"just close your eyes, the sun is going down you'll be alright, no one can hurt you now"

a few days had passed since we reported the threatening messages to campus security. the investigation had started, and though I felt a bit safer knowing they were involved, a cloud of anxiety still hung over me. I couldn't shake the feeling that the person behind the messages was lurking around every corner.

today, I had a meeting with officer collins to discuss any updates on the investigation. tara and ethan insisted on coming with me for support. i haven't spoken to ethan for a while but we made sure to tell him everything that has happened in this week. i dearly missed him and i felt bad for not speaking to him. but i was also really thankful for him not pushing me and just let me be. we walked through the campus together, the autumn leaves crunching beneath our feet, their vibrant colors contrasting with the heaviness I felt inside. as we approached the security office, my heart pounded in my chest. tara squeezed my hand, a silent reassurance that I wasn't alone. we entered the office, and officer collins greeted us with a serious expression.

"good afternoon, ariana. please, have a seat," he said, gesturing to the chairs in front of his desk. tara and ethan sat beside me, their presence a comforting reminder of my support system. "we've reviewed the messages and traced the phone number. unfortunately, it's registered to a burner phone, making it difficult to track the exact person. however, we do have a potential lead. we found security camera footage near your dorm that shows a person acting suspiciously around the time some of the messages were sent. We're trying to enhance the footage to get a clearer image."

"do you have any idea who it could be?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "we're not certain yet, but we're doing everything we can to identify this individual. In the meantime, I'd advise you to be cautious and always stay with friends. we've also increased patrols around your dorm and classes," officer collins explained. I nodded, feeling a mix of relief and frustration. relief that they were taking it seriously, but frustration that there wasn't a clear answer yet. as we left the office, tara and ethan flanked me, their expressions mirroring my own determination and concern.

"they'll figure this out, ari. I promise," tara said, her voice filled with resolve. "I know," I replied, grateful for their unwavering support. as we walked towards the gym, I noticed some people standing in the distance. It was paige, aubrey, caroline and aaliyah, leaning against a wall, seemingly waiting for us. when they saw us, they straightened up and walked over to us.

"hey, we heard about the meeting with campus security. how did it go?" caroline asked, her eyes searching mine for any sign of distress. I filled them in on the details, because they didn'T know nearly anything about this situation anything either. they nodded thoughtfully. "we'll also  keep an eye out, ari. we're not going to let this person get away with scaring you." aubrey reassured me with her big, bright smile. "thank you, guys. It means a lot," I said, feeling a bit of the tension in my shoulders ease. as the day turned into evening, we decided to head to the café we frequented, hoping to find some semblance of normalcy. the familiar scent of coffee and baked goods welcomed us, and we settled into our usual corner. the murmur of conversations and clinking of cups provided a comforting backdrop.

"I still can't believe someone would do this," aubrey said, breaking the silence. 

"I just hope we find out who it is soon," I replied, taking a sip of my coffee. "I hate feeling this way—like I'm always looking over my shoulder." i confessed to them "you won't have to feel that way for long. we're going to figure this out," paige said, her tone fierce. the conversation shifted to lighter topics, like basketball and for a while, I managed to forget about the threats. it was already november which means the basketball season is here which also means that i won't see aubrey and the other girls frequently like i used to.

later that night, back in our dorm room, tara and I sat on my bed, talking quietly, while doing some studying. "you know, ari, you're stronger than you think," tara said, out of nowhere, her voice soft but firm. "you've been through a lot, and you're still standing. that takes courage." I smiled, feeling a surge of gratitude. "I couldn't have done it without you, though. I'm so lucky to have you." 

"And we are lucky to have you," she replied, giving me a hug. "you know what, i know what will make you brighten up." she walked over to her laptop, going into our playlist that we made together, starting to play taylor swift. i immediately heard the familiar intro of "i wish you would". i remember, back in high school, when tara first got her drivers license, she took me for a ride and we blasted this song out the window, into the early night, just driving around the neighborhood.

it wasn't so late, but we decided to go to sleep early because tara will have a quiz in the morning, so she has to sleep well. i just got out of the shower, doing my skin care, and walking out. tara already did her things, and she was already in bed, nearly falling asleep. i walked over to the lamp to turn it off, instead of throwing pillows on it, this was a more clever idea. i laid in bed but i just couldn't fall asleep. i turned and tossed for a good 10 minutes while i heard tara's soft snoring. i decided to go on my phone, hoping it will make me fall asleep. i went on instagram, searching for some entertraintion, but i couldn't find any. i suddenly saw a message. but this time it wasn't from the creepy person, it was from aubrey. we nearly never talked expect if we saw eachother on the campus or something. i didn't really minded it though