It's Monday again and nothing has happened for a few days much to my relief.

I wake up bursting for a wee so I run to the loo. I have a shower and get ready for school.

Since I got sent that photo of me, I haven't pulled the curtains back.

I don't get changed in my room anymore either and it takes me so long to finally go to sleep, I'm now tired all the time with bags under my eyes.

I come out the bathroom and started to put on my shoes when I notice the curtains are slightly parted.

I go up to them to pull them across properly when I notice mud on my windowsill. I wipe it away and do the curtains properly.

———

It's now Wednesday and I'm woken up by a text message. I was so tired last night I fell asleep on my desk whilst doing homework. I sit up in my chair and grab my phone to see a message from the manager at the coffee shop. It says:

Hello Casey.

Sorry for the short notice but one of our baristas has untimely quit without notice. He worked usually 3 hours on every Monday, Thursday and Sunday from 4pm-7pm. I'd like to offer you the placement.

This will be until I can find a permanent replacement and may last a couple of weeks. If you still are interested and would like to work those hours message me to confirm and you can start tomorrow.

Kind regards -Richard

I jump up in excitement and my blanket falls to the floor, I don't remember putting on a blanket last night.

I'm overjoyed, it's not much but it's something. I message back:

Hi Richard, I would love to work those hours, thank you so much for giving me this opportunity I really appreciate it. If you don't mind me asking what would the hourly pay be?

Regards -Casey

Still literally jumping with happiness I send the message. Unfortunately, all the jumping has made me nearly wet myself so I run for the loo.

I come out the bathroom and stare at my seat realising I didn't finish my damn Geography homework. I make my way over when I see the curtains slightly parted in the middle.

I go over to them to draw them across properly when I see something pink on the pillow on my bed. I make my way over until I'm a meter away from my bed. I stand still mouth open and eyes wide.

Starting to shake I take slow steps forward.

"No, no, no" I whisper to myself. As I get closer my suspicions have come true and I see it's an identical pink heart shaped post-it-note.

Tears form in my eyes and I pick it up.

Casey baby,

You work yourself too hard, bless you.

I contemplated moving you to your bed but you look so peaceful and perfect and I didn't want to risk waking you.

Have a good day at school, my love

Love D.K

XXX

I stare at the note not knowing what to do.

After a while my legs finally start to work again and I run to the window and lock it I then go downstairs and grab a hammer and nails and stomp my way to the window.

My phone goes off.

I go to my phone on the desk with the hammer and nails still in one hand. I freeze once more at the message from unknown;

Bit extreme don't you think? It won't help you anyway, I'll always find a way

He's watching me.

Right now.

I drop the hammer only for it to land straight on my foot and then onto the floor with a loud bang.

I whimper in pain and groan in frustration clutching my foot when mum calls up from down stairs.

"You okay sweetheart, what was that bang?"

That's it I'm telling her.

"Mum can you come up I need to tell you something " I yell.

I can hear her coming up the stairs and my heart starts to beat really fast. Then my phone vibrates.

Shhhhhhhhhhh

Is all it says, instantly reminding me of what happened in the closet. As I look at it, I can practically hear them in my head whispering it in my ear.

Suddenly I'm back in the room in the dark. Heart racing, struggling to breath. The fear overcomes me and mum walks in the room.

"You okay, what you doing?" Mum asks as I'm still holding my foot. I kick the hammer under my desk along with the nails.

I can't tell her.

"I um......I-I dropped my phone on the floor and I-it landed on my foot" I said.

"What made you drop your phone?" She asks. What a brilliant question, one I cannot answer. I just stand there for a moment when my phone goes off, I hesitantly look down and breathe a sigh of relief when I see its Richard.

"I um got a after school job" it not a lie, I have it's just not the exact reason why I dropped my 'phone'.

"Really! Where?" Mum asked excitedly as her face lights up.

"The café around the corner. It's not much, 3 hours after school, three days a week for £4.15 but it's something" I show her the messages from the manager and she smiles widely.

"Thank you so much baby, you don't know how much this means to me" she hugs me tightly "you don't understand how much this is going to help us" she says.

