Chapter 35: A Secret Worth Keeping
1270 Words
Kael's POV
“If I tell you, they'll hurt you too.” Those words kept replaying in my head. Over and over. I stared at Milky, trying to understand what the hell she meant. Someone was threatening her again.
Someone had been threatening her for days.
And she had kept it to herself. I felt something hot rise inside my chest..“Who?” I asked again. She shook her head..“I don't know.”
“You don't know who is threatening you?”. She wiped her cheeks quickly.
“No.”
“What did they say?” She hesitated. “Milky.” She looked at me. “They told me to stay away from you.” My jaw tightened.
“Why?”
“I don't know.”
“Did they mention my name?” She nodded.
“Then tell me exactly what they said.”.She looked down at her hands. “They said... if I don't stay away from you, things will get worse.” My hands curled into fists. “Worse?” She nodded.
I remembered the locker.
The note.
Stay away from Kael... or next time, it won't just be your locker.
I had it before. I didn't take it seriously then.
Now everything was beginning to connect.
“Was it the same person who left the note in your school bag?”
She looked at me quickly
“You told me someone had threatened you. I didn't know it was still happening.” She looked away. “I didn't want you to worry.” I almost laughed..Not because it was funny. Because the thought was ridiculous. “You didn't want me to worry?”
“Yes.”
“Milky, someone is threatening you because of me.”
“I know.”
“And you thought hiding it would make me not worry?” She stayed quiet. I rubbed my forehead.
“You're impossible.”
“I know.” For the first time since she started crying, the corner of her lips lifted slightly. I didn't smile, I was too angry. “Show me the messages.”
She immediately shook her head.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I don't want you involved.” I stared at her. “I'm already involved.”
“No, you're not.”
“Yes, I am.” She looked at me helplessly.
“Kael, please.” That word stopped me. She rarely begged. “Please don't do anything.”.I looked into her eyes. She was genuinely afraid. Not for herself, but for me. And somehow, that scared me more.
“Fine.” She blinked.
“Fine?”
“I won't do anything.” She breathed out.
“Thank you.”
“But I'm going to find out who it is.” Her expression fell.
“Kael!”
“I said I won't do anything.”
“That doesn't sound like you.”
“It isn't.” She sighed.
“You're impossible.”
“So you keep telling me.” She wiped the last tear from her cheek.
“Can we just study?” I stared at her.
“Right now?” She nodded.
“I have a test tomorrow.” I couldn't believe her.
Someone was threatening her, and she was worried about a damn test.
“Milky.”
“Please.” I sighed.
“Fine.” We returned to our books. But I didn't absorb a single word, my mind was somewhere else. Whoever was behind this had made one mistake. They had given me a reason to look.
And I was going to find them and this time, I'm damn serious.
>>>>>>>>
Akira's POV
I knew Kael wasn't going to let it go. I could see it in his eyes. He had agreed not to do anything, but I knew him well enough to understand what that meant. He was going to investigate.
Quietly..And that terrified me but somehow I felt relieved.
Kael didn't solve problems quietly. He destroyed them, sometimes people.
I packed my books after our session.
“I'm going home.” He nodded.
“I'll walk you.”
“No.”.He looked up.
“No?”
“I'll be fine.”
“Milky.”
“I can walk home.”.He stared at me for a moment. Then he stood.
“I'm still walking you.”
“Kael—”
“Don't argue.” I sighed.
“Fine.” We left his house together. The night was unusually quiet. I kept looking around.
Every shadow made me nervous, every sound made me turn. Kael noticed. “You're scared.”
“A little.” He moved closer.
“Don't be.”
“How can I not be?”
“Because I'm here.” I looked at him.
He said it so simply. Like his presence was enough to protect me from anything. For some reason, my heart fluttered. I quickly looked away.
“Thank you.”
“Stop thanking me.” I smiled.
“You really hate that word.”
“Yeah.”
“Why?” “Because you say it too much.” I laughed softly. He looked at me. “What?”
“Nothing.”
“You're smiling.”
“Am I not allowed to?” He shrugged.
“You look less annoying when you smile.” I rolled my eyes.
“There you go again.”
“What?”
“Ruining a nice moment.”.He smirked.
“That's my job.” I laughed again.
For a few seconds, I forgot about the threats, I forgot about the fear, I forgot everything. Then something moved behind us. I stopped. Kael stopped too.
“What?”
“Did you hear that?” He turned around.
Nothing, Just an empty street.
“Probably a cat.”
“Maybe.” He continued walking. I followed. But I couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching us.
>>>>>>>
Kael's POV
I waited until Milky entered her house. She waved at me through the window before disappearing. I turned around. My smile disappeared immediately.
Someone had been following us. I was sure of it. I looked down the street, nothing. I pulled out my phone and called Adrienne. He answered after two rings.
“What's up?”
“I need a favor.” There was silence.
“You're asking me for a favor? That's new.”
“Can you find out something for me?”
“Depends.”
“I need to know if anyone has been asking questions about Milky.”
“Milky?” I immediately regretted saying her name.
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
“Just do it.” He laughed.
“Okay, boss.” I hung up. I started walking home.
Halfway there, my phone buzzed.
A message. Unknown number. I stopped.
My heart sank. I opened it. There was only one sentence. You should have listened to the warning. My blood ran cold. Another message appeared. Stay away from her. I stared at the screen. Then another one came. Or she'll be the one who pays for your mistake.
My fingers tightened around my phone.
Whoever this was...
They weren't bluffing.
I typed: Who are you? The message delivered.
No response. I waited. Nothing. Then my phone buzzed again. This time, it wasn't a text. It was a picture. I opened it. My breath caught. It was a photograph of Milky. Taken tonight. She was standing beside me on the street.
Someone had been watching us. Someone had been close enough to take the picture.
And beneath the photograph were five words: I told you. You're next.
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