A Sad Murder

Calm down and breathe

Anna woke up the next morning with a knock on her door. When she got out of her room and went to check who was at the doorstep, she saw no one. She looked around finding who had knocked but no one was in sight.

"Is this a joke or what?" she asked feeling upset and her gaze never left her surroundings. "Drake are you out there?" she half-yelled and no response came her way. "It obviously can't be Drake, if he was the one, his bike would be parked outside" she thought.

Anna went back inside and slammed the door closed. "Maybe I heard wrong, right?" she thought again and glanced back to the door briefly before returning her gaze back to where she was heading to which was the kitchen.

She tried to shut all negative thoughts but the more she tried the more the thoughts of her being in harm keeps coming up. She lost appetite of eating and she turnaround and went back to her room.

When she got in front of her room door to open it and get inside, another knock came on her door. Fear and anger crept into her mind and she tiptoe back to the door. She quietly unlock it and open the door and a loud gasps escaped from her mouth.

"Ann are you okay?" Drake asked on seeing her staring at him like he was a ghost.

"Did you knock on the door few minutes ago?" came her reply and Drake furrowed his brows.

"No I did not, I just got here. Why are you not dressed yet?" he asked. Anna stared at him suspiciously not believing him.

"I'm being serious Drake, did you knock on my door few minutes ago?" she asked her voice beginning to sound high and shaky.

"I just said no. What happened? Are you okay Anna?" he asked looking worried and reached out for her cheek and held it.

"Yeah, yeah...I'm fine. Come on in" she replied and stepped aside for him to go inside while she glances around before going inside as well.

"Why are you not dressed yet?" Drake asked again.

"I'm sorry I woke up really late. I guess it's because I slept late last night. My kitchen is over there, go make breakfast for yourself while I rush in and have a shower".

"Don't worry about me, just go have your shower. I'm giving you 10minutes to do that".

"Don't be silly, I'm a lady I'll use more than that" she replied and he chuckled.

"I'll be gone in fifteen if you're not here" he threatens and she shot him a playful glare before rushing back to her room.

When she got to her room, she shut her door closed and rested her back on it. She covered her mouth and everything that has happened replayed on her mind once again. "This can't be real right? It's just an illusion trying to drive me nuts. I'll never give in to it, I'm smart, and brave than that" she encouraged herself and went to have her shower.

When Anna was ready, both of them got out of the house. Before she got out of the house, she made sure everything was in place and her windows were closed. They got to school and went to their different classes.

Almost all the courses Anna had in the morning, none of it was getting into her head, her thoughts kept deviating to what was happening around her if it was real or not.

"Anna Greg, do you have an answer to my last question?" Miss May her English lecturer asked. She's fond of having Anna answer her questions during her classes this past few days, she felt today wasn't exceptional as well. "Anna!" she yelled a bit louder and Anna got startled and stared at her.

"Yes Miss May?" she answered quietly and gulped saliva down her dried throat.

"Someone is daydreaming of her boyfriend" one of the female student behind Anna scoffed giggling and Anna squint.

"I'm sure she's dreaming of our Drake, is such a pity that Drake doesn't even find her attractive enough to make her his girlfriend" another of the female student at the right hand side of Anna said sarcastically and they giggled.

"Enough girls! Mind your own business, I wasn't talking to you girls" Miss May shush them and they twitched their faces and glanced around. "Anna do you have answer to my question?".

Anna stared up at Miss May and shook her head in response. "I'm sorry Miss May, I wasn't paying attention".

"Anna this should be the last time you'll do that, it's not tolerated in my class".

"Yes ma'am" she replied with a slight bow and Miss May continued her class.

Miss May class ended and it was break time. Nicole rushed into the class and walked straight to Anna's seat. "Hey babe" she chirped and hugged Anna.

"Hi Nicole" Anna forced out a smile.

"C'mon, get up, let's go to the cafeteria, they're waiting for us" Nicole said cheerfully holding Anna's hand.

"I'm not really hungry, go ahead" Anna replied.

"Don't make me beg now Anna, let's go already" Nicole said still holding her hand.

"Oh Nicole, you're just too stubborn. Fine I'll go with you".

Anna stood up and both of them walked out of the class. They got to the cafe and Drake and his friends were already there seated and having their lunch. Anna and Nicole served themselves and carried their tray of food to the table they were sitting.

"Hey guys" Nicole greeted with her high-pitched voice and took a sit beside Brad.

"Hello ladies" Brad and Jay responded.

"Ann" Drake said her name in almost a whisper his gazed fixed on her.

"Of course you'll only say hello to Anna because she's your girlfriend!" Nicole nags and Anna rolled her eyes and took a sit beside Drake.

"Hey guys" Anna greeted ignoring Nicole's comment.

"You're such a busy body, Nicole" Drake retorted.

"Don't call me a busy body dude if not I'll cut off your balls" she replied shooting him a playful glare and they laughed except Anna who just stared at her plate of food lost in thoughts.

"Anna is going to kill you if you try doing that" Jay said and they chuckled. They all noticed Anna wasn't laughing along with them and she seems to have zone out.

"Ann, are you okay?" Drake asked squinting at her. She slowly gaze up at him with her hand placed on her right jaw.

"Were you talking to me?" she asked in a low tone of voice.

