Page 32 of The Revenge You Seek

Spinning around, I stare out of the window and up at the dark night sky.

With all the light pollution from campus, it's impossible to see if there are any stars out tonight.

Pushing from the chair, I walk toward the window and rest my forearms on the sill, staring up and squinting in the hope of seeing a twinkle.

When I returned to Rosewood with my tail between my legs to confess to Mom that I was now a college dropout, I spent a lot of time out in the backyard or sitting on the beach watching the sun go down and getting lost as the darkness engulfed both me and my surroundings.

Staring up at those twinkling stars made me forget about everything that had led to the moment I broke down in Mom's arms and told her everything I'd been hiding in for so long.

It felt good to finally get it all out. I openly bled out my pain and to have someone cry with me.

The look on Mom's face as she held my face in her hands and sobbed with me is one I'll never forget.

I was terrified to go home and to tell her what a mess I'd made of my life. I knew she'd be disappointed in me. Her main focus since the day we were all born was ensuring we had everything we needed to make a success of our lives and there I was crumbling and losing control of the life I thought I was making for myself.

I should have had more faith in her because although, yes, she was disappointed that I'd turned my back on Columbia, she supported me wholeheartedly and chastised me for suffering alone for so long.

Maybe if I had come clean sooner, I might have been able to continue with my life with her support. But it's too late to wonder now.

All of that is done and here I am.

Starting over and trying to put all of that behind me.

But I can't, because he's here.

Taunting me.

Reminding me.

Threatening to drag me right back into the darkness.

With a sigh, I turn away from the window, shrug my hoodie from my shoulders, I throw it over my chair and crawl into bed.

I lie there staring at the ceiling knowing that really I should flick the light off and attempt to get some sleep but something stops me from doing it.

The rest of the dorm has been in silence for over an hour, everyone disappearing to their own rooms to do their thing, so when a sharp knock sounds out on my door it makes me squeal in fright.

My heart jumps into my throat and my hands begin to tremble.

My initial thought is that it's him. That he's found me already.

I didn't tell anyone not to let him know where I live but I'm sure there are a million and one ways to find out if he wanted to.

He's always been pretty resourceful. I mean, he got himself here after all.

Hesitantly, I pull the covers back and lower my feet to the cold floor.

Every single muscle in my body screams for me to stay where I am and hide.

But I know that if it is him, that he won't stop until he gets to me, even if that means kicking the door in.

I'd rather just accept my fate than wake the entire dorm and have them witness my shitshow of a life.

My breaths race out so fast that I'm almost hyperventilating by the time my hand wraps around the door handle.

If this is him then… then anything could be about to happen.

My entire body jolts when whoever it is knocks again.