Chapter 4 —
I didn't sleep that night.every time I closed my eyes, I heard his voice again."Ask her… why she ran away the night someone almost died."The words wouldn't leave my head.they replayed over and over, twisting into something darker each time.
What did he mean?What happened that night?And why did Lena look so scared… like she was hiding something she couldn't escape?I sat up on my bed, running a hand through my hair. My phone was still in my grip, the call ended hours ago but the tension still fresh.
I should stay out of it.That's what a normal person would do.But I wasn't normal when it came to her.Not anymore.I fell back against the pillow and stared at the ceiling.I had two choices.Walk away…Or find out the truth.And somehow, I already knew which one I was going to choose.The next morning felt heavier than usual.The campus looked the same, but everything felt different.Like I had stepped into a story I didn't understand yet.My eyes searched for her immediately.I checked the mango tree and the hallway but there was Nothing.my chest tightened.
Where could she be?"Who are you looking for?" Daniel's voice broke through my thoughts."No one," I said quickly.He raised a brow. "You've been acting weird since yesterday."I'm fine." "are you sure?"
I nodded, but my eyes kept scanning the area.Then I saw her Walking slowly toward the building alone.Relief hit me instantly.I didn't realize how tense I was until that moment.I walked toward her without thinking."Lena."She stopped and turned.
And for a second… something flickered in her eyes.Relief.then it disappeared.
"Hi," she said softly."Are you okay?"
She nodded. "Yes."But she looked tired Like she didn't sleep either."We need to talk," I said.Her fingers tightened slightly around her bag."About what?"You know what."She looked away."I told you… I don't want to talk about it."I got a call last night."That made her freeze Slowly… she looked back at me and asked "is it from him?,"Yeah."Her face lost color."What did he say?"
I hesitated.Should I tell her?I watched her carefully.She looked scared.But also… like she was expecting this."He said…" I paused, then continued, "he said that I should ask you why you ran away the night someone almost died." she was speechless and uncomfortable.her lips parted slightly, but no words came out.her eyes dropped to the ground.and in that moment…I knew it was true."Lena…" I stepped closer. "What happened?"She shook her head slowly."I can't.""You can't or you won't?"Her voice broke slightly. "Both."Frustration rose inside me."You're in danger," I said. "That guy is coming after you, and you're telling me nothing?"I didn't ask you to get involved," she whispered."That doesn't mean I'm going to walk away."She looked up at me then there was sadness and fear inside her."You don't understand," she said quietly."Then help me understand."She hesitated.For a long time.Students walked past us, laughing, talking, living normal lives.While we stood there… stuck in something complicated.Finally, she spoke.
"That night…" she started, her voice shaking, "wasn't supposed to happen."My heart pounded.I stayed silent letting her continue."There was a party," she said. "I didn't want to go… but my friend insisted.""What friend?"…Eva."
I nodded slowly."She said it would be fun. That I needed to relax.Her hands trembled slightly."I went."Her voice dropped lower."And that's when everything went wrong."I stepped closer and my chest tightened."What happened?"She closed her eyes briefly."There was a fight.""A fight?"
She nodded. "Between him… and someone else.""The guy from yesterday?""Yes."My jaw clenched.
"What kind of fight?"She hesitated.
Then whispered —"It got violent."
A cold feeling spread through me.
"How violent?"She looked at me.
And I saw tears in her eyes.
"There was a bottle… broken glass… shouting…"My heart started racing.
"And then?"Her voice dropped to almost nothing."Someone fell."she said,My breath caught immediately,"Fell?"She nodded slowly."There was blood."I felt it heavy and unsettling in my chest. "Who?" I asked quietly.Her lips trembled."I don't know if he's alive."That hit harder than I expected.
"You don't know?"She shook her head. "I ran."The word echoed."You left?" I asked.Her eyes filled with guilt."I was scared."I stared at her.Trying to process everything."You just… left someone there?"Tears slipped down her cheeks."I didn't know what to do!"Her voice cracked.
"I was scared… I thought… he was dead…"The pain in her voice made something inside me soften.But questions still burned in my mind.
"And that guy?" I asked. "What does he want from you?"She wiped her tears quickly."He thinks I saw too much."Did you?"She hesitated Then nodded.My chest tightened again.
"What did you see, Lena?"She looked around nervously.Like someone might be listening.Then she leaned closer to me.Her voice barely a whisper."I saw who pushed him."My heart skipped."Who?"
She opened her mouth to answer—
Then suddenly…A loud crash echoed behind us.We both turned.
Students screamed.A car had just slammed into the school gate.
My heart dropped.The driver's door opened slowly.And the same man stepped out.His eyes locked directly on Lena.Then on me.And he smiled.
That same cold, dangerous smile.
"Found you," he said.Lena's hand grabbed my arm Tightly.Her voice shaking—"He's not supposed to be here…"And in that moment…
I realized this wasn't just a past problem anymore.It had followed her here.And now—It was right in front of us.