~*slight trigger warning*~
Everything was a blur from that point on. As hard as I tried to forget what happened, I couldn't. The vivid image of the Man in the black hoodie sent shivers down my spine. Is it possible I could have hallucinated the whole thing? I mean maybe it was part of my hangover. Yeah, that's it. It was just my brain playing a joke on me. Why would some guy follow me from my dorm room and around campus?
"Hayden, what is wrong with you?" Heather whispered to me from the desk next to me.
"Long, crazy, confusing story I don't want to explain to you right now," I whispered back.
"Ladies eyes on your own test," Mr. Lang, the history teacher instructed, "You get this one warning,"
"Sorry Lang," We said at the same time returning to our test. Thank the lord Mr. Lang interrupted that convo, I was not in the mood to tell Heather what was happening in my head. I love heather. She's honestly a great friend, and the best roommate I could ever ask for. But she was the least trustworthy person on campus.
The Bell rings throwing me off topic. I look down at my page and my heart sinks. It was half way filled out.
"Mother fu..."
"Excuse you Ms. Hayden I will collect your test now," My teacher cleared his throat walking towards me. Looking down in shame I handed it to him, and ran my fingers through my hair. I picked up my backpack and exited the class where Heather was waiting for me, her arms crossed, her eyebrows furrowed.
"What's wrong with you?"
"Leave me alone for a while,"
"Hayden seriously, tell me what happened!"
"Look I have next period off. Just please don't talk to me. I need to be alone," I rolled my eyes.
"Whatever. Text me when you're ready to talk," she walked away, her heels clanking down the hallway. She was so stubborn sometimes it actually pissed me off.
Walking back to my dorm I had my phone next to my ear the whole time to avoided conversation from any other students. My history class was in building three, a substantially long distance from the dorms. The fog hadn't quite lifted yet, but it was comforting.
Opening the door to my dorm room, I sat all of my stuff on the ground and collapsed onto my bed. The room was spinning around me as I took deep breaths. Maybe I was just exhausted. I had no good reason to be acting this way. I rolled over in my bed and put my hands under my pillow, pushing it up against my face for extra support, when I felt something.
Pulling out the object from under my pillow, a small gasp escaped my mouth causing me to drop the picture right to the floor and tuck my knees into my chest.
"No, no, no, this isn't happening," my breath was hitching as I rocked on my bed, brushing my dirty blond hair out of my face. I was hyperventilating. I had moved past this. This was my past....I got out.
After attempting to calm down for a good chunk of time I decided to pick up the picture again. Biting my lip I stared at the picture of the light haired little boy, his blue eyes piercing my soul. His smile was just heart melting. Tears were brimming my eyes as fond memories of my younger brother filled my mind. Him laughing and playing. But there were more than just fond memories. Memories of him crying, screaming, bleeding, and begging for my help. Our father, screaming in a drunken rage, his knuckles bloody and swollen.
I stood up rubbing my eyes, cutting off the stream of tears that were spilling down the front of my face. How could someone know... how could someone do this. Why would someone do this? I made sure to be so careful in not to know anyone know about my past. I was so careful hiding from my past, running from the people in my past. How is this possible?
Placing the picture against my heart and taking a deep breath, I realized that there was writing on the back of the photo. It was written in red ink, just adding to the spooky illusion. I sat back down taking a slow deep breath, and read the note.
Hayden, it's been awhile.
Don't think I forgot what happened.
Don't think that any of us forgot what happened. We all remember and we are coming for you sweetheart.
I know that you thought you got out. That you escaped but bad news, you didn't. We have actually been watching you for a while. We know everything about you darling. Who your friends are, where you live, what you like.
And just because you can't see us doesn't mean that we aren't there.
We are coming and we are pissed.
~Love Daddy
A scream escaped my mouth. This could not actually be happening. This....this was a joke. This has to be...Brady. Or Matthew. Maybe I told them something last night while we were drunk and now they are playing a prank... Yeah that's it.
Suddenly wave of dizziness washed over me as I fell onto my bed. My vision became blurry as black was brimming everything. I can't pinpoint when I completely fell asleep, but I can guarantee you I was out for a while.
~*~
I drifted in and out of sleep, a strange calmness overwhelming me. It was unreal how relaxed I truly was. If I didn't know any better, I swear I could've been on a cloud.
It was until I opened my eyes to see a...a person standing over me. I stress the word person because I'm not a hundred percent positive that's what it was. I'm pretty sure it was the same man wearing the same black hoodie that was following me this morning, and this horrible...blue face. Or mask. I don't fully know. And these...black eyes that soullessly stared at me.
