SELENA BLACKWOOD

Chapter 3

Selena's POV ☘️

I barely slept.

Every time I closed my eyes, yesterday came rushing back.

The voice.

The study.

Josh's face.

Zara's phone call.

And that message.

Running won't change what you are.

I had stared at those words for what felt like hours before finally throwing my phone onto the other side of my bed.

I didn't know what what you are meant.

And honestly, I was terrified to find out.

By the time morning came, I had already made up my mind.

I was going to act normal.

Whatever was happening in my family had nothing to do with me.

At least, that's what I kept telling myself.

I got dressed for school, fixed my hair and stood in front of the mirror for a few seconds.

I looked normal.

I looked like Selena Blackwood.

The same girl who had woken up yesterday thinking her biggest problem was getting through another boring school day.

I almost laughed.

How stupid I'd been.

I grabbed my bag and headed downstairs.

The house was quiet.

Again.

I stopped halfway down the staircase.

Yesterday's silence had felt strange.

Today's felt deliberate.

I could hear the faint clinking of plates from the dining room and the distant sound of someone speaking on the phone, but there was none of the usual morning chaos.

No maids rushing around.

No drivers arguing about whose car needed fuel.

No Mom telling me to hurry because I was going to be late.

Nothing.

Just silence.

I continued downstairs.

Josh was already sitting at the dining table.

He looked up when he saw me.

For a moment, neither of us said anything.

Then he gave me a small smile.

"Morning."

"Morning."

I sat opposite him.

A plate of food was placed in front of me.

I stared at it.

I wasn't hungry.

Josh noticed.

"You should eat."

I looked up.

"You always tell me that."

"Because you never listen."

Normally, I would have laughed.

I didn't.

His smile faded.

He picked up his fork and started eating.

I watched him for a few seconds.

"Josh?"

"Hmm?"

"Did Dad say anything to you yesterday?"

His hand stopped.

Just for a second.

Then he continued eating.

"No."

I narrowed my eyes.

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

Lie.

I knew it.

I didn't know how I knew, but I did.

Before I could ask anything else, my phone vibrated.

I looked down.

Nothing.

Just a notification from one of my school apps.

I sighed.

Then I noticed Josh watching me.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing."

There it was again.

Nothing.

Apparently, that was the favorite word in this family.

I pushed my plate away.

"I've lost my appetite."

Josh sighed.

"Selena..."

"What?"

"Just eat something."

I stared at him.

There was something behind his eyes.

Something he wanted to say.

Something he was afraid to say.

But before either of us could speak, the front door opened.

We both looked up.

A man walked into the house.

I recognized him immediately.

Our driver.

Except he wasn't supposed to be here.

Not yet.

I frowned.

"What are you doing here?"

He looked at me.

"Good morning, Miss Blackwood."

"Good morning."

He glanced at Josh.

"Mr. Blackwood."

Josh nodded.

The driver looked strangely serious.

"I've been instructed to take you both to school."

I looked at the clock.

"We're not late."

"I know, ma'am."

Something about his answer made my stomach tighten.

I glanced at Josh.

He was already looking at the driver.

And that look on his face...

It was back.

That same look from yesterday.

Fear.

No.

Not fear.

Recognition.

Like he knew exactly why the man was here.

I stood up.

"Let's go."

Neither of us spoke as we walked outside.

---

School felt strangely normal.

Which somehow made everything worse.

Students were laughing in the hallway.

Someone was complaining about an assignment.

A group of girls were crowded around someone's phone.

Everything was normal.

Everyone was normal.

Except me.

I couldn't stop thinking about yesterday.

I couldn't stop watching people.

Every conversation felt suspicious.

Every glance lasted too long.

Every whisper sounded like it was about me.

Even Zara.

She greeted me as soon as I entered the classroom.

"Selena!"

She smiled brightly and hugged me.

I stiffened.

She pulled away.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

Her smile faltered.

"You're acting weird."

I almost laughed.

I'm acting weird?

"You've been acting weird too."

She blinked.

"What?"

"Nothing."

Her expression changed for half a second.

Then she smiled again.

"Okay..."

She sat down.

I watched her.

Yesterday, she had lied to me.

I knew that now.

But I still didn't know why.

And that was the worst part.

I wanted to ask her.

I wanted to grab her shoulders and demand the truth.

Instead, I sat beside her.

And pretended everything was fine.

The day dragged on.

Class after class.

Teacher after teacher.

I barely heard any of them.

Then, during the final lesson, there was a knock on the classroom door.

The teacher stopped speaking.

Everyone turned.

The door opened.

Our driver stood there.

My stomach dropped.

He looked directly at me.

Then at Josh.

"Miss Blackwood. Mr. Blackwood."

Josh slowly stood.

I didn't.

"What is it?"

The driver looked uncomfortable.

"Your father wants you home."

I frowned.

"Why?"

He hesitated.

"Both of you. Now."

The entire class went silent.

I looked at Josh.

His face had gone pale.

"What happened?" I asked.

