The day at Crestwood High felt like a fog Luna couldn't shake. The morning had crawled by with an aching slowness, each class blending into the next. As the teacher explained math problems Luna hadn't written down, her thoughts wandered far from the chalkboard.
Her pencil rolled off her desk, breaking the stillness. She leaned down to grab it, only to notice a pair of shoes standing next to her desk—polished, black shoes that belonged to the teacher.
"Luna?"
Her heart jumped as she sat up straight. The teacher's stern face hovered above her, eyebrows raised. "Would you care to answer the problem on the board?"
Luna blinked, her cheeks flushing as she looked at the long string of numbers and variables. Nothing on the board looked remotely familiar. The murmurs of her classmates rose in the background, a faint wave of laughter that made her skin crawl.
"I... I'm sorry. I don't know," she stammered, sinking lower into her seat.
The teacher sighed, clearly disappointed, and turned to the next student. As the lesson continued, Luna's humiliation settled in her chest like a heavy stone.
"Don't let her get to you," Lily whispered, leaning over from the next desk. "You're doing fine."
Luna gave her a faint nod, but her mind was elsewhere. That feeling—the one she couldn't explain—had been following her all day. It clung to her like a second shadow, making her glance over her shoulder more often than she should have.
Lunch came as a small relief, though Luna couldn't bring herself to sit in the crowded cafeteria. She found a quiet spot outside, under the shade of an oak tree near the school courtyard. The soft rustling of leaves above her was soothing, though the unease in her chest still refused to fade.
She bit into her sandwich, the bread dry and tasteless, when a familiar voice called out behind her.
"Skipping the cafeteria drama again, huh?"
Luna turned to see Lily walking toward her, balancing a tray in one hand. The sunlight caught in Lily's blonde hair, giving her an almost angelic glow.
"It's too loud in there," Luna said, shifting over on the bench to make room.
Lily sat beside her, studying her face for a moment before placing the tray on her lap. "You've been quiet all day. What's going on?"
Luna hesitated. She hadn't told Lily about the note or the shadow she'd seen by the woods. How could she? It all sounded ridiculous even in her own head.
"I just didn't sleep well last night," she said finally, tearing a piece of her sandwich apart.
"Bad dreams?" Lily pressed, her voice kind but curious.
"Something like that."
Lily tilted her head, unconvinced, but didn't push further. "Well, if you ever want to talk about it, I'm here. Or we could hang out this weekend, if you need a distraction."
Luna smiled faintly. "Thanks. I'll think about it."
By the time the final bell rang, Luna felt like she had spent an entire week at school instead of just one day. She shuffled out of the building, her bag weighing heavily on her shoulder. The walk home felt longer than usual, her steps dragging as the breeze picked up, carrying the faint scent of pine from the woods nearby.
The Everhart house loomed ahead, its familiar shape oddly comforting against the darkening sky. Luna walked up the driveway, noting the absence of Vivian's car. The house was empty, and the quiet felt unnerving.
She stepped inside, closing the door softly behind her. The lock clicked into place, and the sound echoed through the house. Luna tossed her bag onto the floor by the stairs and headed into the kitchen, where she poured herself a glass of water.
The silence pressed in around her. She sipped the water slowly, her gaze drifting to the window above the sink. The backyard stretched out into the edge of the woods, the trees swaying gently in the evening breeze.
A faint creak broke the stillness.
Luna froze, her grip tightening on the glass. The sound had come from upstairs.
Her heart began to race as she placed the glass on the counter and turned toward the stairs. "Vivian?" she called out, her voice trembling slightly.
No answer.
The creak came again, this time louder, as if someone was shifting their weight just above her. Luna swallowed hard, her pulse thundering in her ears.
She forced her feet to move, climbing the stairs slowly. Each step felt heavier than the last, the quiet around her growing sharper, more oppressive. At the top of the stairs, she paused, her eyes fixed on the closed door to her room.
Another sound—this time the faint scrape of something moving against wood—came from inside.
Luna reached for the doorknob, her hand trembling. She pushed the door open slowly, the hinges creaking.
Her room looked the same as it had that morning—bed unmade, textbooks scattered across her desk, curtains still drawn. But something felt off.
Her eyes scanned the room, landing on her dresser. The drawer where she had hidden the note was slightly open, the edge of the folded paper sticking out.
Luna's breath caught. She hadn't left it like that.
She crossed the room, her footsteps light as she approached the dresser. Her hand shook as she pulled the drawer open, revealing the note inside. It had been unfolded and hastily folded back, the creases now uneven.
Someone had been here.
Luna turned sharply, her gaze darting to the closet. The door was ajar, her clothes pushed to one side as if someone had searched through them.
Her skin prickled, every instinct screaming at her to leave.
Outside, hidden in the shadows of the trees, the figure watched as Luna hurried down the stairs, her phone clutched tightly in her hand.
Their lips curled into a smile as they stepped back into the darkness, their presence concealed once again.
"She's scared," they murmured to themselves, satisfaction lacing their tone
Luna paced the living room, her phone pressed to her ear.
"Come on, pick up," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.
After a few tense rings, Vivian's voice came through. "Luna? What's wrong?"
"There's... I think someone's been in the house," Luna said, her voice cracking.
"What? Are you sure?"
"Things in my room—they've been moved. I heard noises upstairs."
Vivian's tone turned sharp. "Lock the doors. Don't open them for anyone. I'm on my way."
Luna nodded, even though Vivian couldn't see her. "Okay. Please hurry."
She ended the call and immediately locked the front and back doors, her hands shaking. The house felt too big, too quiet, as if it were holding its breath.
She sat on the couch, clutching the pendant around her neck like a lifeline. Every sound—the creak of the floor, the rustle of leaves outside—made her jump.
When Vivian finally arrived, Luna practically ran into her arms.
"I'm so sorry," Vivian said, pulling her close. "I should've been here."
Luna shook her head, her voice small. "I don't feel safe here."
Vivian held her tighter, her own fear masked by determination. "We'll figure this out, Luna. I promise.
Later that night, as Luna lay in bed, her body heavy with exhaustion, she heard it again.
A creak.
Her breath hitched as she turned her head toward the window. For a long moment, nothing moved.
Then, just outside the glass, a shadow passed