"I do mum, I do" I say as we break from the hug and she smiles sweetly at me and leaves my room.

I text Richard.

Thank you so much I would love to be part of the team!

-Casey

Just as I hit the send button, I get a message.

Good girl

How the fuck did he know? I look at the parted curtains and pull them violently to the point they nearly fall off.

My anger consumes me and I message them.

Who the fuck is this?! Leave me the hell alone

I get a message and it just says one word, one word that is enough to release my tears and send me to the floor as my legs give out.

Never

Unknown's Pov

'Beautiful' is all I think as I look at her unconscious little frame.

Standing the other side of her desk, I climbed through the window.

I crouch down next to her chair on the left side and I just look at her features as she sleeps. Her little button nose and plump pink lips.

This is the second time I've done this. I'm getting more daring every time. She's my addiction, my drug.

Last time I just sat on her windowsill when I climbed through but now, now I'm right next to her, so close I can feel the warmth from her body. Her little dainty body. So perfect. It's like she was made for me.

I get up from my kneeling position and stand up straight. I then take my hand and lightly stroke her hair.

The urge to touch her is too strong.

I listen to her breathing and it's deep and slow, telling me she's in a deep sleep, she won't wake up so easily.

I look at the desk, poor baby, she's got so much homework to do. Too much. She fell asleep with the pen still in her hand. Bless her, she works too hard.

Taking my hand from her hair, I reach down and graze her full lips with my thumb. They are so soft and warm. Oh, what i wouldn't give to feel them all over my body.

I gently take her hair that covers her face and tuck it behind her ear. I bend down and place a kiss on her forehead. Taking in her scent while I'm there.

I watch her for a little longer and I see her body shake a little. Should I move her to her bed? I think to myself, I can't, if I wake her that's it. Game over.

I place one of her blanket-throws over her shoulders and wrap it around her body still sitting at the desk, she stirred a little making me freeze but she soon goes back to her deep breathing and goes still.

I decided to leave a note, I want her to know I was here, I want her to know I'll always be there. I want her to feel protected and safe by knowing I'm watching out for her.

Of course, she could feel the opposite way but oh well. I place it on her pillow and leave the way I came.

———

A few hours later I make my way to the tree outside her house and wait for her to wake up, I can't wait to see her reaction.

I must admit I am tired. I don't sleep much these days but it's worth it, it's worth it just to see her. The pictures I've taken are the things I cherish most at the moment.

It's getting difficult to stay away, each time I see her it's getting harder not to touch her, feel her, just to look at her.

Climbing the tree, I realise I'm a bit late, she's not in her room. I sigh thinking I missed it when she comes out the bathroom.

She makes a step towards the window where I left a perfectly placed gap to see in. She turns around facing her bed.

She's seen it!

She walked slowly to her bed and then ran to the window. My guess is that read the note and freaked out, I couldn't help my smile from forming across my face. She 'locked' the window.

I rest my head in one of my hands, did she think I was stupid. I broke the latch on purpose the other night, so when you 'lock' it, you can still open it with ease. Silly girl.

She's ran out of the room and come back with a hammer. This time I laughed out loud, she's so funny. I take this opportunity to message her in the hopes it will stop her from carrying out her actions.

Thankfully it did and the clumsy thing dropped the hammer on her foot.

Next thing I know her mother's walking up the stairs to go into the room, I wonder if she called her up.

I should get a camera with audio and plant it in her room.

I send her something I know will scare her and it seemed to work. As her mum came in the room she shuffled in her spot and her mum seemed, happy? Exited?

It was clear whatever she had told her wasn't about me so I praise her in text form.

As I get ready to leave my phone goes off loudly, I quickly jump and fumble about to turn off the sound.

Shit, I hope she didn't hear.

I bought this phone only to message her and take pictures, I didn't expect her to message me. I look at the message and grin ear to ear.

Who the fuck is this?!Leave me the hell alone

I look up, she's so cute when she's mad, she shuts the curtains with such force I thought they were going to rip.

I send back one word, simple enough and very true.

Never

=============================

💜