AMANDA P.O.V

"Hey..." Maya shook me awake.

I sit-up in bed, peering into darkness. "What?"

"I heard something outside..."

I clicked on my lamp and looked to the window. Listening, staring hard. "It's probably a bird or something."

"At midnight?" She said harshly. I look at her, at messy blonde hair and alarmed eyes. "I don't have the number for school security, do you? It sounded like footsteps in the grass right below our window."

I check my phone, clicking it on and seeing three texts from Jim five minutes ago:

I can't sleep wanna talk.

I got snacks.

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Look out the window.

I get up and open the window, about to lean my head out, but Maya jerked me away. "Nooo, stop!"

"It's okay, it's Jim. Go back to sleep." I stick my head out, seeing him sitting in the grass, a white bag next to him. Gas station junk. I grab onto a branch before me and climb down slowly. It's only two stories down to him. When my feet land, I lose a bit of my balance. But steady myself. The dark campus is lit by moonlight. Light wind gushes the trees and grass. Blowing hypnotically. "What's up?" I plop next to him, open the bag, and choose a KitKat.

"I been thinking about something." His blue eyes drift from the sky to me. Glossy.

I prepare to chew on a chocolate bar, but pause. Uh oh...he looks sad. "Thinking about...?"

"It's been different without you at work, I understand why you left, the fucker already has a new pretty assistant. But, it hasn't been the same."

"That doesn't sound like something to lose sleep over, we still talk."

"We don't see each other like before."

"That's because of exams, once summer break hits we can hang out again. Okay?"

He stays watching me, intensely, I chew away on the chocolate awkwardly. "You know what's been bothering me the most? I been seeing you with him."

I freeze in mid chew. "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU STALKING ME?!!"

"No, I'm keeping an eye on you since the fucking police or some shit comes at you over this. Why didn't you tell me about this? I waited until you did but you didn't. I thought he was after you like his dead is?"

"No, he's not...I was gonna tell you but I didn't want the girls to hear about it, just us three know about this."

He huffs hard and stands up. "It used to be just us." A slither of gloom hints his voice, before I could respond he walks off.

....

In the morning, I wake with a emptiness to me, as if I was hungry but it was painful instead. Why am I feeling like this? My mind was jumpy, panicked. I unlocked my phone numerous times, not knowing why. My hands shook. Every time I breathed or swallowed my stomach stung and jerked. It wasn't until I recalled what happened last night, when I realized what I was feeling. Fear.