AirDrop
1518 Words
Chapter 2
Caius stared at his phone screen, his pulse hammering in his ears. The Airdrop request was still there, waiting for him to accept or decline. His fingers hovered over the screen, hesitating. He swallowed hard.
Who the hell is this sh*t?
His gut told him to reject it, but curiosity gnawed at him. His thumb moved on its own, tapping "Accept."
A video file appeared in his gallery. No title. Just a timestamp—last night.
He glanced around the library, making sure no one was watching. Taking a deep breath, he plugged in his earphones and pressed play.
Static. Then, a distorted voice. Low, almost mechanical. "I see you."
The screen flickered, then cleared. The footage was dark and shaky, like it had been filmed from a hidden corner. Caius felt his stomach turn as he recognized the setting—the party. His own blurred figure came into view, sitting on a couch, head tilted as if he was listening to someone.
A chill ran down his spine. He didn’t remember this moment.
Then, the camera shifted. Someone sat beside him—a shadowy figure, their face just out of frame. Their hand reached out, brushing against his shoulder.
Caius’s breath hitched. His body tensed as he watched himself lean in slightly, as if responding to the touch.
The screen glitched. The video cut off.
His phone vibrated.
Unknown Number: Do you remember now?
A cold shiver crawled down his spine. He gripped his phone tightly, fingers trembling. His heart pounded so loudly he could barely hear anything else. He forced himself to breathe, his mind racing.
Who took this video? Why don’t I remember this happening?
He glanced up. The library was as silent as before, students buried in their books and notes, completely unaware of the chaos unfolding in his mind.
Caius quickly gathered his things, stuffing his laptop and notebooks into his bag. He needed to get out of here. Somewhere he could think. Somewhere he wouldn’t feel so exposed.
As he stepped out of the library, his phone vibrated again. Another message.
Unknown Number: You look better when you don’t know what’s coming.
Caius’s breath came in short, shallow gasps. His fingers hovered over the screen, debating whether to reply. He wanted answers—but did he really want to engage with whoever this was?
His feet carried him across campus, the noise of students chattering barely registering in his ears. He needed to see Lance. Maybe he could help him figure this out.
But as he reached for his phone to call him, another Airdrop request popped up. This time, it was a series of images.
He hesitated before accepting. A set of photos loaded onto his screen, and his stomach twisted in knots.
They were all of him.
One was him at the party, laughing with a drink in hand. Another was him sitting on a couch, looking dazed. The third one—his breath hitched.
It was him, asleep. In bed.
He was lying on his side, the dim glow of a lamp casting a soft light on his face. Someone had taken this photo while he was unconscious.
His fingers trembled as he scrolled. Another photo. The same angle, but closer. Whoever took this had been right next to him.
His knees almost buckled beneath him. His head darted around frantically, scanning the campus grounds.
Is someone watching me right now?
Panic surged through him. He didn’t know what to do.
Unknown Number: You look so peaceful when you sleep.
Caius’s stomach lurched. He turned on his heel, quickening his pace toward the dormitories. He needed to lock himself inside his room. Think. Breathe. Regain control.
But as he entered his dorm building, his phone vibrated again.
Unknown Number: Running won’t help.
His breath was uneven as he reached his room, fumbling with his keys before finally locking himself inside. He leaned against the door, trying to steady himself. His phone buzzed again. Another video file.
His hands shook as he opened it.
The footage was grainy, filmed from a low angle. Caius felt his blood run cold as he saw himself—lying in bed, moving under the sheets. His own face twisted in pleasure, unaware of the camera capturing his most vulnerable moment.
He gasped, slamming his phone down as bile rose in his throat. His entire body trembled.
Unknown Number: You looked so good last night.
His vision blurred as his breathing grew uneven. This wasn’t just about the party anymore. A deeper fear gnawed at his chest, something that had been buried for so long—something he had never wanted anyone to see.
No one was supposed to know.
His mind raced. How did they get this video? His laptop was always locked, his phone password protected. There was no way someone could’ve accessed it—unless they had been inside his room.
A suffocating sense of paranoia crept over him. He scanned his dorm, eyes darting to the corners, the vents, the closet. Was there a hidden camera? Had someone installed spyware on his devices? The thought made his skin crawl.
His phone vibrated again, another message flashing across the screen.
Unknown Number: You can’t hide from me, Caius. I know everything about you.
His pulse spiked. He dropped the phone onto his bed as if it had burned him.
What do they want? Money? Power over me? The thought of someone out there, holding his most intimate secret, sent waves of dread through his body.
Caius sat on the edge of his bed, gripping his hair, trying to think. He needed help. But who could he trust? His parents would freak out, the school wouldn’t care, and Lance—could Lance even handle something like this?
He had to act fast. But first, he needed to figure out how deep this went.
His phone buzzed one last time.
Unknown Number: If you want this to stop… obey me.
Caius squeezed his eyes shut. His entire world was unraveling, and he had no idea how to escape.
Then, a knock at his door.
His breath hitched. His body froze, every muscle tense.
Another knock. Louder this time.
“Caius?”
It was Lance.
Caius hesitated before standing up. His legs felt weak as he made his way to the door. With shaky hands, he unlocked it and pulled it open.
Lance stood there, concern written all over his face. “Dude, what’s going on? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
Caius opened his mouth to speak, but his voice caught in his throat. He wasn’t sure what to say. Did he tell Lance everything? Could he trust him?
Then, his phone buzzed again.
Unknown Number: Careful who you trust.
Caius hesitated before stepping aside to let Lance in. His hands were clammy, his mind still reeling from the messages. Lance’s eyes swept over him, concern evident on his face.
“Dude, are you okay? You look pale as hell,” Lance said, stepping inside and closing the door behind him.
Caius swallowed hard. Should he tell him? Could he even put into words what was happening?
“I—I don’t know, man,” he muttered, rubbing his temples. “Something feels… off.”
Lance sat on the edge of Caius’s bed, watching him carefully. “What happened?”
Caius opened his mouth, but no words came. His phone was still on the bed, the screen dark but charged with an undeniable presence. He thought about showing Lance the messages, the video—
Unknown Number: Careful who you trust.
The words echoed in his head. His grip tightened around his phone.
“I just…” Caius took a deep breath. “I feel like someone’s watching me.”
Lance frowned, sitting forward. “Like… how?”
Caius hesitated again. “I got these weird messages,” he said vaguely, avoiding eye contact. “And some photos from the party I don’t remember taking.”
Lance scoffed. “Man, that’s normal. People take random pics all the time. You were a little out of it, maybe someone just sent them to mess with you.”
Caius wanted to believe that. But the pit in his stomach refused to settle.
His phone vibrated. His heart leapt into his throat.
Slowly, he turned it over. A new message.
Unknown Number: I see you.
His breath hitched.
Lance noticed the way Caius stiffened. “What is it?”
Caius stared at the message, his fingers cold against the phone’s surface. Then, as if on instinct, he shut the screen off and forced a chuckle. “Nothing. Just my mom reminding me about something.”
Lance raised a brow. “You sure? You look like you just saw a ghost.”
Caius nodded quickly, forcing himself to smile. “Yeah, just… tired.”
Lance studied him for a moment before sighing. “Alright, man. But if something’s up, you can talk to me, okay?”
Caius forced another nod. “Yeah. Thanks.”
But deep down, he knew—
He was on his own.
- Writer
