REYNA

<><><>

I GASP.

The evening air cuts sharp against my lungs as I stare at the sight before me.

I had been sitting on a bench in the city outside campus, headphones muffling the city's hum, sketchbook balanced on my lap.

My pencil traced the outline of the high-rise building across the street, its windows catching the sun's setting light.

The sketch was almost finished.

Then my sketchbook slipped and fell.

And before I could grab it, a stray dog barrelled past, so fast its paws tore straight across the open page.

Now, I lunge for my book, but before I can salvage it, the sketch rips off.

My perfect high-rise crumples beneath my fingers.

I glare after the dog, but it's already gone, its tail disappearing into the dark.

Something about the way it ran, like it was being chased, leaves a cold twist in my stomach.

I sink back onto the bench.

The plate of Gulab Jamun I made glistens beside me like tiny suns covered in syrup.

I pop one into my mouth.

But the usual sweetness tastes wrong, thick in my throat.

It pulls memories of sharing these with Varna.

Memories I don't want to touch tonight.

A sigh escapes my lips.

Varna Soni was my first real family.

She was nothing like my biological parents, who always threatened they'd dump me in an orphanage.

Those monsters.

I notice a pigeon feather at my feet, pale against the fading light.

I pick it up, slipping it into my tote.

I always take souvenirs from the places I sketch.

But this one... this one feels different, wrong.

Like a bad omen.

I start to pack my bag.

But my body goes rigid.

I glance over my shoulder, my eyes darting as I scan my surroundings.

There's a strong, tangled feeling in my stomach.

Like...

Someone or something is watching me.

~~~

A pungent shiver crawls up my spine as I head back to the dorm, taking hurried steps as cold air bites my cheeks.

The field between the city and the dorm is deserted, lined with trees that cast looming shadows upon me.

My fingers clutch my bag tighter.

I glance over my shoulder.

I am very certain. Someone is watching me.

Then-

My phone buzzes with a call.

I jump with a yelp.

Then I realize it's just him.

My nostrils flare.

Evander.

Memories of Varna immediately flood my head, momentarily replacing the sinister feeling of being stalked.

My chest tightens with anger, and my knees weaken with pain.

I don't even remember giving him my number.

Tears blur my vision.

I sniffle them away and ignore the call.

But the idiot keeps calling.

Again.

BUZZ...

And again.

Finally, I hit the answer button.

"What?!" I snarl.

"If it isn't my favorite grumpy neighbor." Evander's voice is calm, and I can hear a smile in it.

CRUNCH!

The sound comes from behind me. Like twigs snapping beneath feet.

I feel my face turn pale.

The feeling of being watched comes back, stronger this time.

My chin begins to tremble.

I clutch my bag even tighter, my knuckles turning white.

Quickening my pace, I glance back.

But there's nobody.

Still, my chest rises and falls rapidly, and I focus on getting to the dorm as fast as I can.

Facing forward, I try to strain my ears for more movement, but Evander won't stop talking.

"I'll call you back later," I say, cutting him off and ending the call without looking at my phone screen.

What I hear next sends my heart dropping into my stomach, and my stomach... into my feet.

A metallic scrape of metal on the ground.

Behind me.

Slow. Deliberate. And dragging.

Like...

A chain.

Ice slides down my spine.

Every single hair on my body stands.

With a heart thumping against my ribcage, I turn around.

~~~

A girl stands there.

Her green eyes are narrow, her face red as she glares at me.

At first, I don't recognize her.

Then memory clicks.

It's the girl from the hallway.

The reason Evander kissed me.

My stomach twists.

Ó cac.

Her eyeliner is smudged, like she'd been crying... for a long time.

Her blonde hair is matted and tangled, and she's barefoot.

With a face twisted with rage, she looks like she crawled her way out of a nightmare.

She steps closer.

I gulp and stumble back.

"You think you can take what's mine?" She growls, voice slurred, like she'd been drinking too. "You think you're special?"

I hear the metallic scrape again.

She brings the weapon out from behind her.

I gasp with wide eyes.

A heavy metal chain glints in the moonlight.

My mind snaps into survival mode.

I've seen this pattern before. She's impulsive. Volatile. Borderline psychotic.

Psychology lectures blur into my instinct.

Fight or flight. Don't freeze.

Breathe, Reyna.

Watch her hands, her stance.

Every second.

Calculate, Reyna.

Bloody breathe, Reyna!

But I see the length of the chain and realize making any sudden movements could be the end of my life.

She could whip my head off in a second.

Beads of sweat trail down my forehead.

My voice trembles.

"I... nothing's happening between Evander and me," I stammer.

She stalks closer and starts to circle me like... I'm prey.

"He's mine!" She snarls, and I jerk. "He never looked at me like that! Not after practice. Not ever!"

Her breathing is heavy, desperate... terrifying.

Her bare feet crunch the grass.

She drags the chain like she enjoys the sound.

Then she stops, less than six feet away, in front of me.

Her brows furrow as the next words come out in an anguished whisper.

"He's never even let me get close... talk more of kissing me!"

I back up.

My shoes scrape dead leaves.

My brain yells at me.

Run, Reyna, Run!

But... running could make her swing the chain.

Standing still, I try to think fast.

But before I can-

She raises the chain above her head, holding it like a garrote.

Her eyes flash in hatred and an intense stare.

"I'm going to squeeze the life out of your throat."

Then, like a raging lion-

She leaps-

EVANDER

<><><>

I'M RUNNING like the devil is chasing me with a raging chainsaw.

