Before He Finds You
1635 Words
Nora’s POV
I stared at the words on the glass.
BEFORE HE FINDS YOU.
My mind refused to understand them.
Who was he?
And why did whoever had written the message believe he was looking for me?
Ava remained beside me, her fingers wrapped tightly around my arm.
“Who is he?” I asked.
She shook her head.
“I don’t know.”
This time, I believed her.
She looked as frightened as I felt.
The words on the window continued fading until nothing remained except the reflection of the library.
My own face stared back at me.
Pale.
Confused.
Afraid.
I hated that reflection.
I hated even more that I didn’t recognize the person staring back.
Something had changed since I arrived at Ashford Elite Academy.
I could feel it.
The strange dreams.
The voices.
The pain in my chest whenever Xavier was near.
The creature outside the school.
The girl in the reflection.
And now this.
I turned away from the window.
“I am leaving.”
Ava nodded immediately.
For once, she didn’t argue.
We walked through the library in silence.
Neither of us spoke until we reached the doors.
I stopped.
Ava looked at me.
“What?”
“Did you know about the archives?”
She hesitated.
“Yes.”
“Did you know something was behind that door?”
“No.”
“Did you know about Eleanor Bennett?”
Ava looked away.
“I told you. I don’t know anything.”
I studied her.
There was something she wasn’t saying.
I knew it.
But I also knew she was genuinely scared.
That made things worse.
Because if Ava didn’t know what was happening, then who did?
We stepped into the corridor.
The school was still filled with students.
They moved around us, laughing and talking as if nothing had happened.
As if the library had not just shown me a message from a dead or missing girl.
As if something with glowing eyes had not been standing beyond the academy walls.
I looked toward the windows.
The forest was hidden behind the buildings.
But I could still feel it.
Watching.
Waiting.
“Nora.”
Ava’s voice pulled me back.
“Yes?”
“Don’t tell anyone what happened.”
I stared at her.
“Why?”
“Because people will think you’re imagining things.”
“I know what I saw.”
“I know.”
“Then why shouldn’t I tell anyone?”
Ava looked toward the end of the corridor.
“Because people who ask too many questions at this school sometimes stop asking them.”
A chill ran through me.
“What does that mean?”
She didn’t answer.
Before I could demand one, a group of students approached us.
The girl from earlier was walking at the front.
The blonde one.
Xavier’s friend.
Or whatever she was.
She stopped directly in front of me.
Her eyes moved over me slowly.
Then she smiled.
It was not a friendly smile.
“You must be Nora Bennett.”
I looked at her.
“And you must be the girl who doesn’t understand the meaning of privacy.”
Ava’s eyes widened.
The girl’s smile disappeared.
“My name is Victoria.”
“I didn’t ask.”
Her eyes hardened.
“You’re very confident for someone who has been here less than two days.”
“I am.”
Ava touched my arm.
“Nora.”
Victoria glanced at her.
“You should be careful who you associate with.”
Ava immediately went quiet.
I noticed.
The warning in Victoria’s voice wasn’t directed at me.
It was directed at Ava.
I stepped closer.
“Are you threatening her?”
Victoria laughed softly.
“Why would I threaten her?”
“Because you just warned her.”
“I was giving her advice.”
“Keep it.”
Victoria’s eyes moved back to me.
Something cold flashed in them.
“You have no idea what you are doing.”
I crossed my arms.
“Then enlighten me.”
For a moment, she stared at me.
Then she leaned closer.
“Stay away from Xavier.”
The words were quiet.
But they were clear.
I felt irritation rise immediately.
“Did he ask you to tell me that?”
“No.”
“Then I don’t see why I should listen.”
Victoria’s expression changed.
“You don’t understand.”
“That seems to be the most popular sentence at this school.”
Her face hardened.
“You think this is a game?”
“No.”
“Then listen to me.”
“Why?”
She stared at me.
For a moment, I thought she would answer.
Instead, she stepped back.
“You’ll regret it.”
Then she walked away.
I watched her disappear around the corner.
Ava released a breath.
“That went well.”
I looked at her.
“Who is she?”
“Victoria Hale.”
“Is she Xavier’s girlfriend?”
