Entangled

Someone is watching

CHAPTER TWO

I barely slept that night.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the paper pressed against my window.

YOU'RE NEXT, ELENA.

The words kept replaying in my head.

Who had written it?

How did they know my name?

And what exactly was I supposed to be next for?

I kept telling myself it was probably some stupid prank.

Maybe someone wanted to scare me.

Maybe it had nothing to do with Adrian.

But deep down, I knew I was lying to myself.

Because there was something else I couldn't stop thinking about.

Adrian.

Why was he there?

Why had he warned me?

And most importantly...

Why did he care?

He was supposed to hate me.

Our families had hated each other for years. At least, that was what I'd always been told.

So why would my family's enemy suddenly appear outside my bedroom window to protect me?

It didn't make sense.

Nothing about that night made sense.

By morning, I had convinced myself that I was going to forget everything that happened.

I was going to go to school.

I was going to act normal.

And I was definitely not going to tell anyone about the note.

Especially not Marcus.

I didn't even know why.

Maybe because Adrian's warning was still stuck in my head.

Don't trust him.

I shook my head as I got dressed.

"This is ridiculous," I whispered to myself.

I grabbed my bag and left my room.

For a few seconds, I stood in the hallway and stared at my bedroom door.

I almost went back.

Almost.

Then I forced myself to keep walking.

When I arrived at school, the hallway was louder than usual.

Students crowded around their lockers, laughing and talking like the world hadn't changed overnight.

Like someone hadn't just threatened me.

I kept my head down and tried to disappear into the crowd.

Then someone grabbed my arm.

I turned sharply.

"Marcus."

He looked worried.

Really worried.

"Where were you last night?"

My heart skipped.

"What do you mean?"

"I came to your house."

I stared at him.

"You did?"

He nodded.

"I called your name, but nobody answered."

My stomach tightened.

I remembered the voice from outside my room.

Elena.

But Adrian had told me it wasn't Marcus.

I forced a smile.

"I was asleep."

Marcus stared at me for a few seconds.

Then his expression changed.

"But I entered your room."

My smile disappeared.

"You... what?"

"I went inside because I thought something was wrong."

I swallowed.

"Why would you enter my room?"

"You weren't answering."

He paused.

"You weren't there."

My heart started beating faster.

I quickly searched my memory.

The window.

The note.

Adrian.

The balcony.

Everything suddenly felt connected, but I couldn't figure out how.

"I slept on the balcony chair," I said quickly.

Marcus raised an eyebrow.

"You slept on the balcony?"

"Yes."

"All night?"

I nodded.

He didn't look convinced.

"You look scared."

"I'm fine."

"You don't look fine, Elena."

Before I could answer, someone walked past us.

Adrian.

He didn't even look at me.

But as he passed, he quietly said four words.

"Don't trust your friend."

I froze.

Marcus frowned.

"What did he say?"

I slowly turned toward Adrian.

He was already disappearing into the crowd.

I wanted to call after him.

I wanted to ask him what he meant.

But Marcus was still standing beside me.

Watching me.

Waiting.

I turned back.

"I didn't hear him."

Marcus gave me a suspicious look.

For a moment, neither of us said anything.

Then he smiled.

But there was something strange about that smile.

It didn't reach his eyes.

And that was when I realized something was really wrong.

I stepped away from him.

"I have to go."

"Elena—"

But I was already walking.

I didn't know where I was going.

I only knew I needed answers.

And somehow, I knew Adrian was the only person who could give them to me.

I hurried down the hallway, checking every corner.

Nothing.

Then I saw the library.

I slowed down.

Through the glass window, I spotted him.

Adrian.

He was sitting alone in a reserved section at the back of the library.

He wasn't reading.

He wasn't using his phone.

He was just sitting there.

Waiting.

For me.

At least, that's what it looked like.

I pushed the library door open.

The room was strangely quiet.

I walked toward him.

He didn't look surprised to see me.

I pulled out the chair directly opposite him and sat down.

For several seconds, neither of us spoke.

The silence between us felt heavier than it should have.

Finally, I broke it.

"Why did you come?"

Adrian stared at me.

I frowned.

"Why did you come to my house last night?"

Nothing.

"And why did you care?"

Still nothing.

I leaned closer.

"How did you know something was going to happen?"

His eyes finally met mine.

There was something in them that I couldn't understand.

Fear?

Regret?

Or maybe he knew something I didn't.

"Adrian..."

He opened his mouth.

But before he could say a word—

RING!

The school bell echoed through the library.

I flinched.

Students began rushing through the hallway outside.

Adrian stood up.

"Wait."

He ignored me.

"Adrian, you can't just walk away!"

HeCHAPTER TWO

I barely slept that night.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the paper pressed against my window.

YOU'RE NEXT, ELENA.

The words kept replaying in my head.

Who had written it?

How did they know my name?

And what exactly was I supposed to be next for?

I kept telling myself it was probably some stupid prank.

