."

"Sorry. Sorry."

I stumbled onto the bus and found a seat in the back. Pressed myself against the window and watched the school get smaller as we pulled away.

My phone buzzed again.

I didn't want to look.

But I did.

"Tomorrow you'll understand what marked means."

I turned off my phone and closed my eyes.

Tomorrow I wasn't going back. I didn't care what Mom said. I didn't care about being stubborn or finding answers.

I just wanted to be safe.

Whatever was happening at Lincoln High, I wanted no part of it.