"Of course! We've been making jokes but you weren't even paying attention. You zoned out completely. What's going on in that mind of yours?" Nicole asked.

"Ha, is nothing. Just work on my mind and me missing my parents" she lied.

"Oh Anna, is my uncle stressing you at work?" Nicole asked.

"No, he's not, I.. I..."

"You're taking a day off today" Nicole cuts in.

"No, no, I'm really fine. I don't need an off, don't bother about it" Anna objected.

"You're taking a day off and nothing is changing that. I'll call my uncle and tell him some little lies pertaining to school projects and he wouldn't hesitate to say yes to my request, don't worry you'll see" Nicole said and brought out her phone to make a call to her uncle while they all stared at her.

Anna squint at Drake and he nod slightly at her. They all watched as Nicole placed the phone on her ear.

"Hello Uncle, I have a little favor to ask from you. Anna and I have a really serious project with other students and we're meant to finish up today before submission tomorrow, can you please give her a day off to do this?".

"Sure, she should take her time and do whatever she wants, you know how much I value education, besides Anna has been so helpful to me, it's my own little way of repaying her" Nicole's uncle replied on his end and Nicole grin excitedly.

"Thank you so much uncle, you're the best. I love you, bye" she hanged up and squealed excitedly and they all stared at her with a raised brow. "He said yes!" She exclaimed and they all sigh in relief.

"You really shouldn't have done that. I'm strong enough to work" Anna said weakly.

"It's already done girl" came Nicole's reply with a shrug.

"So what am I suppose to do after school?" Anna asked. She doesn't want to go home all alone during the day and stay there till midnight, she wanted to be at work perhaps she'll get her mind off all that is troubling her mind.

"How about we come know where you live?" Nicole suggested and all gaze fell on her.

"I think is a great idea" Jay said smiling.

"I guess is cool" Brad added.

Anna glance at them and then to Drake.

"Drake are you coming?" she asked.

"Uhmm would love to, but I'll be going to work" he replied.

"Call and tell them you're sick or tell another lie. Just don't go to work" Nicole said.

"Really Nicole?" Drake raised a brow at her and she shrugged.

"Nicole is right, you're always working anyways, a day off wouldn't kill you" Brad concurred.

"Do you guys know what you are saying?" Drake asked in disbelief.

"They mean no harm with your job Drake, they just want you to be there when we're all having fun" Anna said. He squint at her and she nods at him.

"Just say yes already D-cool" Jay drawled.

"Don't call me that sick nickname, asshole" Drake shush him and they chuckled. "Fine, I'll join you guys under one condition".

"What?" They all asked him. He flashed them a cute smile and they raised a brow at him.

"Nicole will have to place that call that she talked about" he answered fixing his gaze on Nicole and he wiggled his brows at her.

"What? Why me?" she asked with a frown.

"Because you're a good liar" Jay answered and Drake snorted while Anna snickered.

"Are you saying I'm a liar?" Nicole asked feeling offended and Jay shrugged.

"Baby he didn't mean that, he just meant you cook up better stories than the rest of us do" Brad replied rubbing her back and she glanced at him with wide eyes.

"You're also calling me a liar? It's over Brad!" she yelled and all gaze in the cafeteria fell on them.

"Calm down Nicole, they're trying to get you pissed, don't give in to their pleasure" Anna said trying to cover up for the guys.

"You think so?" she asked and Anna nods.

"Just do it for Drake just like you did for me" Anna said.

"Fine, I'm doing this for you not for this three jerks sitting right next to us" she replied with an eye rolling.

"Yay! Thank you, you're such a sweetheart" Anna said smiling.

After school hours, Anna took her friends to her house and they played all kind of games, watch Netflix and also visited the small park not far off from her house. It was past 7pm when the three of them left off to their homes leaving Drake behind with Anna.

"I must confess your friends are really fun to be with, I enjoyed every moment spent with them" Anna said while they were seated in her living room.

"That's why I'm still with them" Drake smiled.

"I'll be right back, let me quickly do the dishes. Can you help me put the living room in order before I get back?".

"Sure I can, and if you want I can help do the dishes as well" he winks at her and she laughed.

"No, I can do it myself. I'll be right back" she stood up and went to the kitchen. She walked to the sink and started doing the dishes they used in eating.

Outside the kitchen window, her stalker was right there watching her. He was wearing all black and there was a scary mask on his face and his hand was covered with gloves. His breathing became heavy and aggressive and his left hand was slowly raised and placed on the window.

Anna was mopping out the water out of the dishes she has washed and then mistakenly her gaze went to the window and she saw that hand. She squealed and threw the plate she was holding on the floor and it broke into pieces. Drake came running to the kitchen on hearing Anna's squealing.

"Ann!" He yelled her name on getting to the kitchen and seeing the broken plate on the floor. "Are you okay?".

"Someone....a...hand... there" she pointed to the window trembling in fear and couldn't make a complete and meaningful sentence. Drake gaze travels down to the window but there was no one there. Anna's mouth remained in a gape.

"Calm down and breathe" Drake said gesturing her with his hands. Anna tried to breathe just like Drake had advised but nervousness wouldn't let her be. Drake stepped forward and hugged her to his chest. "It's okay, there's no one there. Just stay calm, I'm right here with you" he patted her back and she hugged him tight.