Mafia In Love (Book#1) In The Mafia Love Series

Chapter Sixteen: Serial Stalker

Rye's Pov

Monday! The worst day of my life.

I discussed a plan with Paul to woo Safra. It was more a proposal than a date, even if I couldn't get my happy ever after, Safy and Paul deserve theirs.

As I walked the hallway towards my locker, I searched for Hardin. No luck there. I screamed as I opened my locker, fear and rage washed over me. My face had been crossed off on my favorite photo of myself and it had a warning. It read:

You're dead! In red, you might think it was blood. Was it?

"What's wrong Rye?" Safra and Paul appeared in front of me. I was awestruck, my mouth was sealed. "Rye!" she exclaimed vigorously shaking me to life.

"What!" I yelled. "What is it?"

"You look like you've seen a ghost. What's in your hand?" she collected the photo from me.

"Who did this Rye?" Paul asked rage surging through him.

"I... I don't know. I came here and...and saw it...it." I choked out. I wasn't really scared about this kind of things, they happened all the time. But somehow I felt really cautious and scared about this one.

"It's alright, come here." Safra pulled me into a bear hug.

"I'm scared; I have a bad feeling about this." I sobbed into her sweater.

"It's okay Rye, we'll solve this." I was at a loss for words. Who would do this to me? I don't have any enemies, my dad did, but what is this? "Let's get to class first." Safra said, how could I go to class like this. I was petrified.

"O...kay." I choked. It's worth a try.

We had English first. I really hoped our teacher wouldn't give me a hard time, cause my mind wasn't in the right place.

I took my seat next to Hardin. Normally I would happy to seat with him, but today I felt something strange for him. It was fear, I had a bad feeling near him. I tried to push it down to the deepest part of my heart.

He didn't say anything to me during the class. It felt like we were complete strangers. My mind was in a jumble, I had a lot of question for it but it seemed like it didn't have any answers.

"Miss Vander Waal?" I heard my name, I didn't know where it was coming from. "Miss Vander Waal?" Teacher.

"Yes ma'am." I stuttered.

"Are you alright?" I noticed I felt cold, I don't think blood was flowing in me anymore. This was the time for everyone in class to start laughing because of my absentmindedness, but I looked way too 'dead' for anyone to be that inconsiderate.

"No, I'm...not fine. Excuse me." I ran out of the class and took a cab home. Off all the times for the car to be unavailable.

My mum and dad weren't at home so I had enough alone time. As I shut my door and laid on my bed, I looked at my door. It read:

It's over for you, Rye Vander Waal! But this time there was a name, the monkeys.

The monkeys? I had never heard of them before. How did they know my house? How do they know me? And what have I ever done to them? Many more questions were running to my head but these were the most important ones. I called Safra and Paul, being alone was the worst option right now.

"We're on our way." They both said. I could hear them both packing quickly before the line cut.

In 20 minutes they arrived at my house, I rushed to usher them in.

"My God, Rye. You look terrible, calm down would you?"

"Yes Rye, your bro is here for you."

"Oh yeah, come take a look at this." I rushed upstairs, I took 3 steps each. For the first time I wondered why we had so many stairs in our house. I showed them the writing and they both gasped.

"Who are the monkeys and why and how do they know you?" It was obvious wasn't it. I didn't know either!

"We have to tell dad; he might know who these people are."

"That's right Rye, you have to tell your dad. It's the only choice you have."

"Alright, but please I want to leave here." I was afraid, not my usual feeling. "Let's go out."

"K." Safra said. We left for Juniors, our favorite coffee shop. We ordered our usual, I had mocha, Safra ordered a latte and Paul ordered a coffee with lots of sugar. The coffee helped bring me back to consciousness, then I realized Hardin hadn't called nor texted me. I knew I shouldn't have let our...... 'whatever it was' escalate.

Now I regret it!

Just then I received a message from him.

Didn't catch you at lunch.

Hardin

You alright?

Hardin

Didn't feel like it. You talk like you didn't see me in class.

Seen

Sorry, you looked like you didn't want to talk about it.

Hardin

Doesn't matter, I've got to go now.

Seen

Hope to see you tomorrow.

Hardin

Yeah sure

Seen

I really didn't feel like talking to him. I hoped he understood, my life was such a mess right now and judging by the way I felt about him, I can't let him see me in this state. It felt like the most natural thing to do.

"Hey dad." I picked on the second ring.

"Come home now, young lady." He yelled into the phone.

"But dad..."

"I said home, now!" the line went dead.

"Would you guys quit making googly eyes at each other, dad said we should be home now." I said irritated by their cheesiness.

"I'll drop you off, Safra." Paul said.

"That'd be great. Thank you." We all left in the car stopping at Safra's first.

"Rye just have a good rest today and explain to your dad. Maybe he can let you stay home with some guards." She said hugging me through the window of the car.

"Thanks." I said lamely.

"Good night Paul." She kissed him on the cheek and he blushed. Disgusting, but adorable. She disappeared into her house.