The unease from Alex's conversation with Daniel lingered in his mind like a dark cloud. He knew he needed to speak with Lila again, but he wasn't sure how to approach her about it. Was she in some kind of trouble, or was there something deeper she wasn't telling him? As he considered his options, he couldn't help but feel a sense of urgency.
That afternoon, Alex decided to take a walk to clear his mind. The town was quiet, with only a few locals strolling around or chatting on porches. As he passed by The Percolating Bean, he saw Claire sitting at one of the outdoor tables, a book in her hand and a cup of tea by her side. She looked up and spotted him, her face lighting up with a smile.
"Hey, stranger," she called out. "Fancy seeing you here."
Alex smiled back, but Claire immediately sensed something was off. She closed her book and patted the chair next to her. "Come, sit. You look like you've got something on your mind."
He took a seat, feeling a wave of comfort wash over him just being near her. "I got a note from Daniel, Lila's brother," he explained. "He wanted to talk to me about Lila. Apparently, she's been acting strange since she came back to Willowbrook, and he's worried."
Claire's brow furrowed in concern. "What did he mean by 'acting strange'?"
"I'm not sure," Alex admitted. "But he said she's been hiding something. I think I need to talk to her again and see if she'll open up."
Claire nodded, her eyes filled with understanding. "You're a good friend, Alex. I know this can't be easy, but it sounds like she could really use someone who cares right now."
"Thanks, Claire," he said, reaching for her hand. "I just hope whatever it is, it's something we can help her with."
---
Later that evening, Alex decided to drop by Lila's house. He wasn't sure if she'd be home, but he hoped she'd be willing to talk. As he approached, he noticed the lights were on, and he could see her silhouette moving inside. Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the door.
A moment later, Lila answered, looking surprised to see him. "Alex? Hey, what brings you by?"
"Can we talk?" he asked, trying to gauge her reaction. "It's about what Daniel mentioned earlier."
Lila's face tightened slightly, but she nodded and stepped aside to let him in. "Sure, come in. Let's sit in the living room."
As they sat down, Alex could see the tension in her shoulders, the way her hands fidgeted in her lap. He decided to start gently.
"Daniel's worried about you, Lila," he began. "He said you've been different since you got back, like you're hiding something. I'm worried too. Is there something going on that you want to talk about?"
Lila looked down, her expression conflicted. For a long moment, she was silent, and Alex wondered if he'd pushed too hard. But then she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.
"I didn't think anyone would notice," she said, her eyes glistening. "I thought I could handle it on my own, but… maybe I can't."
Alex leaned forward, his tone gentle. "Lila, whatever it is, you don't have to go through it alone. I'm here for you, as a friend."
She looked up at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of fear and vulnerability. "I left Willowbrook to get away from something… someone, actually. I didn't want to bring it here, but it's been haunting me ever since I returned."
Alex's heart tightened. "Someone? Are you in danger?"
Lila shook her head, but her expression remained troubled. "Not exactly. It's my ex from the city, Mark. At first, things were great between us, but then he started getting controlling. I didn't realize how bad it was until I was already in too deep. I tried to end things, but he didn't take it well. That's part of why I came back here—to get away from him."
Alex felt a surge of protectiveness. "Has he tried to contact you since you've been back?"
Lila nodded, her voice trembling. "Yes. At first, it was just messages, but then I saw him in town a few days ago. I don't think he knows where I'm staying, but I'm scared, Alex. I don't know what he'll do if he finds me."
Alex felt a chill run down his spine. "Why didn't you tell anyone sooner?"
"I didn't want to drag anyone else into it," she replied, tears welling up in her eyes. "And I thought maybe he'd give up and go away. But it's clear now that he won't."
Alex's mind raced with thoughts, but he knew he needed to stay calm for Lila's sake. "We'll figure this out, Lila. First, we need to make sure you're safe. Have you thought about going to the police?"
Lila shook her head. "I don't have any proof that he's done anything yet. It's just a gut feeling, but I know him, Alex. He won't stop until he gets what he wants."
"Okay," Alex said, his voice steady. "Then we need to be smart about this. You're not alone in this, Lila. We'll find a way to keep you safe."
Lila nodded, wiping away a tear. "Thank you, Alex. I don't know what I'd do without you."
---
When Alex left Lila's house, the gravity of the situation settled heavily on him. He immediately called Claire, knowing he needed her support and advice.
"Hey, Claire, I just talked to Lila," he said when she answered. "It's more serious than I thought. She's being harassed by her ex from the city—he's followed her here."
Claire's concern was palpable through the phone. "Oh, Alex, that's awful. What can we do to help her?"
"I think we need to keep a close eye on her and maybe talk to some of the locals to see if anyone has noticed anything suspicious," Alex suggested. "She doesn't want to go to the police without proof, but we need to make sure she's safe."
Claire agreed. "Let's check with some of our neighbors, see if anyone's seen this guy around. And in the meantime, maybe Lila can stay with me for a few days. That way, she won't be alone."
"That's a great idea," Alex said, feeling a wave of relief. "I'll talk to her about it tomorrow. Thank you, Claire. You're amazing."
"We'll get through this," Claire reassured him. "Together."
---
The next day, Alex and Claire spent the morning asking around town. Most people hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary, but one of the shop owners, Mrs. Henson, mentioned seeing a man who didn't look familiar hanging around the edge of town near the trailhead.
"He was just standing there, looking around like he was searching for something—or someone," Mrs. Henson said, her brow furrowed. "Gave me a bad feeling, but I didn't think much of it at the time."
Alex and Claire exchanged worried glances. It sounded like it could be Mark.
After speaking with Mrs. Henson, Alex called Lila to check in and suggest she stay with Claire for a few days. Lila hesitated at first, not wanting to impose, but eventually agreed.
"Thank you, Claire," Lila said when she arrived at Claire's house later that afternoon. "I really appreciate this."
"Of course," Claire replied warmly. "We're in this together, Lila. You're not alone."
That evening, the three of them sat together in Claire's cozy living room, discussing their next steps. They decided to keep a watchful eye on things for the next few days and to be cautious but prepared.
As the night went on, Alex couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions. He was worried for Lila, but he was also grateful for the way Claire had stepped up to help. It reminded him once again of how lucky he was to have her in his life.
However, deep down, Alex knew that things might get worse before they got better. Mark was still out there, and until they knew for sure he was gone, they couldn't let their guard down.
For now, all they could do was stick together, stay vigilant, and hope that they could find a way to put an end to this shadow that had crept into their peaceful town.