Senior Year Secrets

The Warning

Amara didn't sleep much that night.

The name Kelvin kept running through her mind.

She had known him for barely a week.

They were in the same project group, had attended a few meetings together, and that was about it.

Yet someone was telling her to investigate him.

She looked at the anonymous message again.

The person you should be asking about is Kelvin.

Amara locked her phone.

She wasn't going to accuse Kelvin based on a message from an unknown person.

Not yet.

The next morning, she arrived at the department early.

Kelvin was already there.

He was sitting on the steps outside the lecture hall, scrolling through his phone.

When he noticed her, he smiled.

"You're early."

"So are you."

"I couldn't sleep."

Amara almost asked why.

Instead, she sat a few steps away.

Kelvin looked at her.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah."

"You seem distracted."

"I'm just tired."

He nodded.

Neither of them spoke for a while.

Then Kelvin said, "Did you know Sarah?"

Amara's eyes moved toward him.

"No."

"Why?"

He shrugged.

"Nothing."

"You asked me."

"I was just curious."

Kelvin smiled.

"You ask a lot of questions."

Amara forced a laugh.

"So I've been told."

They entered the lecture hall when the lecturer arrived.

For the next two hours, Amara tried to concentrate.

She couldn't.

She kept thinking about the photograph.

Kelvin had been there.

But why?

After the lecture, she found Tessa outside.

"We need to talk."

Tessa immediately knew something was wrong.

"What happened?"

Amara showed her the message.

Tessa's eyes widened.

"Kelvin?"

"Yes."

"Do you think he did something?"

"I don't know."

"Then why are we standing here?"

"Because I don't want to accuse someone without proof."

Tessa nodded.

"Fair."

They walked toward the cafeteria.

Halfway there, Amara stopped.

"Wait."

"What?"

"I want to check something."

They returned to the department building.

Amara opened the student directory on one of the computers.

She searched Sarah's name.

Nothing.

She searched Kelvin's.

His student information appeared.

Everything looked normal.

No connection to Sarah.

Amara closed the page.

"That didn't help."

"Maybe you should stop looking."

Amara looked at Tessa.

"You don't really mean that."

Tessa sighed.

"No. I don't."

They left the building.

As they walked away, Amara noticed someone standing near the entrance.

Kelvin.

He was watching them.

Their eyes met.

He looked away almost immediately.

Amara slowed down.

Tessa noticed.

"What?"

"Nothing."

They continued walking.

That afternoon, their group met at the library.

Daniel was already there.

Kelvin arrived a few minutes later.

Everything seemed normal.

Almost too normal.

They worked for about an hour before Daniel suddenly closed his laptop.

"I need to ask you guys something."

Everyone looked at him.

"What?" Tessa asked.

Daniel looked at Kelvin.

"Did you know Sarah?"

The room went silent.

Kelvin stared at him.

"Why are you asking?"

"Just answer."

Kelvin leaned back.

"Yes."

Amara's heart began beating faster.

"How well?" Daniel asked.

Kelvin looked uncomfortable.

"Well enough."

Daniel shook his head.

"That's not what I asked."

"She was my friend."

"You were more than friends."

Kelvin's face hardened.

"Be careful, Daniel."

Amara looked between them.

"What is going on?"

Neither answered.

Tessa looked confused.

Daniel stood.

"Nothing."

"Clearly something is going on."

Daniel grabbed his bag.

"We'll talk later."

He left the library.

Kelvin followed him a few seconds later.

Amara and Tessa were left staring at each other.

"What just happened?" Tessa whispered.

"I don't know."

But Amara knew one thing.

Kelvin had been hiding something.

That evening, she returned to her hostel alone.

She had barely sat down when her phone rang.

Unknown number.

This time, it wasn't a message.

It was a call.

Amara stared at the screen.

Then she answered.

"Hello?"

Silence.

"Hello?"

A voice finally spoke.

"Stop asking questions."

Amara froze.

"Who are you?"

"You don't understand what you're getting yourself into."

"Then tell me."

Another silence.

"Sarah didn't leave school because she wanted to."

Amara's heart dropped.

"What do you mean?"

The call ended.

Amara immediately called back.

The number was unavailable.

She sat completely still.

A few seconds later, Tessa walked into the room.

She stopped when she saw Amara's face.

"What happened?"

Amara looked at her.

"I think Sarah didn't leave voluntarily."

Tessa's expression changed.

"What?"

Amara slowly put her phone down.

"I think someone made her leave."

Neither of them spoke.

Outside, students were laughing and moving through the hostel corridors.

Everything sounded normal.

But Amara no longer felt safe.

And for the first time, she wondered if the anonymous person wasn't trying to scare her.

Maybe they were trying to protect her.