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**Dasha's POV**

When the alarm went off for us to get ready, I groaned. Skipping seemed really tempting but I knew I couldn't with how close we were to being done.

"If I get things ready I'll wake you up in fifteen minutes or so? Will thirty minutes be enough time for you to get ready?" Hayden kissed my forehead before reluctantly letting me go.

"Mhm." I threw the cover over my head and sighed, thankful he was letting me sleep a few more minutes.

Jasper scooted up to where the back of my knees were and curled up right there. I made sure not to move my legs another inch for the remaining time I had left in bed.

By the time Hayden came back in to wake me up, I was already awake and just debating getting out of bed.

"Dasha are you alright?" Hayden took in my tired appearance and felt my forehead. "You don't feel warm but you look exhausted."

"Just stressed, I'll be okay love." I sat up and gathered Jasper in my arms before standing up and seeing black.

"Sit." Hayden grabbed my waist and put me back down gently. "Don't move for a few minutes okay?"

I nodded, and let Jasper down before laying my head in my hands. The world felt like it was spinning and it didn't seem to be from lack of sleep.

Hayden came back shortly with toast and some water. He laid it on the nightstand and continued getting ready while checking on me. I managed to get down two bites before pushing the rest away, food was not appetizing.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?"

"I don't know, but I'm not going to classes. The room is spinning."

Hayden crouched down to look at my face and sighed, "should I call someone?"

"No love, I'll manage. If anything my parents can bring something or even your mom."

"Don't hesitate to call. Let me know if I can get you anything... but don't see Rose today okay. You both need to heal on your own and not get the other sick."

"Okay," I hadn't even thought about seeing her until he mentioned it. What I wanted to do right now was crawl back into bed and sleep.

"Do you want me to call in?" Hayden dropped Jasper back on the bed and pulled the covers back over me.

"You have a job baby, I can't ask you to do that. Plus I'll probably just sleep for awhile. You can come check on me during your lunch break?"

"I'll do that." He kissed my forehead and took the food downstairs with him that I hardly touched.

I didn't hear Hayden leave once my head hit the pillow and was sound asleep once more. There really was no time for me to be feeling like this with graduation so close, but tomorrow I would be in class... whether my body wanted me to be or not.

The sound of Jasper barking woke me up while I took in my surroundings. He had gone downstairs at some point and sounded like he was barking at the front door. Had someone knocked? I got up slowly and rubbed the back of my neck before walking over to the top of the stairs to see if I could figure out who was here. There was no car outside and I hadn't seen a figure at the door, most likely he heard the mailman or someone walking their dog.

"What is it boy?" I cooed as he turned around and came bounding up the stairs to lick my leg and try to get me to pick him up.

"You're so spoiled, you know that right?" I teased him and made my way downstairs to check the front door.

No one was within sight when I stepped out, but I quickly went to the mailbox to grab everything before going back in. It was nearly one so I knew Hayden would be back to check on me unless he was swamped with things. There were no texts or calls on my phone from him but one call from Rose and another from Hayden's mother.

Putting Jasper back down, I called Rose while flipping through the mail to see if my magazine subscription had come in. Granted it was under Hayden's name, but it was for a travel magazine that had really awesome deals and would debut a new city every month. We still hadn't narrowed down any honeymoon destinations so this was helping me to rule out places that seemed unlikely.

"Hello?" Rose answered on the second ring while I laid all of his bills in one pile.

"Hey Rose, how are you feeling?" I winced, already knowing it wasn't the best thing to ask her but there wasn't much for me to say.

"I'm managing," was her reply. "Are you not in class?"

"No, I wasn't feeling well this morning. The room was spinning." I admitted and sat down with the rest of the mail to sort through. "I'll have Sean get your stuff if you need me to."

"I had him email my professors, so I know they'll email me back with whatever I need if necessary. Thank you though. Do you need anything?"

Holding back a laugh I just shook my head. "No, we just need to get through graduation."

"Agreed." Her sigh was soft while I went back to sorting the magazines on the table.

"I'll be discharged tomorrow or the next day. It depends upon a few things."

"That's good. Are your parents up there?"

"They ran to the apartment real quick to pick up a package for me but I know they'll be back soon. Sean said he would be over here around three or so."

I felt relieved knowing she had people there for her while I was dealing with my own stuff.

"Well I just wanted to check on you real quick. If you need anything just text me okay?"

"Will do, feel better girl." She hung up while I finished going through the mail and saw another envelope addressed to me.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me right now." I shook and saw the same handwriting that had been on the last one.

Jasper whined at my feet while I opened the letter and saw another handwritten note.

'Dasha,

I really do hope you heed my warning. We both know you're a smart girl and wouldn't want Hayden to get hurt or even yourself for that matter. Not with graduation being so close. I'm assuming you're reading this and not Hayden but it won't matter, I know both of you will see it by the end of the day. Please keep in mind what you're dealing with and how you can't always bargain with the devil when it comes to impossible deals.

I'll see you in twenty days whether you want to or not.

P.M.'

