I've always known I was different.

It wasn't in the way I looked or the way I moved. People always told me I danced with otherworldly grace like the music flowed through me. But it wasn't just that. It was deeper. It was the feeling that I was always being watched, like there was something just out of my sight, lurking in the shadows, waiting.

And tonight, on my twenty-first birthday, that feeling is stronger than ever.

The studio is empty now, the music gone, leaving only the soft echo of my breathing in the silence. I wipe the sweat from my brow, my body sore from hours of practice. I've been dancing for so long that it's become second nature. It's the only time I feel free like I can leave the weight of the world behind. But no matter how much I dance, no matter how much I try to lose myself in the music, the sensation never fades—the feeling that something is just there, always in the background, waiting for me to notice.

I grab my sweater, tugging it over my leotard, and reach for my phone. There's a text from Aiden, my second-oldest brother.

"You coming home soon? Austin's about to kill me with the birthday cake. I'm not handling this alone."

I smile, but it feels hollow. Aiden has always known how to make me feel better, even when I feel like I'm drowning in something I can't explain. I quickly type a reply.

"On my way. I won't make you eat the whole cake by yourself."

But just as I'm about to put my phone away, another message comes through—this one from an unknown number.

"Happy Birthday, Athena. We need to talk."

My stomach tightens as I stare at the screen. The message is short, blunt, and... unsettling. I don't recognize the number, and the words feel like a warning. The hair on the back of my neck stands up as a cold chill washes over me. There's something about this message—something that feels wrong.

I try to brush it off, but my fingers hover over the screen, unsure of what to do. I've never received anything like this before, not from anyone.

Then, as I'm about to tap out a response, I hear it. A voice.

"Athena..."

I freeze, my heart leaping into my throat. The voice is deep, familiar, and yet... not. I whip around, my eyes scanning the empty room. No one's there. Just the shadows in the corners, unmoving, still.

It wasn't in my head. The voice was real.

I swallow hard, trying to steady my breath. I've been having these weird feelings for as long as I can remember—moments where I feel like I'm not alone like someone is standing just behind me. But I always brushed it off, telling myself it was just my imagination. Tonight, though, something feels different.

I look down at my phone again, and there's another message. This one makes my stomach twist.

"I've been waiting for you to notice."

I don't know why, but the words seem to sink into my chest like a stone, heavy and undeniable. I feel the chill deepen, like something is closing in on me. I don't understand what's happening, but I know it's not normal.

I quickly scroll through the contact list, hoping to find a name that can explain this—someone I know, someone I trust—but there's nothing. I don't even recognize the number.

Before I can react, my phone buzzes again, and I see a call coming through from the same unknown number.

My breath catches. Who is this? What do they want from me?

With trembling fingers, I answer the call.

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"Athena," the voice says, sending a jolt of ice through my veins. The voice is low, and smooth, but carries a weight I can't describe. "Happy birthday."

I stand frozen, every instinct screaming at me to hang up, but I can't. The voice is too compelling and too powerful.

"What... what do you want?" My voice is barely above a whisper. My body feels like it's been locked in place, unable to move.

"I need you to come to me," the voice purrs. "Tonight."

The line goes dead, leaving nothing but the echo of his words in the air. My hand shakes as I pull the phone from my ear, staring at the blank screen. I feel my heart thumping in my chest, pounding against my ribs like it's trying to break free.

Who is this person? What does he mean? And why does it feel like the world around me has just shifted?

I glance around the empty studio, the shadows in the corners seeming darker now, more alive than before. The air feels heavy, thick with something I can't quite name. My pulse quickens as I slowly, hesitantly, begin to move toward the door.

Something is happening. Something real.

As I walk toward the exit, I can't shake the feeling that I'm not alone. It's as if the very air around me is charged, pulsing with an energy I don't understand. The chill in the room isn't just the air conditioning—it's something deeper, something that feels like it's waiting. Watching.

And as I step outside, the hairs on my arms stand on end. I feel it. The presence. The feeling of being followed, watched. It's here, closer than ever before. I have no idea what this is, but I know one thing for sure.

My life—my world—is about to change.

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As I pull into the driveway, my stomach growls. Birthday cake awaits. And maybe some ice cream. I can handle that. Cake makes everything better.

I drag myself out of the car and head inside, not bothering to check my phone just yet. My mind's still a little scrambled from the weird pull I felt earlier—like something's tugging at me—but I'll deal with that later.

The front door swings open, and the sounds of Aiden's voice immediately greet me. "Well, well, look who finally showed up!" he yells from the kitchen. "Did the birthday girl get lost?"

I roll my eyes but can't suppress the grin tugging at my lips. "I'm here, I'm here," I call back, walking into the kitchen where Aiden is leaning against the counter, arms crossed, his dark hair falling into his eyes as usual.

