CHAPTER FOURTEEN:*Whispers& warnings
647 Words
Amara’s alarm buzzed for the third time before she finally rolled over and silenced it. Her pillow was warm from a night of tossing and turning, her thoughts clouded with the weight of everything that had unfolded—Zayne's sharp words, the tension that had cracked their fragile connection, and the way her chest ached more than she was willing to admit.
She barely spoke over breakfast. Her aunt noticed, of course, but didn’t push. Just offered her a small, sympathetic smile and reminded her not to skip lunch again.
At school, Amara moved through the halls like she was underwater. The usual noise—the slamming of lockers, the laughter, the sneakers squeaking across polished floors—felt far away. Distant.
She reached her locker, twisting the dial automatically. When the door swung open, something fluttered to the ground.
A small envelope.
She stared at it.No name. No markings. Just plain white paper, folded neatly. Her heart thumped once, then again—harder this time—as she crouched to pick it up. She looked around, but no one was paying attention.
Amara unfolded the note.
*“Be careful who you trust. Eyes are always watching.”*
Her breath caught.
No signature. No clue who it was from. The words were typed, cut clean from a printer. But it felt personal. Like a whisper pressed right against her ear.
She quickly tucked it into her notebook and slammed her locker shut, her fingers cold.
“Hey.”
She turned.
Eli was leaning against the locker next to hers, sipping from a thermos. His easygoing smile didn’t quite reach his eyes this time. He studied her face.
“You okay?”
“Yeah,” she lied. “Just… tired.”
“Long night?”
“You could say that.”
He nodded and glanced around. “He didn’t text you back, did he?”
Amara froze. “What?”
“Zayne.” Eli took a casual sip. “You guys had that thing yesterday. I figured… something happened.”
She didn’t answer. Her mind was still on the note. On the way her name *wasn’t* there, but how everything about it felt like it was meant just for her.
“I don’t think I understand him,” she finally said. “One minute, he’s opening up. The next—he shuts me out completely.”Eli leaned in a little. “That’s because guys like Zayne don’t want to be understood. They want to keep people guessing, because if you really knew who they were, you’d walk away.”
Amara looked at him. “You don’t even know him.”
“He’s new. I pay attention.” Eli’s smile was softer now, more sincere. “I’m not trying to stir drama. I just don’t want you caught in something messy.”
She hesitated. “Why do you care?”
“Because you’re…” He stopped himself, clearing his throat. “Because I’ve seen what it looks like when someone falls for the wrong kind of mystery.”
Amara’s chest tightened.
Before she could respond, the warning in her locker flashed in her mind again.
“Thanks,” she murmured, not quite meeting his eyes.
Eli gave her a small nod and stepped back. “If you ever want a distraction—or just want to get away from all this—we could hang out. Just say the word.”
She watched him walk off, his posture relaxed, but his glance over his shoulder told her he was still watching.
Amara pulled the note from her book once more, fingers brushing the cold paper.
Who had sent it?
And what did they mean by “eyes are always watching”?
Something wasn’t right. She could feel it in her bones.
And Zayne… he was part of it. Whether he meant to be or not.
- Writer
