Page 4 of Masked Instincts

Ice runs through my veins when I see the envelope on my bedside table. A tiny pink piece of paper mocking me. I open it to see a gift card for my favorite coffee shop. I’m not sure who would leave this. Maybe Chase? Even if it were him, how the hell would he get into my apartment? He doesn’t have a key to get in. I know the door was locked because I used my key to get inside.

This weird feeling that I’m never alone and all the gifts being left around makes me wish I lived back on campus. There, it would be easier to watch who comes and goes.

I spin around, hoping and not hoping to find someone standing in the corner of my room. All I find is my reflection in the window looking back at me, mocking me. It makes me look like a damn fool to think whoever is trying to torment me would be right there staring back.

Even with a sign of nothing, it feels like my eyes are lying to me. I’m left with that unsettled feeling. I stay staring out of the window through my curtains, wondering if someone is going to appear before my eyes.

I grab my phone and send a text to Chase.

Me: Did you leave me a gift card to Sit, Sip, Read?

Chase: no?

Me: Weird…

Chase: whats goin on?

Instead of texting back and forth, I call Chase to give him the rundown of all the weird happenings, the unease, the gifts, and the way I feel as if there is always someone behind my back.

“How long has this been going on?” Chase asks, concern lacing his tone.

“Uh.. a few days. A week, maybe.”

“You neglected to say anything? Tell someone in case something happens,” he scolds me, but it only causes something inside of my brain to snap free. I lose it on him.

“Don’t come to me about what I should and should not be doing, Chase. You are the fucking captain of not doing things that you should!” I shout. His ears are probably ringing from the screech in my voice. My neighbors surely are going to hate me too.

I can’t stand how Chase will sit back and let people walk all over him for being himself. He didn’t choose to be who he is, but he’s embracing it. Why can’t others turn away if they don’t like what they see?

“Luna, this is different. What if you’re in danger?” I scoff at his response and I hear him sigh.

“Hello? You are in actual danger! Every! Day! Of! Your! Life!” I push out in another shout.

“Stop yelling at me,” Chase says in a calm tone. I don’t know how he does that either. Anyone can rain down on him and he’ll keep his cool like nothing is wrong.

“I worry about you, Chase. That’s all. I’m sorry.”

A loud bang rattles my door and it makes me jump out of my socks. Rising to my feet, I slowly go to open my door, expecting to find an angry neighbor from the loudness, but when I look around, it’s empty. Not a soul in sight. How did someone move that fast? Or maybe I’m out of my mind and the bang wasn’t really on my door. I’m sure it was just a neighbor. They dropped something.

That’s all.

There was no one ever there.

“What was that?” Chase asks, reminding me that he’s still there.

“Something fell,” I whisper.

“That didn’t sound like something falling,” Chase observes. Don’t I know it.

“Well, something did,” I lie.

I’m losing my mind here. It has to be the stress causing me to see and hear things that aren’t actually there. But the gift card on my nightstand? That’s truly there.

It’s been days since I found the gift card, but luckily I haven’t found another present from an unknown giver. No more noises or knocks that shake me to the bone. I’m sitting next to Chase in the back row of my Human Behavior and Social Environment class. The professor is giving his lecture, and although I usually focus and take notes, my mind is everywhere but here.

“Will you give me your notes after?” I whisper to my friend. He nods his head in response, not losing focus from the front of the class.

I look back over my shoulder toward the door as I contemplate if I should run. I could go curl up in my apartment.