23. Madelyn
MADELYN
I’m in a heated argument with troublemaker Chad, who’s trying to drag attention to himself again.
He’s insisting his pet snake, which I’m sure he doesn’t have, ate his homework, when Regina, our school secretary, walks into the classroom.
“Maddy?” she whispers, signaling me toward her.
“Chad, I’m going to have to ask you to come up with a more creative excuse while I talk to Regina.”
He scoffs, some other students laugh, and I approach Regina with curiosity.
“Yes?”
“Principal Schultz would like to speak to you. I’m going to replace you while you’re gone.”
“What is this about?”
“I can’t really say.” She gives me an apologetic look. “He’s in his office.”
I nod, not wanting to make a fuss in front of my students and rush out. My heart strumming in my throat all the way.
Why am I being called into the principal’s office this time?
Did my stalker finally go through with his empty threats? Did he hand in my dirty diary?
I try not to overthink it.
Principal Schultz is standing next to his desk, and in his place, sitting down, is a square-faced man in a dark blue uniform.
“Ms. A’gosto?” the man asks.
A freaking police officer.
I nod. “Am I in trouble?”
Stupid, stupid question.
“Not at all. I would like to exchange a few words with you. Mr. Schultz was nice enough to let us use his office.”
Principal Schultz smiles at me but his eyes expand with curiosity. He clearly has no idea why a police officer needs to speak to me.
But I do. I’ve known since yesterday.
I’ve been warned of it.
“I’ll let you two to it.” Principal Schultz leaves the room.
“Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?”
“N-no at all,” I stutter. Shit. So much for not acting suspicious. A bead of sweat runs down my back. “Could you tell me what this is about?”
“Of course. Ms. A’gosto, do you know a Lucien Spears?”
And there it is. Things escalated quickly.
News sure travels fast when it’s a twenty-something white guy who goes missing.
***
“You must be so shaken.” Hannah reassures me as I browse through lines of cute notebooks. “It’s so scary. You literally never know what will happen the next day. It makes you wanna live your life to the fullest with no regrets.”
“Yeah.” I try to act uneager, yet sensitive about it. “I’m okay. A little bit surprised, that’s all.”
I thought asking Hannah to tag along to buy stationery would be a nice opportunity for us to catch up.
I’m sure she wanted to talk about her night with blondie. The main problem is that now, she’s done bragging about how skilled blondie was in bed, and she’s moved on to the next big gossip. My date.
The missing guy. I have no idea what they found about him, but I can’t say I’m eager to know. I had enough with the surprise interrogation in the principal’s office.
“And to think you were with him just the other night!” My friend scurries next to me, picking up a cute notepad. “That could have been you.”
“Jeez, Hannah.” I wince.
“I’m sorry, that’s a horrible thing to say. I’m just—it’s so weird. I’ve never met someone who disappeared before.”
“Me neither,” I say, even though I know it’s a lie.
The person who disappeared from my life didn’t die. My father, and my first disappointment in men, walked away willingly when I was a kid. Couldn’t handle taking care of Mom and me.
I’m pretty sure he’s the reason I’m attracted to dysfunctional men now. Walking red flags who do nothing other than hurt me. He fucked me up.
“And the police questioned you at school. God, I would have freaked out.”
“I—yeah, I did not expect that to happen there. I just…I hope he’s found and he’s okay.” It’s the least I can say, despite knowing the truth about the poor guy’s fate.
Well, I don’t exactly know. I’m aware that most chances are he didn’t make it, though.
I snatch a few colorful notebooks and move onto the next aisle before Hannah goes all true crime on me again. “I’ll be right back.”
“Okay,” Hannah calls out.
I traipse through the aisles until I reach the one I’m looking for. Electronics.
More specifically, security equipment. Cameras.
That’s right. This girl has a plan.
The security cameras at school gave me the perfect idea. I can’t exactly hack those to get the footage, but if my stalker is always watching me…He might very well visit me at my apartment. I know he knows where I live. He’s left me a gift at my door before.
So, I’m installing my own camera and catching this villain in the act. That’s why I need a new notebook too, aka, a new so-called diary.
If he really is watching my every move, most chances are he’ll know, but that doesn’t mean he won’t accept the challenge. Not when the offer will be this tempting.
I’m going to write up a new fantasy and ask him to act on it. And I’ll be ready to record his every move.
Tomorrow, he’ll be lucky not to be on the news.
What I know is I’m getting rid of this bastard, even if I need to do a little self-sacrifice.
He wants me, so he should come and get me. Or should I say, get me to come.
