💔 I HATE YOU BUT I LOVE YOU

CHAPTER 6: THE NAME YOU SHOULD NOT KNOW

The car was dead silent on the way back, and it was driving me crazy. You know that gross, heavy feeling in your stomach when you're so mad you feel like you might actually pop? That’s all I felt. I just kept staring at my phone, the screen getting all blurry because I was looking at it so hard.

‎"Next time... he won't be able to," I muttered to myself. I didn't even realize how hard I was gripping my phone until I saw my knuckles were turning totally white.

‎

‎I turned to look at Derek. “What is that even supposed to mean?”

‎

‎He didn’t say a word. He just kept his eyes glued to the road, acting like I wasn’t even sitting right there next to him.

‎

‎“I’m talking to you!” I finally shouted.

‎

‎Still nothing. My chest felt so tight it was actually getting hard to breathe.

‎

‎“Stop the car,” I told him. He didn’t slow down. “Derek, I mean it. Stop the car right now!”

‎

‎He slammed on the brakes so fast the car jerked, and we pulled over to the side of the road.

‎

‎I didn't even wait. I pushed the door open and hopped out before he was even done moving. The air felt so much better out here. I could finally take a real breath.

‎Derek got out, too. “Amara”

‎“Don’t,” I snapped. “Don’t say my name like that. Don’t act like things are okay.”

‎He shut up. Good. Because nothing was okay.

‎“You took me to that weird place,” I said. My voice was shaking. “Those men were talking like they knew me. Someone is sending me scary messages and pictures, and you’re just acting like it’s nothing!”

‎He messed with his hair. He looked really stressed out. “I was trying to keep you away from it!”

‎I let out a mean laugh. It sounded loud in the quiet air. “Away from it? Derek, I’m already right in the middle of it!”

‎I could tell that really bothered him. I saw it on his face. He knew I was right.

‎It went quiet again, but this time it was different. Then Derek finally spoke, his voice barely a whisper. "You heard them, right?"

‎I caught myself frowning. "Heard what? Derek, what are you talking about?"

‎"That name they didn’t say," he muttered.

‎I just stared at him, totally lost. "No one mentioned a name. We were standing right there."

‎Derek looked at me slowly, almost like he was inspecting me or checking to see if I was lying. "No... you're right. They didn't say it out loud."

‎A sudden chill ran down my spine, the kind that makes your hair stand up. Before I could even ask, he stepped closer and lowered his voice even more. "There are things happening on this campus that people just don't talk about."

‎I tried to roll my eyes, wanting to laugh it off. "Oh please, don’t start with the urban legends."

‎"I’m serious, Amara."

‎Something in his tone stopped me cold. This wasn’t his usual "tough guy" attitude. He looked careful, controlled, and, if I was being honest, actually scared.

‎"They don’t call themselves anything," he went on. "There’s no official name, no group chats, no public meetings. Nothing."

‎"Then how do they even exist?" I asked, my voice shaking a little.

‎"They don't," he replied instantly. "At least, not on paper."

‎My chest started to tighten again as the panic crept back in. "Derek, stop talking in riddles. You're freaking me out."

‎He glanced around the empty road, making sure we were actually alone, then leaned in toward me. "People just know when they’re involved. It's an unwritten thing."

‎My heart skipped a beat. "Involved in what?"

‎He didn't answer me. Instead, he hit me with a question I didn't see coming. "When did the messages start?"

‎"After the library," I said, blinking.

‎"And before that? Anything weird happen?"

‎I took a second to think. Suddenly, everything started clicking into place, the weird picture, that shadow I thought I saw, the creepy feeling of being watched even before I made it back to my room. "I... I don't know," I said slowly.

‎Derek just nodded, like he’d already figured it out. "That’s how it starts."

‎My stomach dropped. I took a step back, shaking my head. "No. Don’t do that. Don’t make it sound like I’m part of some secret club I didn’t choose."

‎Derek’s jaw tightened. "That’s exactly how it works, Amara. You don't choose them. They choose you."

‎The silence that followed was heavy and uncomfortable. It felt too real. Then, my phone vibrated in my hand. We both looked down at the screen at the same time.

‎Unknown number.

‎I hesitated for a second before opening it. The text read: You’re asking too many questions.

‎My throat went completely dry. Before I could even process that, another message popped up: Ask him about the night he forgot.

‎I slowly lifted my head to look at him. "Derek... what night?"

‎He didn't say a word. He just stared at the screen, and I watched his face shift. He wasn't angry or confused. It was something much worse. It was the look of someone who finally understood exactly how much trouble we were in.