I couldn't move. Maybe I was pinned down by this mysterious man. Maybe I was just in shock. My heart was pounding, my eyes watering. Was I going to die? Who was this guy and why was he standing over me?
My eyes remained locked on his eyes, watching as he stood completely still over me. Finally, the guy walked away. He just left the room like nothing just happened. Was I still asleep? Was this all a dream? I sat up after about ten minutes of pure thinking.
Was this the same person who was following me this morning? Is this the person who put the picture under my pillow? It had to of been...who else could this of been. The worst part of all of this is I can't report any of it...otherwise I will have to explain everything about my history. Everything I've been through. Everything I've done. They will find out who I really am. And I can't have any of that.
A knock at my door caused me to scream slightly. Whoa tone it down
"Where have you been all day?" Brady stormed in his arms crossed.
"I...Uh," I froze.
"Heather told me you freaked out on her and left school? You are failing all your finals!" he yelled.
"What do you mean failing? I had an off period! I'm going back for fifth!"
"Fifth? Honey you missed fifth. You missed all day. Seventh just ended!"
"What?" I was panicking.
"What's wrong with you Hay?"
"I've had a shitty day Brady,"
"Hayden I'm your best friend. You need to tell me about it,"
"I don't need to tell you anything! It's my life Brady!" He pulled me into a tight hug, and I cried on my best friend shoulder, wrapping my arms tightly around his waist. He stroked my hair, knowing how much I needed it.
We had been friends since my junior year of high school, when I transferred foster families. I'm not going to lie, a lot of people wanted to be my friend. I was the new mysterious girl who no one knew. I just had no interest in talking to anyone. No matter how hard they would try to pry into my life, and learn my secrets. I made sure I was cut off from the world in order to not get hurt anymore. But there was always one little pest who would never leave me alone. He was just so outgoing, so fun. He would have one sided conversations with me every day at lunch, and during the couple classes we had together. And finally one day I responded.
Brady and I were the weird duo of the extrovert who talked to everyone and the shy introvert who would cover her face whenever her buddy did something embarrassing. And I later med Matthew, Brady's twin brother. And we all met Heather this year. And we are tight as can be. I just still share that special bond with Brady.
He knows more about me than anyone. Not the whole truth...just as much as I let him know.
"Are you ready to talk," he asked, his voice hushed as he smoothed my hair and sat me down on the bed. I nodded my head and leaned into the side dresser, pulling out the picture. Brady stared expressionless down at the photo, unsure what to say. "Is this Hunter?" his voice was soft.
"Yeah,"
"I'm sorry Hay"
"Someone knows...someone besides you. About Hunter. About my mom and dad,"
"Come here," he pulled my into a hug, "You're going to be fine Love," He kissed my temple.
"Thank you," I hugged him tighter.
"Now I'm going to go get changed, and you should too. Because I'm taking you out to eat,"
"Brady no,"
"Brady yes," he stood up stretching his back, "meet me at my room at seven, and look nice," he smiled.
"Eww people are going to think we are a heterosexual couple," I teased crinkling my nose and sticking out my tongue.
"Eww straight people," He mocked my face and blew me a kiss leaving my room. I giggle and stood up. It's funny how one person can make you almost forget everything.
Walking over to my closet, I pulled out the only dress I owned and slipped it on. It was a simple black dress, with a belt around the waist. It kinda looked like something that belonged in American Horror Story. Maybe that's why I like it.
I sighed at my curly, messy hair. There was nothing I could do about it unless I wanted to straighten it. But I was honestly too emotionally drained to do that. So natural hair it is.
"Hayden I'm home." Heather called out, her heels clanking on the floor. "I'm ready to forget our little argument this morning, and not even question where you were all of today," She smiled hugging me.
"Thanks," I said awkwardly, hugging her back.
"So who's your date," She winked giving me a good look up and down.
"Brady,"
"Oh,"
"He's not that bad,"
"I wouldn't count him as your date..."
"Why not?" There was a beat
"Because you're not a guy," We both giggled, "well you better go,"
"I'll see you later," I smiled walking out of the dorm room and down the 'spooky' hallway to Brady's dorm room. I will be the first to admit it was horribly sketchy.
My heels were the only audible noise as I made my way to the corner. Brady was on the same floor as me, just on the complete other side of the floor.
I turned the corner and was instantly cut off by someone grabbing me and pushing their hand firmly against my mouth, stopping my screams of terror.
"Shh look," a voice tried calling me down. I continued kicking and wiggling, trying to get out of his grasp. "Bitch I just want to talk!"
He changed his body position to pin me against the cool cement wall, his hand still pushed on my face. Tears were filling my eyes, blurring my vision.
But i could defiantly see a defined blue mask staring right back at me.