EN: POV
I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but they were clearly falking to Lexi. My mind was racing with questions. Was she working with them? planning something against me or worse, against Nicole?
I stayed hidden, not daring to move. My phone buzzed in my pocket, but I didn’t answer. If they heard me, I’d be in serious trouble I’d haw to wait un they left before I could call Aaron back and tell him everything.
Whatever was going on, it was bigger than I’d thought. And I wasn’t about to let Lexi get away with it.
Nicole POV
Eric had been acting strange ever since he came back from his walk in the woods the other night. He didn’t say much about it, but I could feel the change in his behavior. He was extra protective of me, more than he’d ever been before.
When we walked to class, he stayed close, his hand always brushing against mine, like he was making sure I didn’t disappear. At first, I thought it was sweet, but soon, I started noticing just how serious he was about it. He wouldn’t let me go anywhere without him. If I tried to head to the library or even grab coffee alone, he’d suddenly appear by my side, acting like it was a casual coincidence.
“Nicole, you’re with me,” he said one day when I mentioned working on a project in the study hall alone.
“But Eric,” I replied, frowning. “I can handle myself. You are overthinking and being overprotective.”
He shook his head, his jaw tight. “I’d rather not take any chances.”
Even during his football practices, he made sure I wasn’t alone. He would call Venus, who happily agreed to hang out with me, keeping me company on the bleachers while Eric ran drills on the field. Venus seemed amused by the whole thing, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that he wanted to take things to the next level. It made me feel warm. And happy.
One evening, as we sat on his couch going over sociology notes, Eric turned to me, his eyes serious. “Nicole, I think you should move in with me.”
I froze, staring at him. “What? Move in? Eric, that’s… that’s a big step.”
“I know,” he said, leaning closer. “But it’s safer. I can’t protect you properly if we’re not in the same place.”
“Protect me from what?” I asked, my voice rising slightly. “You keep saying this, but you’re not telling me what’s going on.”
He hesitated, looking away. “Just… trust me on this, okay? It’s not safe for you to be alone right now.”
I shook my head, my heart pounding. “Eric, everything is happening so fast. I need time to think.” I couldn’t help thinking if he had enemies around.
He nodded reluctantly, though I could see the worry in his eyes. “Okay. But promise me you’ll let me know if anything feels off. Anything at all.”
“I promise,” I said softly, trying to reassure him. But deep down, I was more confused than ever.
The next day, I was on Eric’s porch, sitting on the swing with my sociology book open. We were supposed to be studying, but Eric had gone inside to grab a drink. The warm afternoon sun made everything feel peaceful, and for a moment, I let myself relax.
That’s when I saw them–a group of foxes near the edge of the property. There were three of them, their orange fur glowing in the sunlight. They stood there, staring at me with curious eyes. I smiled, thinking how cute they looked.
“Hey, Eric!” I called out. “Come look at this. There are foxes here.”
He appeared in the doorway, holding a glass of water. The moment his eyes landed on the foxes, his entire demeanor changed. His jaw tightened, and a low growl rumbled in his chest.
1/2
Chapter 83.
*Get inside. Nicole “he said sharply stepping onto the porch
What? Why? I asked, confused. “They’re just foxes.
“Go inside. Now,” he growled,
before I could argue, the front door opened again, and Aaron stepped out with Venus behind him. Aaron’s face was just as serious as the looked uneasy. Aaron glared, and the foxes turned and darted back into the woods.
“What was that about?” I asked, looking at Eric, then at Aaron. “They were just harmless foxes. Why were you all so worried?”
“They’re trouble,” Aaron murmured.
I wanted to ask more, but the tension in the air told me I wouldn’t get any real answers.
Instead, I sat back down and tried to focus on my notes, even though my mind was racing. Eric joined me soon.
The next day at college, things didn’t feel any less strange. Eric stuck close to me over. I appreciated his care, but it was starting to feel confusing. I needed answers.
usual, walking me to class and waiting outside for me when it was
As we walked down one of the corridors, I noticed Ethan talking to Lexi near the lockers. They were standing close, their heads bent together as if sharing a secret. The moment they saw us, they stopped talking and straightened up. Ethan’s face was unreadable, but Lexi gave me a cold, calculating smile.
Eric stiffened beside me, his eyes narrowing as he stared at them. I could feel the tension radiating off him, and it made my own nerves spike.
“Something’s not right,” Eric muttered under his breath.
I glanced at him. “What do you mean?”
“Just… stay close to me,” he said, not taking his eyes off Ethan and Lexi.
As we walked past them, I couldn’t shake the feeling that they were watching us, their eyes boring into our backs. It made my skin crawl, and I found myself gripping Eric’s arm tighter.
Whatever was going on, it was bigger than I had imagined. And for the first time, I was starting to feel scared. So when Eric suggested me that I should move in with him the next evening, I did just that. I came over to his house with a packed bag.
When Eric opened the door, he was surprised. I blushed. “You asked me to move in,” I said in a low voice. He stared at me for a moment and them pulled me in a tight hug.
“Thank you!” he said with a grin.
2/2