I laugh at my play of words and pick out the smallest and cheapest camera that comes with Bluetooth and an app.
After we’re done with our shopping, Hannah and I grab a quick dinner together at a nearby restaurant and part ways. She’s taking a bus while I’m walking, the perks of having a central apartment.
I’d ask Kayden for a ride, but he’s been MIA since lunchtime. Called off sick with a stomach bug or something.
I should probably grab some medicine from the pharmacy for him on the way home.
He was nice to me after my hangover. I could return the favor.
“You sure you’ll be okay, getting back home alone?”
“I’ll be fine,” I reassure Hannah when I leave her at the bus station. “I’ve got enough notebooks and pens to make a dent if someone tries anything on me.”
***
“Kayden? I’m home.”
I take off my shoes and walk inside, but it’s silent.
“Kayden, are you here?”
I leave the bags with what I bought on the floor and do something I never do. I spy on Kayden’s room, tilting the door open with ease. It’s empty.
He isn’t home.
And he’s lied to school to skip work. God knows why.
The thought of Kayden not being here leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. Being alone means being an open field for my stalker. But it also opens another possibility…
What if he…my hub—stalker got Kayden, too? What if he did something to him?
My stomach turns with the thought.
Nope. I’m not going there.
He was at school today.
He willingly chose to leave. He has to have another reason.
Maybe he’s avoiding me. Regretting what we did the other night. After all, why would he be any different than the other guys who passed on me?
Where are you? I shoot him a quick text, and immediately wish I could unsend it.
Kayden’s not a little boy. He can take care of himself. Why am I doing this?
I stare at the phone for a couple of minutes to no avail. Leaving the medicine I got for him on the kitchen counter, I head to my room to arrange my shopping.
Taking a shower and getting ready for bed proves to be the right thing to do.
Let Kayden be Kayden.
It’s nine o’clock by the time I’m done with everything, ready to lay my body to rest.
But first things first.
I tear the packaging off the camera and prepare for the events about to unravel tonight.
I set it in front of my bed, on my bookcase, between a few books, not to make it too obvious.
It’s small enough that in the darkness of my room, it can hide in plain sight.
The app that connects to it is easy enough to install, and with one simple click, it’s done. Camera activated, and I see my bed on my phone screen.
A smile creeps up my lips. Tonight is the last day I’m being bullied and blackmailed by him.
I’m going to catch him and be free.
Once I have evidence, the police won’t be able to say they can’t do anything about it.
Once there’s proof, things are different.
Now, step two. I pick up a pen from my desk, and open one of the new notebooks that’ll perform as my new diary.
I make sure to scratch on the front, Maddy’s new diary. Keep out, or there’ll be consequences.
With a title like that, the bastard won’t be able to resist.
On the first page, I write down the dirtiest, darkest, and most explicit fantasy I came up with, just for him.
A little somno play I always wanted to try.
The possibility of it happening turns me on. If he goes along with it, it would be a win-win.
I’m not opposed to an orgasm.
I close the diary with the pen stuck between the pages I want him to see, and leave it on the desk.
He’ll take the bait. And tomorrow I’ll celebrate.
I throw myself into bed, ready to get a good night’s sleep, knowing justice will be served soon.
After thirty minutes of tossing and turning, I give up. I’m too energized and fueled by my plan about to come to fruition that I can’t seem to relax. Waiting for the moment things happen, to catch my stalker red-handed.
Besides…my fantasy isn’t fake. I’m sick for even coming up with it, for wanting it—but I’m giving into my deepest desires with it.
Kayden letting me ride his thigh was great, but it wasn’t nearly enough. I need more to satiate my thirst.
Maybe it’s the stress of the situation and everything. But I’m suddenly overpowered with need.
My whole body’s ignited.
I should try to sleep, keep lying in bed, and surrender until I doze off.
Instead, I find myself reaching into the drawer of my nightstand for my Kindle.
Maybe reading will soothe me, satisfy my hunger with words and lull me to sleep.
Nope. Even reading about a girl being double penetrated by two masked former hockey players in the woods won’t cut it for me tonight. It only gets me more in the mood. I’m fully awake.
There’s one way I know to get rid of all this tension and energy. The easiest way, really.
The way my body wants me to.
The tingling sensation between my legs is asking for it.
But my fucking vibrator is out of battery.
I huff as I push it deep into my drawer, along with my Kindle, which is surprisingly at ninety percent, despite not having charged it in weeks.
“Dammit.”
What does a girl need to do to get some kind of relief?