Maybe someone wanted to scare me.

Maybe it had nothing to do with Adrian.

But deep down, I knew I was lying to myself.

Because there was something else I couldn't stop thinking about.

Adrian.

Why was he there?

Why had he warned me?

And most importantly...

Why did he care?

He was supposed to hate me.

Our families had hated each other for years. At least, that was what I'd always been told.

So why would my family's enemy suddenly appear outside my bedroom window to protect me?

It didn't make sense.

Nothing about that night made sense.

By morning, I had convinced myself that I was going to forget everything that happened.

I was going to go to school.

I was going to act normal.

And I was definitely not going to tell anyone about the note.

Especially not Marcus.

I didn't even know why.

Maybe because Adrian's warning was still stuck in my head.

Don't trust him.

I shook my head as I got dressed.

"This is ridiculous," I whispered to myself.

I grabbed my bag and left my room.

For a few seconds, I stood in the hallway and stared at my bedroom door.

I almost went back.

Almost.

Then I forced myself to keep walking.

When I arrived at school, the hallway was louder than usual.

Students crowded around their lockers, laughing and talking like the world hadn't changed overnight.

Like someone hadn't just threatened me.

I kept my head down and tried to disappear into the crowd.

Then someone grabbed my arm.

I turned sharply.

"Marcus."

He looked worried.

Really worried.

"Where were you last night?"

My heart skipped.

"What do you mean?"

"I came to your house."

I stared at him.

"You did?"

He nodded.

"I called your name, but nobody answered."

My stomach tightened.

I remembered the voice from outside my room.

Elena.

But Adrian had told me it wasn't Marcus.

I forced a smile.

"I was asleep."

Marcus stared at me for a few seconds.

Then his expression changed.

"But I entered your room."

My smile disappeared.

"You... what?"

"I went inside because I thought something was wrong."

I swallowed.

"Why would you enter my room?"

"You weren't answering."

He paused.

"You weren't there."

My heart started beating faster.

I quickly searched my memory.

The window.

The note.

Adrian.

The balcony.

Everything suddenly felt connected, but I couldn't figure out how.

"I slept on the balcony chair," I said quickly.

Marcus raised an eyebrow.

"You slept on the balcony?"

"Yes."

"All night?"

I nodded.

He didn't look convinced.

"You look scared."

"I'm fine."

"You don't look fine, Elena."

Before I could answer, someone walked past us.

Adrian.

He didn't even look at me.

But as he passed, he quietly said four words.

"Don't trust your friend."

I froze.

Marcus frowned.

"What did he say?"

I slowly turned toward Adrian.

He was already disappearing into the crowd.

I wanted to call after him.

I wanted to ask him what he meant.

But Marcus was still standing beside me.

Watching me.

Waiting.

I turned back.

"I didn't hear him."

Marcus gave me a suspicious look.

For a moment, neither of us said anything.

Then he smiled.

But there was something strange about that smile.

It didn't reach his eyes.

And that was when I realized something was really wrong.

I stepped away from him.

"I have to go."

"Elena—"

But I was already walking.

I didn't know where I was going.

I only knew I needed answers.

And somehow, I knew Adrian was the only person who could give them to me.

I hurried down the hallway, checking every corner.

Nothing.

Then I saw the library.

I slowed down.

Through the glass window, I spotted him.

Adrian.

He was sitting alone in a reserved section at the back of the library.

He wasn't reading.

He wasn't using his phone.

He was just sitting there.

Waiting.

For me.

At least, that's what it looked like.

I pushed the library door open.

The room was strangely quiet.

I walked toward him.

He didn't look surprised to see me.

I pulled out the chair directly opposite him and sat down.

For several seconds, neither of us spoke.

The silence between us felt heavier than it should have.

Finally, I broke it.

"Why did you come?"

Adrian stared at me.

I frowned.

"Why did you come to my house last night?"

Nothing.

"And why did you care?"

Still nothing.

I leaned closer.

"How did you know something was going to happen?"

His eyes finally met mine.

There was something in them that I couldn't understand.

Fear?

Regret?

Or maybe he knew something I didn't.

"Adrian..."

He opened his mouth.

But before he could say a word—

RING!

The school bell echoed through the library.

I flinched.

Students began rushing through the hallway outside.

Adrian stood up.

"Wait."

He ignored me.

"Adrian, you can't just walk away!"

He stopped for a second.

Then he looked back at me.

And smiled.

Not a happy smile.

A mysterious one.

Then he walked away, leaving me sitting there alone.

I watched him disappear through the library doors.

My questions still had no answers.

But one thing was becoming clear.

The warning wasn't over.

It had only just begun. stopped for a second.

Then he looked back at me.

And smiled.

Not a happy smile.

A mysterious one.

Then he walked away, leaving me sitting there alone.

I watched him disappear through the library doors.

My questions still had no answers.

But one thing was becoming clear.

The warning wasn't over.

It had only just begun.