The moon hung high in the sky, bathing Crestwood in silver light. Luna sat by her bedroom window, resting her forehead against the cool glass. Her thoughts were a tangled mess—Selena's cruel taunts, Lily's unexpected kindness, and the ominous note that now sat crumpled in her desk drawer.
Her fingers absently toyed with the pendant around her neck, its smooth surface warm against her palm. The comforting weight of it made her feel connected to her mother, even if only in memory. She sighed, gazing out at the rows of houses lining the street. Most of the windows were dark, the town settling into its usual nighttime stillness.
A soft knock at her door pulled her out of her thoughts. "Luna?" Vivian's voice came from the other side.
"Yes?" Luna replied, sitting up straighter.
The door creaked open, and Vivian stepped inside. She was holding a steaming mug, her face lined with worry. "You've been quiet all evening. Thought you could use some tea."
Luna smiled faintly, accepting the mug. "Thanks. I'm fine, just tired."
Vivian hesitated, her gaze lingering on Luna's face. "If something's bothering you, you can talk to me, you know."
For a moment, Luna considered telling her about the note or the unease that had settled deep in her chest since she'd arrived at Crestwood High. But the words caught in her throat. She didn't want to worry Vivian more than she already seemed to be.
"I'm okay, really," Luna said softly. "Just a lot to adjust to."
Vivian nodded, though her expression didn't quite lose its concern. "All right. Try to get some rest."
As the door closed behind her adoptive mother, Luna sighed and took a sip of the tea. Its warmth spread through her chest, but it did little to ease the knot of tension in her stomach.
The woods surrounding Crestwood were alive with the sounds of the night. Crickets chirped in the underbrush, and the occasional rustle of leaves hinted at nocturnal creatures moving through the shadows.
At the edge of the forest, a figure stood motionless, their dark cloak blending seamlessly with the trees. The faint glow of the Everhart house's porch light outlined their silhouette as they stared up at a second-story window.
Luna's window.
The figure reached into their pocket, pulling out a small, black device. They pressed a button, and a soft red light blinked to life in the distance, barely visible through the thick foliage.
"It's time," the figure murmured, their voice low and rough.
Back in her room, Luna set the mug down on her nightstand and stretched, exhaustion finally catching up with her. The numbers on her math homework blurred together, and she rubbed her eyes, stifling a yawn.
Just as she was about to close her notebook, a faint sound reached her ears—a rustling, like footsteps brushing against leaves. Her head snapped up, her heart skipping a beat.
She moved cautiously to the window, peering into the darkness below. The backyard stretched out, quiet and still under the moonlight. The old oak tree swayed gently in the breeze, its branches casting long shadows across the grass.
But something felt... off.
Luna squinted, her breath fogging up the glass. A shadow shifted at the edge of the woods, too large to be an animal.
Her pulse quickened. She pressed her face closer to the window, trying to get a better look.
And then she saw them.
A figure, half-hidden in the darkness, stood just beyond the tree line. They weren't moving, weren't making a sound—just watching.
Luna stumbled back from the window, her chest heaving. Her mind raced with possibilities. Was it a neighbor? A stranger? Or... someone who knew who she really was?
She glanced at her door, her first instinct to run to Vivian. But something held her back. Whoever was out there, they might still be watching.
Gathering her courage, she crept back to the window and peeked out again. The figure was gone.
Luna's hands trembled as she pulled the curtains shut, her breath coming in shallow gasps. She sat down on her bed, clutching the pendant tightly. The warm metal felt reassuring against her skin, but it couldn't stop the fear coursing through her.
She stayed there for what felt like hours, her ears straining for any sound. The house was silent, but her mind was anything but.
The next morning, Luna dragged herself out of bed, her body heavy with fatigue. The events of the night before clung to her like a fog, making it hard to focus.
Vivian was in the kitchen, humming softly as she flipped pancakes. She looked up when Luna entered, her smile faltering. "You look like you didn't sleep at all."
"I didn't," Luna admitted, slumping into a chair.
Vivian set a plate of pancakes in front of her, eyeing her with concern. "Bad dreams?"
"Something like that," Luna muttered, poking at her food.
She didn't want to worry Vivian with talk of shadowy figures or the growing unease she felt. But as she walked to school later that morning, her eyes kept darting to the tree line, half-expecting to see someone lurking there.
When she reached Crestwood High, Lily was waiting for her at the gate, her cheerful demeanor a welcome distraction.
"Hey! You okay?" Lily asked, falling into step beside her.
Luna hesitated, then forced a smile. "Yeah, just a rough night."
Lily nodded sympathetically. "Well, at least you made it. Let's hope today is better than yesterday."
But the moment they stepped into the hallway, Selena's mocking laughter echoed around them.
"Well, well, if it isn't the Everhart outcast," Selena sneered, her sharp features twisting into a smirk. "Didn't think you'd have the guts to show your face again."
Luna's shoulders stiffened, but she kept walking, refusing to give Selena the satisfaction of a reaction.
"Oh, ignoring me now?" Selena called after her. "How brave."
Luna's jaw clenched, her nails digging into her palms. She stopped, turning to face Selena with a calm she didn't quite feel.
"Brave enough to stand here and listen to you make a fool of yourself," Luna said, her voice steady.
A hush fell over the hallway, students stopping to watch the exchange. Selena's smirk faltered, and for a brief moment, Luna saw the surprise flicker across her face.
But it didn't last long. Selena's expression hardened, and she took a step closer. "Careful, Everhart. You don't want to start something you can't finish."
"I'm not starting anything," Luna replied, holding her ground. "Just standing up for myself."
The tension between them crackled like electricity, but before Selena could respond, a teacher's voice rang out.
"That's enough! Both of you, get to class."
Selena glared at Luna one last time before stalking off, her posse trailing behind her like shadows.
Lily exhaled in relief. "Wow. I can't believe you stood up to her like that."
Luna shrugged, though her heart was still racing. "She's just a bully. I'm not going to let her push me around."
But as she walked to her first class, the feeling of being watched returned, stronger than ever. She couldn't shake the sense that someone—maybe even more than one person—was keeping an eye on her every move.
And she had no idea why.
In the woods, the shadowy figure crouched low, their fingers brushing the earth. They lifted a small, glowing device, its screen pulsing faintly red.
"She's bolder than I expected," they murmured, their voice barely
audible. "But that'll only make this more satisfying."