Ava’s eyes widened.
“What?”
“She told me to stay away from him.”
“That doesn’t mean she is his girlfriend.”
“It usually means something.”
Ava looked uncomfortable.
“Victoria has always been close to the Ashford family.”
“How close?”
“I don’t know.”
I stared at her.
“Everyone here says they don’t know anything.”
Ava looked away.
That answer was becoming irritating.
We began walking toward the dormitory.
I tried to ignore the feeling that someone was watching us.
I failed.
When I turned around, the corridor was empty.
But I could hear footsteps.
Behind us.
Slow.
Measured.
Ava heard them too.
She stopped.
The footsteps stopped.
We looked at each other.
“Did you hear that?” I whispered.
Ava nodded.
“Keep walking.”
We did.
The footsteps started again.
This time, they were faster.
I looked back.
Nothing.
The corridor remained empty.
Then a shadow crossed the wall beside us.
Ava grabbed my hand.
“Run.”
We ran.
I didn’t ask questions.
We sprinted through the corridor, our footsteps echoing against the polished floor.
The sound behind us followed.
Closer.
Faster.
I looked back again.
Nothing.
But the footsteps continued.
We reached the stairwell.
Ava pushed the door open.
We rushed inside.
The door slammed shut behind us.
Silence.
I leaned against the wall, breathing heavily.
Ava pressed a hand over her mouth.
For several seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then something hit the other side of the door.
Once.
Ava screamed.
I jumped.
Another hit followed.
The door shook.
“What is that?” I whispered.
Ava backed away.
“I don’t know.”
The handle began to move.
Slowly.
I looked at the door.
Then at Ava.
“What do we do?”
She shook her head.
“I don’t know.”
The handle turned completely.
The door began to open.
A figure stepped inside.
I recognized him immediately.
Xavier.
He closed the door behind him.
His eyes moved over both of us.
Then stopped on me.
“Are you hurt?”
I stared at him.
“Why are you here?”
His expression darkened.
“Answer the question.”
“No.”
He looked at Ava.
“Are you hurt?”
She shook her head.
Xavier returned his attention to me.
“Then we need to leave.”
I crossed my arms.
“You keep saying that.”
“Because you keep refusing.”
“Maybe I don’t want to go anywhere with you.”
His gaze hardened.
“Nora.”
I hated the way he said my name when he was angry.
I hated that some part of me wanted to listen.
“What was outside the door?”
He said nothing.
“Xavier.”
His eyes shifted toward the door.
Something had changed in his expression.
“What?”
He looked back at me.
“That wasn’t a person.”
My heart stopped.
Ava’s face went pale.
I forced myself to laugh.
“Very funny.”
“I’m not joking.”
The stairwell suddenly felt colder.
I stared at him.
“What was it?”
Xavier took a step toward me.
“A rogue.”
The word meant nothing.
“What does that mean?”
His eyes remained fixed on mine.
“It means you need to trust me.”
I almost laughed again.
“That is not happening.”
“Then trust your instincts.”
“What instincts?”
He stepped closer.
The familiar pull struck my chest.
I inhaled sharply.
Xavier noticed.
His eyes darkened.
“Those.”
The pain grew stronger.
I pressed a hand against my chest.
“What is happening to me?”
He stared at me.
For the first time, he looked as though he wanted to tell me.
Then his phone rang.
He answered immediately.
“Yes.”
His expression changed.
“What?”
He listened.
Then looked at me.
“Where?”
His face became completely still.
He ended the call.
I stared at him.
“What happened?”
Xavier didn’t answer.
“Xavier.”
He looked at me.
“The forest.”
My stomach tightened.
“What about it?”
His voice was quiet.
“Someone found a body.”
Ava gasped.
I felt the blood drain from my face.
“Whose body?”
Xavier held my gaze.
“We don’t know yet.”
Then his eyes dropped to the hand pressed against my chest.
“But they found something beside it.”
“What?”
He hesitated.
“A silver pendant.”
My heart suddenly began beating violently.
I didn’t know why.
I didn’t know how.
But somewhere deep inside me, something recognized that pendant.
And before Xavier could say anything else, a voice whispered inside my mind.
He is coming.
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