"No," I gasped and set the envelope down with trembling fingers. He couldn't be at graduation, there was no way that he would show up... the police would find him and have to arrest him. But not before an accusation would be thrown out about Hayden and I.

"What are we going to do?" I whispered and heard the door unlock as Hayden announced his arrival. I slid the letter under the magazines for now and figured it could wait until tomorrow. There was too much going on for us to worry about this at the moment.

"Are you downstairs Dash?" Hayden was walking into the kitchen and opening up the cabinets.

"Yes." I made myself get up and go towards him with our puppy trailing behind me.

"How do you feel?" He turned to face me.

"More or less the same." It wasn't the best response but given what I had just read, my stomach was in knots and my head was getting ready to explode.

Hayden frowned and pulled down two plates before going to sort through the fridge for leftovers. "I just have one more class and then I'll be done. I can cancel it..."

"Your job is more important."

"I beg to differ on that." He pulled out chicken and rice to heat up before enveloping me into a hug. "Have you talked to Rose?"

"Mhm, she told me she would be discharged soon."

"That's good. I was hoping that would be the case."

"I'm going back tomorrow to classes. It's necessary."

"I know love, I understand. You're almost done." He kissed my forehead, "I need to email a few students real quick. After that I'm all yours."

He stepped into his office while I remained on the couch, just flipping through channels to try and distract myself. Homework was not on my mind right now, and trying to get Patrick out of it wasn't working too well either.

My skin crawled at the thought of him watching right now to see if I was still at Hayden's house, if he knew I was here to begin with... I immediately went to close any blinds that were open and double check all the doors. My paranoia was a million times worse thinking about what could happen if he saw me leave. Someone would have to be with me the next few days without it being obvious.

"Fuck," I breathed and jumped when I saw Hayden staring at me.

"You okay sweetheart?"

"No." I stood rooted to my spot and tried to think of how to explain. It wasn't hard to figure out but we did not need any more drama at the moment.

"Did Patrick?"

"There's a letter," my voice dropped an octave while Hayden scanned the pile of mail with a frown.

"Where?"

I pointed at the stack of magazines and watched him while he made his way over to the stack and flipped through it to read the note. His features deepened with each line and I could only imagine what was going through his head.

"Dasha, we have to report this."

"Hayden, the police will figure out about us. We can't." I pleaded and clenched my fists. "That's what he wants. He already knows how to win and we can't let him."

"I won't let him threaten you like this. Not with how its affecting you." He threw the letter down and crossed his arms. "If we don't go to the police I will personally take matters into my own hands."

"No." I whispered and shook my head quickly. "Sweetheart, you don't know what he's capable of."

"I took a crowbar with me to get you out of Missy's." His tone took on a strange note as I saw the anger building up in him that I hadn't seen in awhile. "I will gladly take whatever needs necessary to eliminate him."

Blinking back tears, I forced myself to look at him and admit what I didn't want to. "I'm scared. I don't want to do something that'll make this game of his even more fun. Just let me wait it out until graduation, that way nothing can be held against you after that."

He walked towards me and pulled me into him while I shook. There really was no way out of this at the moment and I knew my method wasn't perfect, but I just wanted to graduate and go from there.

"Will you be able to focus on graduating for the next few days? I'll get the mail and everything and won't do anything until after you walk the stage if that's what you really want." His eyes looked at my distraught features and cupped my face.

"Yes." I barely mouthed the words and looked away from him. Seeing him like this terrified me even more and I wasn't prepared to argue further on the subject.

"Okay." He dropped his hands and stepped away to pull out his phone. "But you stay by Rose, Sean or someone during the remainder of this time."

"I know." Feeling like a child, I bent down to grab Jasper and held onto him tightly while trying to think about something more positive. "I don't think I should be here right now... I have a bad feeling."

He didn't argue with me this time as he had done before. With a nod, he took Jasper from me and kissed me gently. "Text me when you're in your apartment okay?"

"I love you."

"I love you too." His smile faltered as I went out the back through the yard and towards the side of the house. This couldn't have been worse timing with graduating and trying to plan a wedding. None of this was supposed to involve my relationship hanging by a thread or being threatened by exposure.

Texting Sean and Tyson I briefly caught them up and asked for one of them to come over for the night. Most likely Tyson would while Sean remained with Rose. I just couldn't imagine going home to an empty apartment, knowing my every move was being tracked so meticulously right now. 

"I hope you're happy asshole," I muttered to an invisible Patrick and pulled out to go home. Worst case scenario I could inform my parents but getting them to report it wouldn't help either. Things were just going to be complicated regardless and there was no way out but to count down the days to graduation. If letters were all he sent I would be okay. I hoped.

'I'll be there in about an hour Dash, don't worry. We got you.' Tyson replied to me while my heart slowed a bit.

"Graduation needs to hurry up so I can move far away from here." California was sounding better and better every second.


**I had a burst of creativeness, I know shocker! But I'm glad to have another chapter up before Thanksgiving. It's short ish but at least it's something! Thanks for your support, it means everything to me. <3 **

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