Falling for a thug

Class project

Lily's pov

By the time Lily reached school the next morning, she had already told herself three times that she was not going to think about the note.

Some things are better left unseen.

She had tried to convince herself that it was probably a stupid prank. Maybe someone had slipped it into her book by mistake.

But then there was the black car.

And the feeling that someone had been watching her.

Lily tightened her grip on her bag as she walked through the school gates.

“Lily!”

She turned.

Chloe was hurrying toward her, with Mia and Nia following behind.

“You look tired,” Mia said immediately.

“I didn't sleep well.”

Nia raised an eyebrow. “Why?”

“Nothing. I was just thinking too much.”

Chloe studied her face for a moment but didn't push.

Before Lily could say anything else, the school bell rang.

“Come on,” Chloe said. “We're already late.”

They hurried toward their classroom.

A few minutes later, their teacher walked in carrying a large box filled with colored paper, ribbons, cardboard, glue, markers, and other craft materials.

“Good morning, everyone.”

“Good morning, ma.”

The teacher placed the box on her desk.

“Today, we're starting a charity project. The school is preparing some handmade items for a children's charity. You'll be making cards, decorations, and small gift boxes. Everything you create will be donated.”

The class immediately became louder.

The teacher smiled.

“And because I don't want anyone working alone, I've already arranged your partners.”

Lily leaned back in her chair.

She had a strange feeling that she wasn't going to like this.

“Chloe and Mia.”

Mia immediately turned toward Chloe.

“At least I got someone I can work with.”

Chloe laughed. “You mean someone who will do most of the work?”

“Exactly.”

The teacher continued calling names.

“Nia and Sarah.”

Nia nodded and moved her chair.

Then—

“Lily and Wayne.”

Lily froze.

For a second, she thought she had heard wrong.

She slowly turned her head.

Wayne was sitting several seats away, looking completely unaffected.

Of course.

The one person she had hoped she wouldn't have to deal with.

Chloe glanced at her.

“Lily?”

“I'm fine.”

“You don't look fine.”

“I'm fine,” Lily repeated.

Wayne stood and walked over.

He stopped beside her desk.

“Looks like we're partners.”

Lily looked up at him.

“Unfortunately.”

One corner of his mouth lifted slightly.

“You're very welcoming.”

“I wasn't trying to be.”

“I noticed.”

He pulled a chair beside her and sat down.

For the next few minutes, neither of them said much.

They spread the materials across the desk and began sorting through them.

Lily expected Wayne to complain.

He didn't.

She expected him to act as if the entire project was beneath him.

He didn't do that either.

Instead, he quietly picked up a piece of cardboard and began measuring it.

Lily glanced at him.

“You actually know what you're doing?”

Wayne looked at her.

“Should I not?”

“I just didn't expect you to be good at this.”

“Why?”

She shrugged.

“You don't exactly look like someone who spends his free time making gift boxes.”

“And you don't exactly look like someone who makes assumptions.”

Lily stared at him.

“Was that supposed to be an insult?”

“Maybe.”

She rolled her eyes.

For the first time that morning, she almost smiled.

Then she noticed something.

On the edge of the cardboard Wayne was holding was a small black drawing.

A wolf.

Lily's expression changed.

The symbol looked almost exactly like the one she'd seen before.

Her stomach tightened.

“What is that?”

Wayne's hand stopped.

He looked down at the cardboard.

Then his eyes lifted slowly toward her.

“What?”

“That.”

She pointed at the wolf.

For a moment, something unreadable passed across his face.

Then he turned the cardboard over.

“Nothing.”

Lily frowned.

“It doesn't look like nothing.”

Wayne's voice became quieter.

“Then stop looking at it.”

The words sent an uncomfortable chill through her.

Lily looked away.

She didn't ask again.

But she couldn't stop thinking about it.

When the class finally ended, Lily packed her things quickly.

She had barely stepped into the hallway when Chloe caught up with her.

