Frida stumbled into her dorm after her final test, a zombie in every sense of the word.
Her eyes burned, her limbs felt like lead, and her brain was utterly fried from days of relentless studying.
All she wanted was to collapse into bed and disappear for a solid 24 hours.
But the universe clearly had other plans.
Vanessa's unmistakable moans practically shook the walls, accompanied by the telltale squeaking of a bedframe.
Frida froze in her tracks, her exhaustion momentarily replaced by irritation and disbelief.
What happened to hating men and moving on from her ex?
She sighed, standing outside the door with her backpack still slung over one shoulder.
She debated going in but decided against it. The last thing she wanted was to make things even more awkward than they already were.
Her mind drifted as she stood in the hallway, considering her options. Maybe she could head to Leah's place for the night. At least Leah's house was quiet.
Before she could make a decision, the door creaked open. Vanessa and her boyfriend stepped out, their faces flushed with embarrassment.
Vanessa cleared her throat, brushing off the awkwardness with a casual flip of her hair. "I'm going to Todd's place for a while," she announced, like nothing had happened.
Frida blinked at her, too tired to muster a response beyond a nod. "Thanks for the grape juice," she muttered.
Vanessa frowned, tilting her head. "Grape juice? Oh, you mean the energy drinks? I thought your secret admirer was dropping those off every morning. I just put them in the fridge for you."
Frida froze, her blood running cold. "What?" she whispered, her voice tight.
Vanessa shrugged nonchalantly. "Yeah, I'd see some guy leave them by the door, hop into his car, and drive off. I assumed it was your thing."
The snicker bars and now the grape juice? Could they really be from the same person?
But how could they know what she likes so well.
Even her personal tastes?
Frida's hands trembled. "Did they have notes?"
Vanessa shook her head. "Nope. I only ever saw him getting into his car. Bugatti, by the way. Pretty sick ride. I don't think a guy who drives something like that needs to poison you, though."
She laughed lightly. "Anyway, we're leaving. See you whenever!" She waved as she pulled Todd down the hallway.
Frida stood frozen in the doorway, her heart hammering in her chest. The exhaustion that had weighed her down moments ago was now replaced by a cocktail of fear and unease.
He knew her favorite energy drink.
It was such a small, insignificant detail, and yet it sent shivers down her spine.
She kicked the door shut behind her, locking it with a sense of finality before heading to the bathroom.
She needed to relax, to clear her head. Filling the tub with warm water, she poured herself a generous glass of wine and sank into the bubbles.
What a romantic stalker, she thought sarcastically, swirling the wine in her glass.
Her mind drifted to the possibilities. Who was he? Why her? And how had he gotten so close without her noticing?
But all thoughts stopped the moment her eyes landed on the bottle of wine perched on the edge of the tub.
A red sticky note was neatly affixed to it.
"Did you miss me?"
Her glass slipped from her hand, splashing into the water. Her breath caught in her throat as horror spread through her.
He was back.