I have to have a talk with Wesley.
The one he calls a "friend" is more like a "fiend". A demon in a beautiful human suit.
I love mysteries. I love puzzles with a thousand pieces. I love mazes. I love things that challenge my mind.
But, Sterling is a puzzle of a different kind.
He seems so simple but yet complex.
And the fact that he's inserting himself in my life cunningly is scary.
Why did he choose to befriend Wesley just when we have met in person? Why am I so anxious and spooked around him but yet do all that he tells me to?
And those green eyes. Why do they look so familiar? I have so many questions.
And I will find the answers to them all!
"Rose, we will talk in the morning. Alright?" Wesley says as he exits the guest room that he prepared for me.
It's a really nice room. The ceiling is decorated with art and everything in the room is white. The bed sheets, the wall, the curtains, the marble tiles on the floor, the coffee table, the study desk and chair.
It's all white and I love it.
"Goodnight, bro." I say.
Wesley frowns a bit when I say this. But recovers with a small smile. He closes the door and leaves me alone.
I wonder why his expression changed so suddenly when I called him 'bro'.
I walk around the room. The huge white mirror on the wall shows how tired I am.
My hair is a mess. My eyes look drained. My clothes don't look as neat as they looked this morning.
Today has been the longest 24hours I have had. And the most wildest. From meeting a stalker, to going out of the city, to almost getting killed maybe, and to meeting the stalker right here in my best friend's house.
My mind is too tired to even try to comprehend what's happening.
I sit on the bed and the softness makes me moan. It's so comfy. I lay down and sleep sweeps me in seconds.
I had plans to change and take a quick shower. I have a few clothes here. It's my best friend's house after all.
But I guess sleep had another plan.
*****
A knock on the room's door startles me from my sleep. My eyes flutter open. The lights are off but the moon light illuminates the room. The air is cold and sweet.
Another light knock on the door wakes me fully now.
"Who's there?" My voice is weak and raspy.
I clear my throat and walk towards the door. I place my hand on the cold stainless doorknob and ask again.
"Who's there?" No answer.
I'm not afraid, I'm just really intrigued.
I open the door slowly and it reveals the lit corridor. I look left and right but find no one. I didn't imagine the knock, did I?
There are five rooms upstairs here, including mine. All the doors are closed and no light can be seen at the small space under the door.
I decide to go back in my room but yet I feel a strange sense to check on Sterling.
I can't exactly explain the feeling, I really wish I could but I can't.
I step out of my room and close the door slowly, not wanting to wake anyone.
In the corridor, there is the left wall and the right wall. The right wall has three doors. Wesley's room, his parent's room, and Sarah's room.
On the left side, there are two doors. The guest rooms.
I'm in one and Sterling is obviously in the other.
I walk towards his door. I'm still wearing what I wore yesterday which should be keeping me a bit warm, but I feel like the air is getting more colder.
I reach in front of his door, I really don't know what to do. Should I open it? Should I knock?
If I do knock, what would I say?
That I felt like checking up on him?
I reach for the doorknob. My fingers wrap around the round object. It feels ice cold. I breathe out slowly.
"Rosie." A faint whisper licks my ears.
Goosebumps cover my entire body instantly and I let go of the doorknob. My heart starts beating faster and my mind becomes super alert. I look around the corridor but no one is there.
I curse under my breath while backing away from the door. I fast-walk back to my own room's door and opened it hurriedly. The door opens with ease and I enter.
I feel safe suddenly. The air feels lighter now and not so cold and dead.
I close the door behind me and locked it. I then sit on my bed for ten minutes before I can even feel like myself again.
What's the time?
I look up at the white wall clock above the bed and it's reads: 3:45 A.M.
Gosh, it's still early. I run my hand in my hair and yawn big. I then lay on my bed and pull the white gigantic duvet over my body. Sleep arrests me in no time and I find myself dreaming of nothing.
Just a peaceful darkness.
After a few hours or more, it was morning.
I opened my eyes slowly and stretched.
The annoying alarm that I'm used to waking me up didn't wake me.
I then remember I'm not home. I'm at Wesley's house. I need to call my mom. She must be worried sick. I only sent her a string of emojis last night. A 'Heart eyes' one and a 'blowing kiss one'. She always didn't understand them and complained about how confused she would be when someone sent her them.
I grab my phone from under the white fluffy pillow and it has fifteen missed calls.
It also has three voicemails.
All from my loving mother.
I am so screwed.
My mother is the overprotective type and I'm not complaining. It's just that she overthinks almost everything when it comes to me. That's why I have a routine-like life. It brings comfort to her.
Plus, tomorrow is my father's death anniversary. She needs me.
I stand up and start tidying up the room so I can get my stuffs and leave. But then someone opens the door without knocking.
Wesley, I'm guessing. He always does that.
"Wesley, why don't you knoc-" I stop mid-sentence because it's not Wesley. We can all guess now who it is. It's the chief of puzzles himself, Sterling.
"Oh, brother." I roll my eyes annoyingly.