The shadows within us

A new plan

Crystal

The rest of the day goes on like a blur. I try really hard to not make it obvious that someone is following my every movement. I felt his eyes on me all the time. I'm beginning to think the person who is always in the shadows looking within me is one of the students at this university.

Hazel and I walk back to the dorm room. When we open the door while laughing at an i********: post. We both pause when we see something on my bed, my heart rate picks up again. And I touch my tattoo for solace I cannot find.

The box is wrapped in a red cover with a huge bow on it. On the side there are tulip flowers with a note. I walk closer picking up the not

‘I WILL SEE YOU SOON SPOUSE

FOR NOW STOP DIGGING INTO THINGS THAT DON'T CONCERN YOU’

My hand shakes as I drop the note. Hazel stands beside me reading the note and the tense atmosphere.

“Who do you think sent these?”

She asks, but I don't hear her .All I hear is my loud and heavy heartbeat and the words coming out of a deep, cold and unforgiving voice he spoke with when he followed me to the office last night .

I should stop digging into stuff that does not concern me. He means my sister's disappearance. So he does have something to do with it, I should find out who this man is even if it means risking my life and getting killed as long as I die for my sister it's fine with me

He will not command me around and tell me what and what not to do, he doesn't own me.

“Charlie”

Hazel touches my shoulders, shaking me . That's when I noticed that I shut her out and zoned out.

“I'm okay. It probably means nothing, so throw these away.” I shrug moving toward the bathroom to blow off some steam.

“What? Noo these are chocolates and fine flowers Charlie we cannot throw them away.”

“If you don't throw them I swear to God Hazel. I will deal with you once I leave the bathroom so do as I say and throw the goddamn things away.”

She stares at me bewildered. I didn't want to shout at her. I'm just scared right now. All I want is to find my sister and leave Alabama and it's secrets.

I take a quick shower and dress in my black hoodie with sweatpants, I don't care about his warnings or my professor's. I will go look for my sister and maybe I will get close to discovering the truth about her disappearance soon.

My phone beeps with a message from an unknown number.

‘If you want to find your sister so bad. Ask your criminology professor he knows everything about her disappearance.’

My breathing halts for a moment with my hands beginning to shake. He said he doesn't know anything about her disappearance and he will look into it. I shouldn't believe this person but a part of me does, I will just try to play with fire just to find her. I can burn in hell for her so I will have to get close to Damian to find out more about my sister.

“Does the school provide professor's numbers? for school work of course”

I ask Hazel who is typing away on her phone. She doesn't look up at me. The box and flowers that were sent are in the trash which means she got angry that I shouted at her and she threw them away.

“I don't know, they are stored away in the office , I doubt they give them to learners considering some vant the professor's.”

“It's ‘want’ not ‘vant’ my Russian friend.”

She doesn't smile, just continues typing on her phone.

“I'm sorry I shouted at you about the presents, I was just paranoid and scared you know what if they are poisoned and you decide to eat them so I'm deeply sorry druzya”

My Russian is not good at all but I learnt a few words from her whenever she's on the phone talking to her friends or me . She smiles sitting cross legged on the bed.

“I forgive you, but don't do it again. Which professor's numbers do you vant I mean want?”

I bite my bottom lip contemplating if I should tell her or trust her about all of this so I say what pops on my mind.

“Voss, I have a few questions regarding the work he gave us today.”

“He did not give us any work today or I'm stupid and I missed it.”

“Yeah you were busy gossiping instead of paying attention in class, where can I find this number.”

“Let me search for it from my sources. One of them might have it.”

She opens her phone again, typing really fast to someone I don't even know but her sources might be one of the students who wants to sleep with Damian . I don't blame them, he is hot, not to even mention that I will use that to my advantage. I just hope my current plan works. This is the only way I can find my sister.

“Well I found it. Check your messages I sent there. You owe me for this so you are doing the work for the both of us.”

“That was quick, where did you get it?” I raise a brow at her

“My sources so now go away. I have to talk to my third man.”

I laugh while walking to my bed. When imI get comfortable I message my professor.

"Crystal Hart on text sir have you found any information on my sister. "

He reads it at the same time but doesn't answer. I wait and wait and wait till my eyes become heavy, sleep attempting to pull me in its clutches until my phone buzzes with a message from him.

"Yes, we can discuss it tomorrow morning. Come to my class early before anyone arrives."

A smile battles its way through me. I am only doing this for Evelyn . Once I find her we are leaving this place and never coming back. I tell myself.