My chest is on fire, each panting breath carving me open from the inside, but I don't stop. I can't.

Reyna didn't hang up. She thought she did, but I heard it. The scuffle. The scrape of metal. Her muffled voice fighting to break free.

And worse... Nadine's voice.

The obsessed Nadine. The reason I kissed her in the dormitory hallway.

I should've stayed calm and thought ahead like I always do. But the second I heard Reyna's chokes, my mind broke.

I didn't think. I didn't calculate. I slammed on the live call location tracker, snapped at the 911 operator, and bolted.

Now the world is a blur of trees and shadows in the moonlight.

My feet pound dirt, my lungs burn, and sweat falls into my eyes.

Fuuuuck!

The phone in my pocket keeps rattling with the 911 operator's voice, but all I hear are Reyna's muffled cry, the scrape of metal, and Nadine's voice, venomous and raw.

Run faster, Evander! Dammit!

I crash into the clearing... And freeze.

The trees open up, the moon painting everything in cold silver rays.

My heart slams hard into my chest when I see her.

Reyna's on the floor, a heavy metal chain wrapped around her throat, her limbs writhing desperately, her fingers clawing uselessly at the links.

Her face is blotched red and swollen, veins straining against it, as her mouth jerks open then shut in desperate gasps that are more choking than breathing.

Nadine lies on top of Reyna, straddling her with wild eyes. The girl's teeth are bared like a wild wolf's fangs, and her grip on the chain is sickeningly tight.

"Nadine! Stop!" The words rip out of me, my voice cracking in a way I've never heard before.

Nadine jerks her head toward me, her matted, sweaty blonde hair flying all over her face.

When her green eyes meet mine...

A smile spreads slowly across her lips.

~~~

"You never looked at me like that!" She screams, yanking harder and causing Reyna to choke out a sound that isn't even human.

"She ruined everyth-"

Cutting her off, I lunge, reflexes sharpened by years of hockey.

Our bodies erupt into shouts, adrenaline, and chaos.

Nadine struggles against me, pulling the chain harder.

Reyna's body jerks, her eyes rolling back.

The sound of metal on flesh and Reyna's strangled gasp tear through me.

I catch a part of the chain, the cold metal slicing into my palm painfully, causing an injury. But pain doesn't matter.

Then I twist and torque, trying to rip it out of Nadine's grip.

She shrieks and uses one hand to claw at me. Her nails rake down my cheeks. She spits in my face.

"She ruined everything!" she screeches. "She's stealing what's mine! What should be mine!"

I rake my shoulder forward, make her overextend, then torque the chain the other way-bait and counter, the same move I use on ice.

Then I give it a hard twist, finally managing to wrench the chain free.

Quickly, I slam my shoulder into her.

We crash to the ground, rolling in dirt and dead leaves. Her fists flail, wild but sloppy.

Hockey taught me balance, and chess taught me focus under pressure.

I twist her wrists, pinning them above her head, my weight crushing into her.

She bucks, hisses, and spits curses, but I don't budge. My chest heaves, fury and panic colliding until my hands tremble.

"Evander!" Her voice is raw and scraping against her throat. Her eyes glisten with tears.

"Look at me! Why don't you ever fucking look at me the way you look at her?!"

Her words, her tears mean nothing. Reyna's silence behind me means everything.

I press into Nadine, every muscle inside me burning until finally-finally-her body goes slack and limp beneath me.

With a heaving chest, I shove her away, scrambling upright.

I turn-

Reyna isn't moving.

Her eyes are closed as unconscious tears run down her cheeks. Her body is limp and crumpled.

Her throat is red and jagged with chain marks.

But... she isn't moving.

~~~

"No. No, no, no-"

I'm at her side in seconds. My voice cracks as I drop to my knees.

My hands shake when I touch her cheek. It's too cold.

I slide an arm under her back, lifting her to me, her head lolling against my chest.

"Reyna. Stay with me. Please." My throat feels like it's caving in. I can't hear myself over the blood roaring in my ears.

Pulse, Evander. Quick! Check her pulse.

I press two trembling fingers to her neck.

It's... there.

Weak. Faint. But there.

Relief slams into me so hard I nearly collapse.

"You're okay. You're okay, love." The words tumble out, broken, useless.

My hoodie strings dig into my chin as I bend over her, rocking her against me. "I've got you. You're safe. I swear it."

The phone's still open. My voice shakes as I shout to the 911 operator, "She's not breathing right! Hurry, damn it! She needs help now!"

Sirens cut through the night, growing louder, a cruel reminder that help is close but not close enough.

Campus security storms the clearing, dragging Nadine away in cuffs.

But all I see is Reyna's slack face against my chest.

Paramedics rush in. I don't let go until one kneels beside us and gently pries her from my arms.

My hand refuses to release hers, even as they check her throat, their gloves pressing over the angry red marks from the chain.

One medic frowns, glances at his partner, then lowers his voice.

But I hear it.

"Her trachea and larynx took a lot of trauma. Might be damaged. If the swelling doesn't clear... she could lose her voice permanently."

The words gut me. My eyes bulge, and I feel my chin tremble.

For the first time in years, I can't calculate a way out. I can't plan for this, against this.

I just kneel here, staring at her, her lashes resting against pale cheeks, tears streaking down them, her chest barely moving with faint breaths.

My sister's lullaby plays in my head. But not sweetly. Cold and ominous.

Terror and fear fill my heart.

Terror of a future where her voice-her teasing, her sharp comebacks, the sound of her saying my name-might be gone forever.

...All because of me.