Chapter 2:The Warning
1728 Words
I stared at the message on my phone.
For several seconds, I couldn't move.
Stay away from Hardin Joshua.
My heart began beating faster.
I read the message again, hoping I had somehow misunderstood it.
I hadn't.
Someone had sent me a warning.
About Hardin.
But who?
And how did they even know I had spoken to him?
“Rose?”
Kate's voice pulled me out of my thoughts.
I quickly locked my phone.
“Yeah?”
She studied my face.
“You look pale.”
“I'm fine.”
“You don't look fine.”
I forced a smile.
“I'm just tired.”
Kate didn't seem convinced.
“Are you sure?”
I nodded.
“Positive.”
She sighed.
“Okay. But if something is bothering you, tell me.”
“I will.”
I hoped she wouldn't ask again.
There was something about Kate that made me want to trust her, but I had known her for barely two days. Telling her that a stranger had just warned me to stay away from Hardin didn't feel like the smartest thing to do.
We left the classroom together.
The hallway was quieter than usual.
Most of the students had already gone, leaving only the sound of our footsteps against the polished floor.
As we approached the staircase, Kate suddenly stopped.
I almost bumped into her.
“What is it?”
She stared toward the end of the hallway.
I followed her gaze.
Hardin was standing near the exit.
Derick was beside him.
I recognized Derick from yesterday. He was the tall boy who had been with Hardin outside the university gates.
They were having a serious conversation.
Hardin looked nothing like the quiet student who had sat at the back of our classroom.
His shoulders were straight.
His expression was serious.
And there was something commanding about the way he spoke.
I couldn't hear them from where we stood, but whatever they were discussing seemed important.
Derick suddenly glanced in our direction.
He said something to Hardin.
Hardin looked up.
Our eyes met.
For a moment, neither of us moved.
I remembered his warning from yesterday.
You should be careful.
I quickly looked away.
“Come on,” Kate whispered.
She gently pulled my arm.
We continued toward the stairs.
I couldn't stop myself from looking back.
Hardin was still watching me.
---
Outside the university gates, Kate stopped beside a black car.
“This is mine.”
I looked at her.
“You're going home?”
“Eventually.”
I laughed.
“Eventually?”
She smiled.
“I have somewhere to go first.”
“Where?”
“Home.”
I laughed again.
“That's the same thing.”
“Not exactly.”
Before I could question her, she opened the passenger door.
“Get in.”
I stared at her.
“Are you sure?”
“Of course. I'll wait with you until your father arrives.”
I smiled.
“Okay.”
We walked toward the parking area.
Then I noticed three familiar faces near the gate.
Violet.
Tina.
Sophia.
They were standing together.
And all three were looking at me.
Violet's eyes were fixed on me.
I tried to ignore them.
“Don't mind them,” Kate said.
“I wasn't.”
“You were.”
I sighed.
“Why does Violet dislike me?”
Kate's expression became serious.
“She doesn't dislike you.”
“Then what?”
“She thinks you're competition.”
I almost laughed.
“Competition for what?”
Kate stared at me.
“Hardin.”
I shook my head.
“I barely know him.”
“That doesn't matter to Violet.”
I was about to respond when my phone vibrated again.
My stomach dropped.
I looked at the screen.
Another message from the unknown number.
I warned you.
The smile disappeared from my face.
Kate noticed immediately.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
She reached for my hand.
“Rose.”
I looked at her.
“Tell me.”
I hesitated before unlocking my phone and showing her the message.
Kate read it.
Her expression changed.
“Someone sent you this yesterday too?”
I nodded.
“And they mentioned Hardin?”
“Yes.”
She looked toward the university building.
“Did you tell Hardin?”
“No.”
“Good.”
I frowned.
“Why?”
Kate lowered her voice.
“Because you don't know what you're dealing with.”
A chill ran through me.
“What does that mean?”
Before she could answer, a voice came from behind us.
“Kate.”
We both turned.
Hardin was walking toward us.
Derick followed a few steps behind.
Kate immediately put her phone away.
“Hardin.”
His eyes moved from Kate to me.
Then to the phone in my hand.
“What's wrong?”
“Nothing,” I replied.
His eyes narrowed.
“You're lying.”
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
I crossed my arms.
“Why do you care?”
Silence fell between us.
Even Derick looked uncomfortable.
Hardin took a step closer.
