Frida sat cross-legged on the floor of Leah's apartment, surrounded by her study group. Textbooks, highlighters, and crumpled notes were strewn around like confetti from a forgotten party.
Tonight was supposed to be a study session, but it felt more like an impromptu slumber party.
Lexi and Reg were low-key bickering about something ridiculous again, their voices a dull hum against Frida's spiraling thoughts.
"I'm telling you," Lexi said, her blonde curls bouncing as she jabbed a chip into a bowl, "sour cream and onion is objectively the best dip."
"Wrong," Reg shot back, crossing her arms. Her tattooed sleeve and piercings gleamed under the warm light. "It's barbecue. Don't embarrass yourself."
Frida absentmindedly flipped a page in her pharmacology book, but the words blurred together.
The red notes lingered in her mind like an unsolved puzzle. What if the sender wasn't Laz?
The question hit her in the gut like a bus with chills that gave her visible goosebumps.
What if it was someone else?
someone dangerous?
A stalker?
A serial killer?
Her stomach tightened at the thought, but she couldn't shake it. She considered telling her friends, but she hesitated.
Would they even believe her? Or worse, would they laugh?
Her cheeks burned as she imagined their responses.
Leah would probably joke that it was about time someone injected some spice into her life.
Lexi might call it romantic. And Reg? Reg would just roll her eyes and tell her to get over herself.
"Are you okay?" Lexi's voice broke through her thoughts. She was staring at Frida, twisting a dark lock around her finger like a nervous tic.
Frida groaned and rubbed her temples. "It's nothing. I'm just tired. Haven't been getting much sleep."
Lexi gave her a sympathetic nod. "Well, if you're tired, we could go clubbing? That'll wake you up!"
Reg shot her a deadpan look, her dark eyes narrowing under perfectly winged eyeliner. "Wow. Genius suggestion, Lexi. Let's exhaust ourselves more."
Lexi forced a saccharine smile. "Remind me who invited this bitch again?"
"Me." Reg grinned, unapologetic.
Leah, who was somehow multitasking with a coffee cup in one hand and her phone in the other, finally looked up.
Her face mask cracked slightly as she raised a brow. "What club?"
The casual way she said it made Frida chuckle. Leah was always like this unbothered, calm, and ridiculously good at juggling chaos.
She'd probably aced the pharmacology questions she was typing up while they were arguing over dips.
Frida shook her head, trying to focus on her textbook, but her thoughts kept straying.
What if she was being watched right now? The idea sent a shiver down her spine, and she hugged her knees to her chest.
Reg noticed and frowned. "Seriously, Frida, are you good? You're acting weird."
"I'm fine." Her voice came out sharper than she intended.
Reg didn't look convinced, but she shrugged and went back to highlighting her notes.
Frida's gaze drifted toward the window. The streetlights outside cast a faint glow into the room, and for a moment, she swore she saw a shadow move. She blinked, and it was gone.
Her heart raced. She needed answers.
Frida shook her head, trying to push away her spiraling thoughts. She forced herself to focus on the scattered papers in front of her, but the tension in her chest wouldn't ease.
Leah stretched lazily, putting her phone down. "Alright, I'm bored. This is too much work for a Friday night."
Reg raised an eyebrow. "You're literally the one who planned this study session."
Leah smirked. "And I'm officially canceling it. Wanna play truth or dare?"