THE BOY I WASN’T SUPPOSED TO LOVE

THE WARNING

I barely heard anything Daniel said after that.

My mind kept replaying the messages.You should stay away from Daniel.You don’t know him as well as you think you do.

Who was sending them?

And why?

Daniel closed his notebook.

“Are you okay?”

I looked up quickly.

“Yes.”

He studied my face.

“You’ve been saying that for the past five minutes.”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re lying again.”

I looked away.

“I just remembered something.”

“What?”

“Nothing important.”

Daniel leaned back in his chair.

“You know you’re terrible at lying, right?”

I almost laughed.Almost.

Instead, I packed my books into my bag.

“We should finish the assignment tomorrow.”

He frowned.

“Why tomorrow?”

“I’m tired.”

“You weren’t tired five minutes ago.”

“I am now.”

He watched me stand.

“Amara.”

I stopped.

“What?”

His voice was softer this time.

“If something is wrong, you can tell me.”

For a moment, I wanted to.I wanted to show him the messages and ask him who could possibly hate him enough to send them.

But something stopped me.Fear.I forced a smile.

“I said I’m fine.”

He nodded slowly.

“Okay.”

I walked away.

But I could feel his eyes following me until I reached the library door.

⸻

By the time I got home, I had received another message.This time, there was a picture attached.

My hands went cold.It was Daniel.Standing outside school.

But that wasn’t what scared me.It was the date written beneath the picture.

The picture had been taken months ago.

Before I had even met him.Another message appeared.Ask him what happened that day.

I stared at the screen.What happened that day?I zoomed in on the picture.

Daniel wasn’t alone.There was another person standing beside him.A girl.I didn’t recognize her.

My heart began beating faster.

Who was she?

And why did someone want me to know about her?I quickly locked my phone.Maybe I was overthinking everything.

Maybe there was a perfectly innocent explanation.There had to be.

My phone buzzed again.This time, it was Daniel.

Daniel: You got home safely?

I stared at his message for a long moment.

Then I typed:

Me: Yes.

Three dots appeared almost immediately.

Daniel: Good.

I thought that was the end of the conversation.Then another message appeared.

Daniel: And Amara?

Me: Yes?

His reply came seconds later.

Daniel: Don’t believe everything people tell you about me.

I froze.

My eyes widened.

How did he know?

I hadn’t told him anything.

I typed quickly.

Me: What do you mean?

He didn’t reply.

I waited.

One minute.

Two.

Five.

Nothing.

I looked at the picture again.Daniel and the mysterious girl.

Then I looked back at his last message.Don’t believe everything people tell you about me.

For the first time, I wasn’t sure whether I was supposed to trust him.Or be afraid of him.

And somehow, I knew tomorrow was going to change everything.