“Because I told you to stay away from Violet.”
“And I asked you why.”
“You don't need to know.”
“That isn't an answer.”
His jaw tightened.
“You don't understand.”
“Then explain it to me.”
For a moment, he said nothing.
I expected him to finally tell me the truth.
Instead, he looked away.
“Just trust me.”
I laughed softly.
“You're asking me to trust someone who refuses to tell me anything?”
His eyes returned to mine.
“You shouldn't trust me.”
His words caught me off guard.
Before I could respond, Kate stepped between us.
“Enough.”
Hardin looked at her.
“Take Rose home.”
Kate nodded.
I wanted to ask more questions, but something in Hardin's expression stopped me.
He wasn't angry.
He looked worried.
And somehow, that frightened me more.
---
The next morning, I arrived at school earlier than usual.
I wanted to forget everything that had happened.
The messages.
Hardin.
Violet.
Kate's strange reaction.
Unfortunately, the moment I stepped into the classroom, I knew that wasn't going to happen.
Violet was sitting on my desk.
Tina and Sophia stood beside her.
I stopped.
“Can you move?”
Violet smiled.
“You're the new girl.”
“I know.”
“I've been meaning to talk to you.”
“About?”
She slowly stood.
“Hardin.”
I sighed.
“I don't know what you're talking about.”
“Don't lie to me.”
“I'm not.”
She stepped closer.
“You think because Hardin spoke to you twice, you're special?”
“He told me to stay away from you.”
The words left my mouth before I could stop them.
Violet's smile disappeared.
“He told you to stay away from me?”
I nodded reluctantly.
She stared at me for a moment.
Then she laughed.
“That makes things interesting.”
“What does that mean?”
She leaned closer.
“It means you should be very careful, Rose.”
Tina smiled.
“Violet doesn't like sharing.”
Sophia laughed.
I looked at all three of them.
“I have no interest in Hardin.”
“Good,” Violet said.
She stepped aside.
“Then proving it shouldn't be difficult.”
I walked past them.
But as I reached the door, Violet called after me.
“Rose.”
I stopped.
“You should learn something quickly.”
I turned around.
“What?”
Her smile was cold.
“Everyone who gets close to Hardin eventually gets hurt.”
I stared at her.
Then I walked away.
I didn't notice the person standing at the end of the hallway.
Hardin had heard every word.
And judging by his expression, he wasn't happy.
---
The school day passed slowly.
I tried to concentrate during my classes, but my mind kept returning to the messages.
Someone was watching me.
I was certain of it.
By afternoon, I was sitting in the library with Kate.
She was reading while I worked on an assignment.
“Rose?”
I looked up.
“Yes?”
“Do you trust me?”
The question surprised me.
“Yes.”
She smiled faintly.
“Good.”
“Why?”
She closed her book.
“Because I need to tell you something.”
I closed my notebook.
“What?”
Kate looked around the library.
She seemed nervous.
“There is a reason Hardin is different from everyone else here.”
I waited.
“He isn't just the owner's son.”
My heart skipped.
“What do you mean?”
Kate lowered her voice.
“Hardin's family is—”
The library doors suddenly opened.
We both looked up.
Hardin walked inside.
His eyes immediately found us.
Kate closed her book.
Hardin approached our table.
“Rose, I need to talk to you.”
I frowned.
“About what?”
“Come with me.”
I looked at Kate.
She gave me a worried expression.
I slowly stood.
Hardin led me toward the quiet corridor outside the library.
Once we were alone, he turned toward me.
“You need to stop asking questions.”
“Why?”
“Because the answers aren't safe.”
I stared at him.
“What are you hiding?”
His expression changed.
For the first time, I saw something in his eyes that looked almost like fear.
Before he could answer, his phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
His entire expression changed.
He answered immediately.
“What happened?”
There was a pause.
His jaw tightened.
“Where?”
Another pause.
“I'm coming.”
He ended the call.
“I have to go.”
“Hardin—”
He walked away.
I stood there, completely confused.
Then something caught my attention.
A small black card was lying on the floor where he had been standing.
I bent down and picked it up.
There was a strange symbol printed on the front.
I turned it over.
My breath caught.
Three words were written across the back.
HE KNOWS ABOUT ROSE.
I stared at the words.
My fingers tightened around the card.
Who was he?
And why did he know my name?
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