"You good?" he asks, giving me a once-over. Aiden's the hot-headed jokester, but somehow he's always the first to notice when something's off.

"I'm fine," I reply with a quick wave of my hand. "Just tired. Dance rehearsals and all that."

"Sure, sure," Aiden says, clearly not convinced. But he doesn't press it. He's not the type to dig when I'm not in the mood.

I make my way into the living room and immediately spot Lewis. He's lounging on the couch, totally relaxed with his hoodie pulled up, the same laid-back vibe he's always had. Lewis is my best friend, and I don't have to pretend around him. The banter between us is effortless, the kind of friendship where words aren't always necessary. But there's something in his eyes today that tells me he can sense I'm off.

"Happy birthday, Rae," he says with that easy smile of his, his voice a little more gentle than usual.

I roll my eyes but can't hide the smile. "Thanks. I'm officially twenty-one and still feel like I'm fifteen. It's kinda depressing, honestly."

"Yeah, don't worry," he teases, "you're still acting like you're twelve. It's cute."

I elbow him lightly in the ribs as I sit down beside him. "Shut up," I mutter, but I can't help but laugh. With Lewis, I can be myself—no pretences, no need to hold back.

"You sure you're good?" he asks, nudging me with his shoulder. "You're looking a little... off."

"Yeah, just tired," I say, forcing the words out with a smile. "It's nothing. I swear. I'm just ready to eat cake and have some fun."

"You're seriously the most cake-obsessed person I know," Lewis says, chuckling. "But okay, cake and fun it is."

Meghan, my fiery redhead of a best friend, pops up from the couch, giving us both a wide grin. "Don't let them lie to you, Rae. They're not going to let you off the hook that easily. You've gotta enjoy your birthday. Cake, ice cream, and... whatever else they're trying to bribe you with."

I laugh, grateful for her energy. "You're right, I guess. Cake first, then we'll see if I want to handle anything else."

"Exactly." Meghan winks. "I've got the ice cream ready. And Aiden has... other plans for later. So buckle up."

I groan playfully as I take a slice of cake, with just the right amount of frosting. Aiden, the master of random chaos, is probably planning something ridiculous, but right now, I'm just trying to soak in the normalcy of the moment. Cake, friends, and my brothers teasing me—it's the best kind of distraction.

For a few moments, I forget about the weird feeling in the pit of my stomach—the one I can't seem to shake. I forget about the tug, the eerie pull that seemed to call out to me earlier. It's easier to pretend everything's fine when I'm with them.

But the moment I take my first bite of cake, I feel it again. That chill. It's subtle, like a cold breeze that creeps in under the door, but it hits me all at once.

The hairs on the back of my neck stand up, and my heart starts racing. I glance around the room, trying to brush it off, but the atmosphere feels different now. It's like the air has thickened.

"Hey, you alright?" Lewis asks again, his voice soft but sharp with concern this time.

I swallow, trying to keep it cool. "Yeah, just... got a weird feeling, you know? Like I'm being watched."

"By who?" Meghan asks, raising an eyebrow. "I mean, you've got plenty of people staring at you right now, but I'm guessing it's not us?"

I try to laugh it off, but the unease lingers. "Yeah, definitely not you guys. Just... a weird vibe. Maybe I'm just tired."

"Maybe," Lewis says, though he doesn't seem entirely convinced. "You sure you're not getting all spooky on me? It is your birthday after all. Spooky season and all that."

"I'm not getting spooky," I say with a laugh, but it's shaky.

I try to focus back on the conversation, back on the cake and the normal life I've spent years building. But then my phone buzzes, and that weird feeling comes rushing back, stronger now.

Without thinking, I check my phone. A message from an unknown number.

"I'm closer than you think, Athena. It's time you understood who you really are."

I freeze. The cake in my hand suddenly feels like a rock, heavy and foreign. I'm staring at the screen, not believing what I'm reading.

"Athena?" Lewis's voice pulls me back, but I can barely focus on his face. My heart is thumping in my chest, and my pulse ringing in my ears.

"Athena?" he asks again, his voice more urgent. "What is it? What does it say?"

I blink, trying to clear my thoughts. What the hell is this?

"Uh... nothing," I mutter, swallowing hard. "Just a weird message. Someone's messing with me."

"Someone? Who?" Lewis looks over my shoulder, but I quickly close the message before he can read it.

"I don't know. Probably just a prank," I say, though the words feel like a lie.

But before I can say anything else, another message flashes on the screen.

"Satan."

I go cold, the blood draining from my face as I stare at the name that makes my whole body freeze in terror.

"Athena?" Lewis's voice cracks, his eyes wide

with concern as he stares at me.

I can barely speak. The air around me seems to grow heavier, the chill from earlier now suffocating.

This is no prank.