Tell Leon I Didn't Forget
1079 Words
I stare at Sofia's screenshot.
Tell Leon I didn't forget.
My brain refuses to process it.
Again.
And again.
And again.
“Okay,” I say slowly. “That's terrifying.”
Sofia nods.
“Very.”
I look at her.
“Could she be the one sending the messages?”
Sofia's face changes.
“I don't know.”
“Because she has my photo.”
“She could have gotten it from whoever is watching you.”
“Or she could be watching me herself.”
Neither of us speaks.
Fantastic.
We have officially reached the part of the mystery where every possibility is terrible.
I put my phone down.
“Maybe Lena is dangerous.”
“Maybe.”
“Maybe she's in danger.”
“Also maybe.”
“Could you be slightly more helpful?”
“I could lie.”
“Don't.”
She sighs.
“We don't know enough.”
I stare at the screenshot.
Tell Leon I didn't forget.
“What does she mean?”
“I don't know.”
“She knows Leon.”
“Yes.”
“She knows you.”
“Apparently.”
“She accepted your request.”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn't she message him?”
Sofia shrugs.
“Maybe she doesn't want to.”
I sit back.
That thought bothers me.
If Lena wanted to talk to Leon, she could.
Unless she can't.
Or doesn't feel safe.
Or maybe she wants him to know she's still out there.
My stomach twists.
“I have to tell him.”
Sofia looks at me.
“Tomorrow?”
“Yes.”
“Definitely?”
“Definitely.”
“No backing out?”
“No.”
“You're going to show him the message?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
I nod.
Then immediately panic.
“What if he thinks I did something?”
“You didn't.”
“What if he gets angry?”
“He won't.”
“How do you know?”
“I've met him.”
“That doesn't make you an expert.”
“No. But I'm still right.”
I roll my eyes.
“Fine.”
I pick up my phone.
“Tomorrow.”
Sofia points at me.
“Tomorrow.”
The next morning, I arrive at König Academy with exactly one goal.
Find Leon.
Tell him about Lena.
Try not to collapse from stress.
Simple.
I spot him near the lockers.
He sees me.
I walk over.
“Library.”
His eyebrows lift.
“Now?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I need to show you something.”
He studies my face.
“Is it another message?”
I stop.
“How do you always do that?”
“You look worried.”
“I always look worried.”
“No.”
He picks up his bag.
“Let's go.”
The library is almost empty.
We sit at the same table where everything started.
Berlin Wall notes.
Books.
Laptop.
The world's worst study partnership.
I take out my phone.
“Sofia got a message.”
Leon looks at me.
“From Lena?”
I nod.
I show him the screenshot.
He reads it.
His entire face changes.
Shock.
Not fear.
Not anger.
Shock.
“That's her.”
I swallow.
“You're sure?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
He takes the phone from me.
“She used to say this.”
“What?”
“I don't forget.”
I stare at him.
“That was her thing?”
He nods.
“She'd say it whenever she promised something.”
“Like what?”
“If she promised she'd come back. If she promised she'd keep a secret. If she promised she'd never forgive someone.”
I look at the message again.
Tell Leon I didn't forget.
“What does that mean?”
“I don't know.”
He pulls out his phone.
“I'll ask her.”
He finds her account.
Types.
Lena?
Nothing.
He sends another message.
It's Leon. Please answer.
Nothing.
He waits.
I watch the screen.
One minute.
Two.
Still nothing.
“She doesn't answer you.”
“No.”
“Maybe she doesn't want to.”
“Maybe.”
“That's awkward.”
He looks at me.
“Very.”
I smile despite myself.
He almost smiles back.
Almost.
Then his expression becomes serious.
“Why would she message Sofia?”
“I don't know.”
“She knew you would tell me.”
“Probably.”
He looks at the screenshot again.
“She wants me to know she's still there.”
“Or she wants you scared.”
He looks at me.
“Maybe both.”
I don't like that answer.
I close my phone.
“Our project.”
He looks at the laptop.
“We're almost done.”
“Finally.”
“You're relieved?”
“Extremely.”
“You hate history?”
“I hate group projects.”
“We're a group of two.”
“Exactly.”
He shakes his head.
I start gathering the notes.
He reaches for one at the same time.
Our hands almost touch.
We both stop.
I pull mine back.
“You take it.”
He looks at me.
“Why?”
“Because I suddenly remembered manners.”
“Since when?”
“Don't ruin it.”
A tiny smile appears.
I look away.
My heart is doing something stupid again.
I blame the library.
Definitely the library.
We pack up.
Leon stands.
“I'm walking you out.”
“I can walk.”
“I know.”
“Then why?”
“Because I said so.”
I give him a look.
“Bossy.”
“Careful.”
We leave the library together.
The hallway is busy now.
Students everywhere.
Normal.
Safe.
Almost.
Then my phone buzzes.
I stop.
Leon looks at me.
“What?”
I pull out my phone.
Different number.
Not the one they blocked.
My stomach drops.
I open the message.
You told him.
I stare.
Another message appears.
Wrong move.
My hands go cold.
Leon sees my face.
“What is it?”
I look up at him.
For once, I don't have a joke.
Because whoever is behind this knew exactly when I told him.
And they are using a different number now.
Which means blocking them was never going to be enough.
Someone is still watching.
And this time, they know Leon is involved.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD