Chapter Five
Quinn
T he sky is a pale blue hue, and although the sun is visible, it’s lacking warmth. The frigid air bites at my skin as I nuzzle deeper into my winter coat, walking through campus until I stumble upon my favorite coffee shop.
I rush inside, seeking refuge from the icy air. I’ve always adored the coziness of this place, the soft lighting, and plush sofas, but most importantly, the heavenly smell of the coffee beans. I loosen my scarf and breathe in the freshly baked pastries, my mouth watering.
Jenna and Georgia wave me over to our usual table, seeming like they’re in some sort of hurry. I stride over quickly and take my seat.
“Cold brew, because you’re fucking nuts ,” Jenna says, sliding my cup in front of me.
Georgia laughs, blowing on her steaming hot cup of coffee, attempting to cool it down. “I don’t know how you drink iced when it’s this cold outside.”
“Don’t act like I’m the only one,” I retort, gesturing around the room. “Tell me you weren’t born in New England without telling me you weren’t born in New England.”
“Did you guys see the fucking syllabus?” Jenna asks.
“Yup,” I sigh, taking a long, much needed gulp of my coffee. “It’s insane.”
“I don’t know how I’m going to make it this semester,” Georgia sighs. “I just want to be done with it already.”
I laugh. “Babe, it’s literally our first day back.”
“Our first day back and I was falling asleep during the cardiac lecture.”
Jenna leans back against the seat with a devious smirk. “We gonna party it up tonight or what?”
“And I’m the one who’s nuts,” I mutter.
She rolls her eyes at me in response. “Tell me you’re boring without telling me you’re boring.”
“I’m probably going to hang out in the library for the next few hours,” I tell them. “My next class isn’t until six.”
Georgia frowns. “Yikes.”
“Drinks after class then?” Jenna asks.
“If by drinks you mean Redbull or more coffee,” I counter. “Otherwise, I think I’ll pass.”
“Same,” Georgia agrees, resting her face on her arm. “I’m already exhausted. I can’t wait to go to bed.”
“Whatever then,” Jenna snarls.
Georgia scrolls through her phone casually for a moment before gasping abruptly. “Shit. Did you guys hear about the missing girls?” she asks.
I frown, concerned.
“No,” Jenna and I reply in unison.
“Okay, so, crazy shit. A girl was reported missing about a week ago. Her family was on the news asking for any tips. Well, apparently a second girl has gone missing. Her parents reported it last night after not hearing from her for a few days. I guess none of her friends have heard from her either.”
“That’s terrifying,” Jenna gasps.
“Mhm. Both girls are from Salem and one of them goes to school here. Word has already started to spread. I’m surprised you haven’t heard.”
“Wait,” I rush out, thinking back to last night when I saw the police in front of that house. “I saw cops last night when we drove down Elm street.”
“Did you?” Jenna questions.
“Yeah. They looked really distraught and the officers seemed to be consoling them. Do we know who the girl is?”
“Juniper St. Graves.”
Jenna takes a quick sip of her coffee. “Hmm. Never heard of her.”
“She’s a sophomore here,” Georgia says, pulling up an article on her phone and showing us the photo of her. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen her around.”
“Me either,” I reply somberly. “That’s so sad. I hope they find her. The other girl, too.”
“Same. It’s so awful. You know I’m really into true crime and shit, but I hope we don’t have a serial killer in town or something. Two missing girls so close together?”
“Yeah. That is a bit bizarre,” I agree.
“I know for sure I’m never walking on campus alone. Not until we have answers at least.”
“I’m not scared,” Jenna states as she stands, brushing her hair behind her shoulder. “Be safe, babes. Don’t forget your pepper spray.”
Georgia shakes her head as we watch our friend hurry out of the coffee shop. “She’s something else.”
“Right?” I scoff, peering out the window, my eyes taking in Jenna as she passes by.
The second she leaves my view, something catches my attention almost instantly. My gaze locks in on a hooded figure. They stand across the street, almost appearing statuesque as they stare straight in our direction, with squared shoulders and bulky arms pressed firm against their sides.
At first, I don’t think anything of it. This time of day is usually busy with college students roaming around campus. Someone standing by the bus station isn’t necessarily a call for concern. Maybe they are waiting for their friends or simply trying to pass the time by while they wait for their classes to begin.
But there’s something oddly familiar about their presence and the way I feel like they’re watching… me . Even with the distance between us, and the black hoodie paired with a thick leather jacket, there’s this gut feeling that they are no stranger.
Georgia snaps her fingers at me. “Earth to Quinn?”
“Uh, yeah…” I say, my voice trailing off as I catch her eyes burning with curiosity.
“What are you staring at?”
“You see that person by the bus stop?”
She looks through the window, and with a slight nod, replies, “Yeah.”
“Doesn’t it look like he’s watching us?”
After squinting my eyes in hopes of getting a better look, I begin to suspect it’s Damien.
After a minute of the both of us staring absently at the figure, I pull out my phone and send my boyfriend a text.
Quinn: Does watching me get you off?
Damien: Always, little Quinn.
By the time I look up from my phone, he’s no longer there.
“Where did he go?” I ask.
Georgia shrugs, scrolling through social media. “Not sure. I’m going to order another coffee. Want a refill?”
“I’m okay.”
She heads toward the register at the front of the coffee shop.
When I look back to the window, my breathing hitches. The glass is fogged up in one specific spot, as if someone was just standing there. I shift in my seat, a subtle shiver traveling down my spine. If that’s the case, they had to have been peering in.
“Do you want some company in the library?” Georgia asks when she returns.
“Yes, please. I don’t know why I’m getting so spooked.”
She winches, her attention glued to the screen of her phone. “Jesus. I’m really surprised you haven’t seen any of this on social media.”
“I haven’t been on much lately,” I say. “Spare me the details. I’m already freaked out enough as it is.”
She glances up at me and sighs. “Let’s just get our minds off it. I have two hours to kill.”
“I mean, we don’t have to spend the time in the library… Power nap?”
“Fuck yeah,” she agrees.
We scoot out our chairs and exit the cafe, the icy air greeting us as we step outside. As we begin to walk past the window, I stop dead in my tracks.
A message has been left on the fogged up glass.
Hi LQ
“Oh my God,” I stammer, grabbing Georgia’s wrist.
“What?”
“Read it!”
She leans forward, closely observing each letter. “Okay?”
“Little Quinn,” I urge impatiently, hating how it’s just an inside thing between my boyfriends and I.
Georgia grins, catching me off guard with laughter. “Oh, come on,” she dismisses. “LQ could literally mean anything.”
With narrowed eyes, I focus on the message once more. My gut is screaming that this was no coincidence. Everything about this feels personal… like it was meant just for me.
“Is that even a Q? Looks like an O to me.”
“That is definitely not an O,” I press, desperately scanning our surroundings.
“Alright. Let’s say someone left this for you to find.”
I swallow. “Okay…”
“Why? What’s the point?”
“I don’t know. To scare me?”
“But, why? Who would want to scare you?” With a defeated sigh, I meet her gaze. “See?” she questions, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. “We’re okay. Anxiety sucks ass. I fucking hate it. Your brain is just playing tricks on you.”
I nod, leaning my head on her shoulder.
Tearing my gaze away from the message, I walk past the coffee shop, bus stop, and college students, hoping she’s right.
All while wondering whose hand was behind it… because it wasn’t Damien’s handwriting.
Or Jensen’s.
Not even Micah’s.
Class wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Time went by faster than I expected, and by the time I’m walking back to the sorority house it’s a little before seven thirty. Streetlamps guide my path as darkness falls.
The buildings and landmarks I encounter during the day look much different at night. There’s this peaceful calm that washes over me, the stars twinkling above me along with a gentle glow.
It’ll be a full moon before we know it.
There’s still a handful of students roaming around, and I make sure to stick to well-lit areas, especially after hearing about those missing girls earlier today. I will never forget my pepper spray moving forward.
My favorite song, “Rain” by Sleep Token, plays through my earbuds, drowning out all other sounds. It’s probably not the smartest idea considering I’m walking alone, but at the same time, Salem is my home. I still feel safe here, even amongst the hidden corridors and shadows.
Out of the blue, a general feeling of unease settles over me. It’s the same spine-chilling feeling I got last semester, right before we were pranked with the pig’s head on our doorstep. I slow my pace, removing the earbud from my left ear.
I take in a deep breath as my heart sinks into my stomach. Then I spin around quickly, eyes wide and my body completely on alert and…
Nothing is there.
Just silence.
I scan the area for any threats, my heart pounding through my ribcage. Am I losing my mind? Surely I must be losing it. Right?
My gut is screaming at me that they are there . I have the sudden urge to run as fast as I can, but I’m paralyzed, my feet bolted to the pavement.
It’s as if everything has become still. I look around at my surroundings more carefully, a growing sense of defenselessness coming over me. Nothing appears to be out of the ordinary. I watch a guy disappear behind a gate. There’s someone else across the street, but he appears to be in his own head, his gaze fixed on his phone.