“So,” Chloe said. “How was it?”

Lily looked at her.

“How was what?”

“Working with Wayne.”

Mia and Nia joined them.

Mia folded her arms.

“Seriously. Was he arrogant?”

Nia added, “Or bossy?”

Chloe laughed. “Was he difficult?”

Mia nodded. “Because I don't understand how someone can have that kind of aura and still sit quietly through an entire class.”

Lily gave a small sigh.

“That kind of aura?”

“You know what I mean,” Mia said. “He barely talks, but somehow everyone notices when he's around.”

Nia looked at Lily.

“So how did you cope with him?”

Lily thought about the question.

“He wasn't as difficult as I expected.”

Chloe looked surprised.

“Really?”

“He actually helped with the project.”

Mia blinked.

“He helped?”

“Yes.”

“Without complaining?”

“Yes.”

Nia smiled slightly. “Then maybe there's more to him than we think.”

Lily didn't answer.

Her mind immediately returned to the black wolf on the cardboard.

There was something about it.

Something she had seen before.

Something she wasn't ready to explain.

Chloe noticed her silence.

“Lily?”

“Hmm?”

“You look like you're thinking about something.”

Lily opened her mouth.

For a second, she almost told them.

She almost told them about the symbol.

About the way Wayne's expression had changed.

About the warning he had given her.

But then she stopped.

Maybe she was imagining things.

Maybe the wolf was just a drawing.

“Nothing,” she finally said. “I'm just tired.”

The three girls accepted the answer.

They continued walking down the hallway.

Lily reached into her bag for her phone.

The screen lit up.

One new message.

Unknown number.

She opened it.

Her heart dropped.

You should have listened to the warning.

Lily stopped walking.

Chloe turned around.

“Lily? What happened?”

Lily stared at the screen.

Her fingers tightened around the phone.

She slowly looked down the hallway.

Students were walking past them.

Teachers were entering classrooms.

Everything looked normal.

But suddenly, Lily couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her again.

Someone who knew about the warning.

Someone who knew she had ignored it.

And somehow, they knew she had been paired Wayne

Later in evening lily stared at the message again.

Stay away from him. You don't know what you're getting yourself into.

Her fingers tightened around the phone.

Who was sending these messages? And why did they seem to know so much about Wayne?

Before she could think any further, another message appeared.

This is your last warning.

Lily's heart skipped.

She quickly looked around her room, suddenly feeling as though someone was watching her.

But there was no one.

She turned her phone face down on the bed and took a deep breath.

“It's probably just someone trying to scare me,” she whispered, staring at her phone without really seeing the screen.

Her mind kept returning to everything that had happened—the dream, the strange warning, the message she had received, and the unsettling feeling that seemed to follow her everywhere.

A soft knock came at the door.

Before she could answer, her father stepped inside.

He studied her for a moment before leaning against the doorframe.

“You’ve been quiet these days,” he said gently. “Is everything okay?”

Lily quickly looked up.

“I’m fine, Dad.”

He didn't look convinced.

“Are you sure? Are you being bullied at school? Is there anything happening that you’re not telling me?”

Her heart skipped.

For a second, she almost told him everything.

But how could she explain something she barely understood herself?

“No,” she said, forcing a small smile. “Nothing is happening. I’m just tired.”

Her father watched her carefully, then sighed.

“Alright. But you know you can tell me anything, right?”

“I know.”

He walked over and gently patted her shoulder.

“Then get some sleep. You probably had a rough day today, and tomorrow might be another long one.”

Lily nodded.

“Goodnight, Dad.”

“Goodnight, sweetheart.”

He switched off the brighter light before leaving, pulling the door almost completely shut behind him.

Lily lay back against her pillow.

For the first time that evening, she allowed herself to breathe.

Maybe tomorrow would be normal.

Maybe everything would finally make sense.

But somewhere in the back of her mind, a small voice whispered that tomorrow was only the beginning.

She closed her eyes.

And eventually, sleep found her.