CHAPTER FIVE
1249 Words
HE KNOWS
Lila didn't sleep that night.
She tried.
She put her phone under her pillow and closed her eyes, but every time she did, the photograph came back to her mind.
Her face.
The college courtyard.
Vincent standing behind her.
And those three words.
He knows too.
She sat up.
Who was watching her?
Why was someone taking pictures of her?
And what did Vincent know?
She picked up her phone again.
The number was still there.
She had thought about blocking it.
But something stopped her.
She wanted answers.
Even if she was afraid of what those answers might be.
She typed:
What does Vincent know?
She stared at the message.
Then pressed send.
Nothing happened.
Five minutes.
Ten.
No reply.
Lila finally put the phone down.
She didn't realize someone was standing outside her bedroom door.
Brian watched her through the small opening.
He had come home quietly.
He had expected her to be asleep.
Instead, she was sitting on her bed with her phone in her hand.
He knew something was wrong.
He just didn't know how much she knew.
"Lila."
She looked up.
Brian stepped inside.
"You scared me."
"You should be sleeping."
"So should you."
He ignored that.
"What are you doing?"
"Nothing."
Brian looked at her phone.
"Who are you talking to?"
"No one."
He held out his hand.
"Give me the phone."
Lila stared at him.
"Why?"
"Lila."
"Why?"
Brian's expression hardened.
"Because I asked."
She slowly put the phone in her pocket.
"I'm not a child."
"I know."
"Then stop treating me like one."
Brian stared at her.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then he sighed.
"Someone contacted you."
Lila's heart skipped.
"How did you know?"
Brian didn't answer.
She stood.
"You knew."
"Lila—"
"You knew someone was going to contact me."
"No."
"Then how did you know?"
Brian looked away.
Lila stepped closer.
"What's happening?"
"Nothing you need to worry about."
She laughed softly.
"You keep saying that."
Brian's eyes returned to hers.
"Because I mean it."
Lila wanted to believe him.
She really did.
But something had changed.
She could feel it.
She just didn't know what.
"Goodnight," Brian said.
He turned to leave.
"Brian."
He stopped.
Lila hesitated.
She wanted to ask about Vincent.
She wanted to ask about their parents.
She wanted to show him the photograph.
But something inside her told her not to.
So she only said,
"Nothing."
Brian looked at her for a moment before leaving.
He closed the door.
Lila waited until his footsteps disappeared.
Then she pulled out her phone.
The unknown number had replied.
Her heart began to race.
There was only one sentence.
Don't ask Vincent. Ask his father.
The next morning, Vincent arrived at Ivy College earlier than usual.
He didn't know why.
Maybe he wanted to avoid the noise at home.
Maybe he wanted to think.
Or maybe he was simply tired of hearing his father's voice in his head.
That photograph was never supposed to exist.
He walked across the empty courtyard.
The college looked different without the crowd.
Quiet.
Almost peaceful.
He stopped near the bench where he had first seen Lila.
He remembered her expression.
She hadn't looked impressed by him.
She hadn't looked afraid either.
That was unusual.
Most people knew who he was.
Most people treated him differently because of it.
She hadn't.
Vincent took out his phone.
A message from his friend appeared.
You coming tonight?
Vincent ignored it.
Another message came.
Don't tell me you're suddenly busy because of the scholarship girl.
Vincent frowned.
He locked his phone.
"Idiots."
He started walking again.
Then he saw Lila.
She was standing near the entrance, holding a book against her chest.
She hadn't noticed him.
Vincent watched her for a moment.
Then he walked over.
"You look tired."
Lila looked up.
"So do you."
He raised an eyebrow.
"I always look like this."
"Then that's unfortunate."
He almost smiled.
"You always talk like that?"
"Only when people annoy me."
Vincent looked at her.
"And I annoy you?"
"Very much."
She walked past him.
Vincent turned.
"You're welcome."
She stopped.
"For what?"
He pointed toward her books.
"You dropped one."
Lila looked down.
One of her books was missing.
She turned around.
Vincent was holding it.
He held it out.
She took it.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
She started walking again.
Vincent watched her.
Something about her bothered him.
Not in a bad way.
He just couldn't understand why he noticed her so easily.
"Lila."
She stopped.
She looked back.
"You know my name?"
He nodded.
"People talk."
She gave him a suspicious look.
"That's not comforting."
"It wasn't meant to be."
She shook her head and walked away.
Vincent smiled faintly.
Then his phone rang.
His smile disappeared.
His father's number.
He answered.
"What?"
His father's voice was quiet.
"Come home after class."
"Why?"
"I need to tell you something."
Vincent stopped walking.
"What?"
A pause.
Then his father said,
"I know who sent you the photograph."
Vincent's eyes narrowed.
"Who?"
His father didn't answer.
Instead, he said,
"Don't trust anyone at Ivy."
The call ended.
Vincent stared at the phone.
Then slowly looked toward the direction Lila had gone.
That afternoon, Lila sat in the library.
She had been trying to study, but she couldn't focus.
She kept thinking about the message.
Ask his father.
She didn't understand why a stranger wanted her to ask about Vincent's father.
She didn't even know the man.
Why involve her?
She looked around.
The library was almost empty.
She returned to her book.
A few minutes later, a shadow fell across the table.
Lila looked up.
It was Vincent.
He pulled out the chair opposite her.
"You again."
He sat down.
"You sound disappointed."
"I am."
He smiled.
For the first time, she saw something different in his face.
Not the cold expression everyone talked about.
Something softer.
Almost normal.
Lila looked back at her book.
"What do you want?"
"Nothing."
"Then why are you here?"
"I like the quiet."
She looked around.
"There are fifty empty seats."
"I know."
Lila stared at him.
Vincent leaned back.
"So?"
"So what?"
"You're avoiding my question."
He looked at her.
"Maybe I like this seat."
She rolled her eyes.
"You really are annoying."
"That's what you said yesterday."
"And I still mean it."
Vincent smiled.
For a few seconds, neither spoke.
Then his eyes dropped to the book in front of her.
"What are you studying?"
She told him.
He nodded.
"That's difficult."
"You wouldn't know."
"Why?"
"Because you look like someone who never studies."
He laughed.
A real laugh this time.
Lila looked up.
She hadn't expected that.
Neither had he.
Their eyes met.
For a brief moment, the room seemed strangely quiet.
Then Vincent's phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
His expression changed.
He stood.
"I have to go."
Lila nodded.
He walked away.
She watched him disappear through the doors.
Then she noticed something underneath the chair.
A small piece of paper.
She picked it up.
There was only one sentence written on it.
If you want to know what happened to your parents, come to the old chapel tomorrow at midnight.
Lila's breath caught.
She looked toward the door.
Vincent was gone.
She looked back at the paper.
For the first time, she wondered if she had made a mistake by staying quiet.
Because whoever was behind the messages wasn't simply watching her anymore.
They were calling her somewhere.
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