I sigh, mentally scolding myself for being so paranoid.
Nobody is watching me.
Taking longer strides, my footsteps become louder against the pavement, but they’re not the only thing I hear. The sound of my rapid pulse swishes in my ears, and I can hear the uneven pattern of my breaths. The feeling of being watched returns with a vengeance.
Every instinct warns me to take off running, goosebumps prickling across my skin. Even with the icy air nipping at my face, I can feel myself sweating. The shadows surrounding me take on a life of their own, and before I can even make sense of it, I’m running down the sidewalk as fast as I can.
Until I trip on a crack in the pavement and come down hard on my knees and palms. I gasp for air, fighting through the pain while I stumble back to my feet.
That’s when I finally see a tall, dark figure looming in the distance. I begin to wonder if my mind is just playing tricks on me.
But it’s not.
This is real.
I am being watched.
They draw my attention like a magnet, an invisible force pulling me in. There’s far too much distance between us for me to make out any details, but their presence feels unfamiliar. They stand out amongst the outline of trees, and even though I’m alone and completely helpless, I don’t have a voice. I want to scream, but I can’t.
They begin to wave.
A shudder runs through me. Are they seriously waving right now? Are they trying to be funny? Are they taunting me?
I step back, trying to make sense of their friendly yet creepy gesture.
Although just as quickly as the dark silhouette appeared, they vanish into the night.
With a shaky breath, I pull out my phone.
Quinn : You guys are such pranksters
Damien : You’re so random today. But yeah… we are
I roll my eyes.
Once I get back to the sorority house I hop straight into the shower, unable to shake off the strange encounter I had this morning. I know that it’s unlikely that my mind was playing tricks on me, but I try to convince myself anyways.
Georgia was right.
Georgia was right.
Georgia was…
As I crawl into bed, I let out a deep breath, wishing for my exhaustion to return. I had no energy all day, up until about thirty minutes ago. Now, I can’t seem to get rid of the adrenaline that’s still surging through me.
Even in the darkness, something on my pillow catches my eye. A small, black piece of paper neatly folded. I reach toward my nightstand to turn on the lamp for better visibility. There’s a message in gold writing.
Knock, knock.
My blood runs ice cold.
What the hell?
What is with all these creepy gestures?
A soft tap on my window catches me off guard. I crawl out of bed and draw the curtains to the side, scanning the area cautiously. I’m unable to find any answers at first. Maybe another crow flew into my window? Was it my imagination?
Damien must be playing a trick on me. It seems like something he would do.
Searching once more, I nearly jump out of my own skin. A dark figure stands motionless in the shadows.
Before any alarm bells are set off in my head, the glow from the moon reveals a mask. I grin, rolling my eyes. Finally, I’m able to relax. It must have been him watching me on campus earlier. He’s toying with me. I wave Damien up, even though I know this is breaking the rules of the sorority. I could get in a lot of trouble.
He shakes his head.
Doing a quick glance around so nobody walking past can see me, I lift my shirt, pressing my bare chest against the cold glass. My nipples pucker immediately. My breath fogs up the window as I lean closer, watching the slight tilt of his head as he takes in the sight of my full breasts on perfect display just for him.
Even though he can’t see it, I write hi in the fogged up area.
I feel so naughty trying to get a reaction out of him. All I want is to feel his warm masculine body pressed against mine. It’s been days since he’s last been inside me. A playful idea comes to mind. I hold up a finger, gesturing for him to wait for a second before retrieving my phone from my nightstand and dialing his number.
Phone sex, it is.
Wetness pools between my thighs as I imagine his hard, thick cock slick with desire.
I’m ready to tease.
He watches me from below. This masked stalker and innocent college student roleplay drives me wild. I slip my hand in my pants and decide to give him a special show, moaning quietly as I trace my clit with my fingers.
“I was just thinking about you, princess,” Damien answers after one ring. “I can’t sleep.”
My mind draws a blank. Suddenly, I freeze, trying to comprehend how he answered the phone when both of his hands are clearly secured in his pockets.
“Your texts have been so weird all day. Are you good?”
“How are you doing that?” I wonder.
He pauses briefly. “Doing what?”
“You answered the phone without even touching it…”
There’s another pause before he responds, an edginess to his tone. “Babe, what are you talking about?”
“That’s not you, is it?” I ask, although in my head, I already know the answer.
It wasn’t him at the coffee shop.
It wasn’t him on campus.
It wasn’t him who left the note.
And it’s certainly not him who is standing below my window… watching.