The driver shook his head.

"Your father didn't say."

I stood.

My heart was beating too fast.

Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

And whatever it was, Josh knew.

I could see it.

We walked out together.

The moment the classroom door closed behind us, I grabbed his arm.

"What happened?"

"Nothing."

I stared at him.

"Don't."

He stopped.

"Don't what?"

"Don't lie to me again."

His expression hardened.

"I'm not lying."

"You've been lying to me since yesterday."

He looked away.

"Selena..."

"No. You don't get to do that."

"Do what?"

"Say my name like that and expect me to shut up."

He sighed.

"You don't understand."

"Then explain it."

He said nothing.

"Josh."

Still nothing.

I stepped in front of him.

"Do you know why Dad wants us home?"

His jaw tightened.

"No."

I didn't believe him.

But I didn't have time to argue.

The driver was waiting.

And somehow, I knew that whatever waited for us at home was bigger than anything either of us was prepared to handle.

---

The ride home was silent.

Not peaceful.

Silent.

There was a difference.

I sat beside Josh in the back seat, staring through the window.

He didn't say a word.

Neither did I.

But my mind wouldn't stop.

Why had Dad sent for us?

Why now?

Why both of us?

And why did Josh look like he already knew what was coming?

I turned toward him.

"Are you scared?"

He looked at me.

"No."

"You're lying."

His eyes softened.

"Selena..."

"What?"

He looked toward the driver.

Then back at me.

"Just... stay close to me."

My heart skipped.

"What does that mean?"

"Just do it."

"Josh—"

"Please."

That one word stopped me.

Josh never said please.

Not like that.

I nodded.

But inside, something had already started screaming.

---

When we arrived home, the front door was already open.

That was strange.

I stepped out of the car.

The house looked exactly the same.

Beautiful.

Expensive.

Perfect.

But I had never felt more uncomfortable walking through those doors.

A maid was waiting for us.

"Mr. Blackwood is in his office."

Josh nodded.

"Okay."

The maid looked at me.

"Miss Selena, your father asked you to go upstairs."

I frowned.

"Why?"

"He didn't say."

Of course.

Nobody ever said anything.

I looked at Josh.

He was already walking toward Dad's office.

"Josh."

He stopped.

For a moment, he looked back at me.

There was something in his eyes.

An apology.

Or maybe a warning.

Then he turned and walked away.

I stood there for a few seconds before heading upstairs.

My footsteps echoed through the hallway.

The further I walked, the quieter everything became.

I reached my bedroom door.

My hand rested on the handle.

For some reason, I hesitated.

I don't know why.

Maybe some part of me already knew.

Maybe I should have turned around.

Maybe I should have called Josh.

But I didn't.

I opened the door.

Everything looked normal.

My bed.

My desk.

My books.

My curtains.

Nothing had changed.

I exhaled.

"See?"

I whispered to myself.

"Nothing."

Then I looked toward my desk.

And froze.

There was something sitting on it.

A photograph.

I walked closer.

Slowly.

My heart began pounding.

I picked it up.

The photograph was old.

The edges were slightly worn.

And the girl in the picture...

Was me.

I stared at my younger face.

I looked about seven.

Maybe eight.

I was smiling.

Really smiling.

The kind of smile you have when you don't know enough about the world to be afraid of it.

I turned the photograph over.

Nothing.

I turned it back.

And that's when I noticed the writing.

Four words.

Written beneath the photograph.

Black ink.

Neat handwriting.

My fingers started trembling.

I read it once.

Then again.

My throat tightened.

YOU SHOULD HAVE STAYED HIDDEN.

I dropped the photograph.

It landed on the floor.

For several seconds, I couldn't breathe.

Someone had put this here.

Someone had entered my room.

Someone had this photograph.

And whoever had left it knew something about me.

Something I didn't know myself.

I slowly bent down and picked it up again.

My eyes stayed fixed on the words.

You should have stayed hidden.

Hidden from what?

From whom?

And more importantly...

What was I supposed to be hiding from?

A sound came from the hallway.

I froze.

Footsteps.

Someone was walking toward my room.

I quickly slipped the photograph beneath my pillow and stood up.

The footsteps stopped outside my door.

I held my breath.

The door handle moved.

Once.

Twice.

Then stopped.

Silence.

I didn't move.

Neither did whoever was outside.

Then a voice came through the door.

Quiet.

Almost a whisper.

"Selena?"

My heart dropped.

It was Josh.

I rushed to the door and opened it.

He stood there.

His eyes immediately went to my face.

Then to the room behind me.

"What's wrong?"

I stared at him.

For the first time since yesterday, I didn't know whether I wanted to trust him.

He stepped closer.

"Selena?"

I swallowed.

"Who is the girl in this picture?"

His face changed.

Completely.

The color drained from it.

And that was when I knew.

He knew.

He knew exactly what picture I was talking about.

And suddenly, the room felt much colder.

Josh stared at me for a long moment.

Then he whispered,

"Where did you get that?"