Episode 4
Author
Hi guys, new episode!!!
It started with a single note.
At first, Anya thought nothing of it—a small folded piece of paper slipped between the vents of her locker. She assumed it was from one of her friends, maybe a silly joke or an invitation to hang out. But when she unfolded it, her fingers trembled.
"You look beautiful today. Like always."
There was no name. No signature. Just those simple words, scrawled in elegant, precise handwriting.
That same day, she found a single black rose tucked into the corner of her locker. Its petals were smooth, almost velvety, as if freshly plucked. The dark color stood out against the pale metal of her locker like a mark of something sinister.
Someone had chosen this specifically for her.
"A black rose? That means obsession!" (correct me if I'm wrong. ಠωಠ)
Anya sat at the lunch table, gripping the note and staring at the rose resting beside her tray.
Mia
*Mia reached for it, twirling the stem between her fingers.* "Damn, girl. A secret admirer and a dramatic one." *She smirked.* "Black roses aren’t just romantic. They mean obsession."
Liana
*Liana leaned in, her voice teasing.* "Ooooh, what if it’s someone totally in love with you, like crazy in love?"
Anya
*Anya forced a laugh, but it came out shaky.* "That’s not funny."
Mia
*Mia wiggled her eyebrows.* "It kinda is. Imagine some tall, dark, and mysterious guy watching you from the shadows, ready to whisk you away—"
Liana
"Or lock her in a basement," *Liana joked.*
Anya
*Anya shivered.* "Okay, seriously, stop."
Mia
*Mia pouted.* "You’re no fun. It’s probably just some guy crushing on you, but too much of a coward to show his face."
The strange gifts didn’t stop.
At the mall, she picked out a simple bracelet at a jewelry shop, planning to buy it for herself. But when she reached the counter—
"Oh, miss, no need to pay," the cashier said with a polite smile. "It’s already been taken care of."
Anya
*Anya blinked.* "What?"
"The gentleman who was here before you said he’d cover the cost. It’s all paid for."
Her heart hammered against her ribs. She hadn’t seen anyone near her in the store.
She turned sharply, scanning the crowd. People bustled past, going about their shopping, laughing with friends, checking their phones.
Somewhere among them, he was there. Watching.
Anya's grandma
"Where did this come from?"
Anya’s grandmother frowned as she eyed the large bouquet of roses on the kitchen table. The deep crimson petals seemed almost too perfect, arranged elegantly in a crystal vase.
Anya hesitated. She had come home to find them waiting at the doorstep, along with a small box containing a delicate gold necklace.
Anya
*She forced a smile.* "Um... a friend gave it to me."
Anya's grandma
*Her grandmother’s brows knitted together.* "A friend? That’s an expensive gift."
Anya
"Y-Yeah, well, it’s a... surprise. I guess."
She hated lying to her grandmother. But what could she say? That she had no idea who was sending her these gifts? That some invisible force had wormed its way into her life, controlling it from the shadows?
That someone—whoever he was—knew where she lived.
That someone—whoever he was—knew where she lived.
It was beautiful. Elegant.
She didn’t know whether to feel flattered or afraid.
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