the truth between us

Chapter Thirteen — The Safety Net

The warm afternoon sun striking the university courtyard did nothing to thaw the sudden ice in my veins. I stood entirely frozen on the concrete walkway, the campus noise fading into a static hiss in my ears.On my phone screen, the image was sharp and clear. It was me. It was a photograph of me walking through the campus gates earlier that morning, taken from a high angle. Someone had stood on top of the humanities building or the library roof, adjusting a lens, tracking my movements, and capturing my daily life like I was a specimen under a microscope.You can pretend to live normally, Amara. But the past always finds its way back."Amara?"Jason’s voice cut through the fog in my brain. He took a half-step closer, his easygoing smile completely vanishing as he looked at my face. He reached out a hand, his fingers hovering just inches from my arm, hesitant to touch me but desperate to ground me. "Hey, what’s wrong? Your face completely changed. You look like you’ve seen a ghost."My fingers trembled as I aggressively clicked the power button on my phone, turning the screen black. I shoved it deep into my coat pocket, my palm sweating against the fabric. I couldn't let him see it. I couldn't let anyone see it. If I admitted out loud that someone was watching me, the terrifying reality of it would crash through the fragile wall of normalcy I was trying so hard to build."It’s nothing," I said, my voice cracking slightly. I hated how fragile I sounded. I cleared my throat, forcing a hollow laugh that sounded completely fake even to my own ears. "Just... a spam text. A really annoying one. I’m fine."Jason didn't step back. His dark eyes narrowed, searching my face with an intensity that made my chest tighten. There was an edge to his gaze that didn't match the safe, warm boy I had been crushing on all semester. For a fleeting second, he looked sharp, hyper-focused, like a hunter spotting a tracking print."Amara, people don't look like they're about to lose their mind over a spam text," Jason said quietly, his voice lowering so the passing students wouldn't hear. He took another step, closing the distance between us until I could smell the familiar, comforting scent of laundry detergent and mint on his jacket. "Talk to me. If someone is bothering you, you can tell me. You don't have to carry everything by yourself."His words were exactly what I wanted to hear. They were warm, safe, and inviting. I wanted nothing more than to lean into his chest, tell him about the hidden diary, the terrifying Daniel Hayes, and the stalker photos. I wanted him to tell me everything would be okay.But as I looked into his eyes, a phantom voice echoed in the back of my mind. It was my mother’s messy handwriting from the separated pages of the diary. Trust no one. Not even the people who say they love you."I really have to go, Jason," I mumbled, taking a step backward. "I forgot I promised Lena I’d help her with—""Amara!"A loud, boisterous voice shattered the heavy tension gathering between us.stop it. I quickly wiped it away with the sleeve of my coat, feeling a wave of relief wash over me. Sarah was the only person in my life who had no connection to the Hayes family, no connection to high-society wealth like Lena’s family, and no hidden agendas. She was just Sarah."Sarah," I whispered, my voice trembling as I pulled my phone out of my pocket and placed it face-down on the table. "I think someone is following me. And I think it has to do with my mother."Sarah stared at the phone, her jaw tightening. She didn't tell me I was being dramatic. She didn't tell me to go to the police. She just reached across the table, grabbed my hand, and squeezed it tightly."Then we figure it out," Sarah said fiercely. "Together."