DAVE'S POV:

"Hey you blue-haired out there! What's your name?"

Fuck. It's a teacher.

I swiftly darted to the backstairs without turning back once as I heard that old hag. That was why she was acting all weird and whoa- she pushed me, didn't she?

That vixen.

What does she think of herself?

I've had enough, seriously! I don't think I can act any longer. It's so fucking hard to be someone you're not. She's eating my head up.

"You dared push me.. I'm going to push myself into you real soon..."

Just you wait.

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VERA'S POV:

"WHO'S THAT FREAKIN BLUBERRY-HAIRED SPECIMEN?!" Whispers Nessie in her signature way while we were solving the exercises the teacher told us to.

"Are we keeping secrets now?" Katherine glared and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Girls, he's that Dave from E-Commerce I was talking about earlier." I said and ticked the question I just completed.

"Crazy how I never saw him before...He seems to have such hostile eyes. I've a bad feeling about him." Sally muttered but I heard her.

When the class ended, Richard came to us.

We at once knew what he wanted to talk about. We sat in a circle and Richard talked,
"To my relief, they weren't crazy enough to use three different phones. All the three were burner SIM phone numbers of a single phone."

"But they were crazy enough to send crap." I gritted my teeth as I said that.

"Where is the burner phone now? Did you trace it?" Sally was proud of her male bestie.

"It was last located in Stompson Road and the site hasn't changed since. What will you do now?"

"I will say hello to my critic by going there!" 

I stood up taking my bag. Nessie grabbed me and shook her head frantically. Katherine was about to speak something but I didn't let her.

"Guys, I must get back at them! It's not something funny to let it pass as prank that involves knocking someone unconscious and taking photos!"

"But it's way more dangerous, Vera."

"Who says I'm going alone?" I laugh. "You all are coming with me!" I flung my bag over my shoulder before smirking and turning to them.

-----

I made my way towards the hall where Sean asked us to gather. Dave was already there talking to someone on his phone and when I neared he ended it.

"I'm sorry about that time. The thing is, Sir does not approve much of Science students mingling with those from other fields."

"The fuck is this? Nazism?" 

He was typing on his phone when he turned and scoffed with utter annoyance. 

He swore for the first time in all these days. I didn't like it. Not that he swore but the fact that he insulted our teacher like that.

We respected him a lot.

"Come to think of it, he isn't entirely wrong too. We need to mug up much more than you people."

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DAVE'S POV:

I scoffed as I heard that absolute bullshit, "The fuck is this? Nazism?"

And there was silence. She didn't say anything for awhile. What's taking Sean so fucking long?

I was fixing my vibrant hair while looking at the camera but stopped my actions abruptly after what she said.

"Come to think of it, he isn't entirely wrong too. We need to mug up much more than you people."

WHOA.

DID SHE-DID SHE JUST SPEAK THOSE WORDS?

She's severely getting on my nerves. I vehemently wish I could fuck that attitude out of that bitchy mouth right here and right now. Of course I had the strength to resist, even though she's looking a piece of meat with that pearl headband. I have never come across a girl as haughty as her.

You do have some real nerve talking to me like that.

I bit the inside of my cheek and turned to her, in order to change the damn topic, "Got any plans after this?"

"Hanging out with my friends, prolly. I don't know." She smiled nervously.

"Your.....friends?" I repeated slowly, thinking I must have misheard something but she fucking nodded.

I sighed in disbelief just when Sean entered the hall.

The meeting ended shortly and Sean handed each of us a form of an upcoming writing contest.

Suddenly, someone entered the hall and it was...the boy whom I asked about Vera earlier!

Seeing him, Vera quickly grabbed her bag and moved out after thanking Sean for his time. She even forgot my existence.

What's the deal?

-----

VERA'S POV:

"It's okay. I already know none of you will have the balls to join me." I sigh and look at Richard.

"If I tell you the reason why we're hesitating, you won't have the balls to go too." He said with such clarity that I stopped on my tracks. I turned and looked at him questioningly.

He swallowed and continued, "The location has changed, Vera." My heart skipped a bit.

"What?"

"I just traced it again a minute ago, and it's no more in Stompson Road. I guess they are moving towards Park Real Estate to have it disposed."

"All the more reason for me to go." I spoke as I stare into the distance, heart beating at the craziest speed.

I came back home and quickly dressed on anything casual. I didn't even care combing my hair. Mr. Stalker would surely be disappointed but it can't be helped. He chose it in the first place!

With one earpiece in my left ear getting updates from Richard, I started to move towards the abandoned side of the city. It wasn't really uninhabited though, only canopies roofing the streets and making it look what they call as 'ghastly.'

As I moved deeper into the woods, I could feel an unsettling sense of eyes on me even when I was alone... Every now and then I heard twigs crushing and bushes rustling which were definitely not my doing...

Luckily, I was still not out of my wits which strongly questioned my own paranoia.. I was having this feeling of being followed but never seeing my pursuer..

"Vera! Are you there? Can you hear me?" Richard seemed worried. "The phone's been disposed, Vera. Get out of there this instant!"

"What are you saying? But I saw no one?" I was dumbstruck. That means they're already gone!

Shoot. They were so freaking ahead of me.

Just as I was about to ask Richard to hack the CCTV outside the building so as to see who could've entered the forest, I heard footsteps behind me....slow yet firm...

"Vera? VERA!?"

Nothing came out of my mouth...I was scared shit..

"ARE YOU LOST OR ARE YOU TRYING TO LOSE YOUR WAY?"

W-What?

The voice was nothing like that of a typical stalker essence that it should've had. I turned and lo-

Who's this tall duffer now?

How dare he look so tall and long-legged, towering over me and embarrassing me like that?

"Who are you?" I asked, and the tensions in my muscles were released like a cascade.

"I'm the owner of this clearing. Who are you? He emphasized and I turned red.

What should I say? A victim of a runaway stalker?

I was fidgeting my fingers looking down when I sensed him coming near.. He took a look at my face. "You're out of breath. Are you sure you're okay?"

He asked that with so much concern that I completely dumped the idea of him being some bad guy.

"N-no. I'm okay, really. Thanks!"

"I came here with my friend. But we parted ways, hehe." I know I blabbered rubbish but what could I do?

He rolled his eyes slightly at that and said, "It isn't a place to be fooling around, kid. Be careful on your way out."

Did he just say kid?

"I will. But why does no one live here?" I asked as I glance at the old, shabby building.

For some reason I thought the place was too homelike to abandon. He said he was the owner didn't he? He must have seen the stalker coming into the woods then. Should I ask about it?

"Why are you so curious about that? Go home already it's getting dark. You won't want your parents to worry."

WHOA.

HOW RUDE CAN HE BE?

I huffed and muttered a curse shortly, which I think he came to know because he rolled his eyes. "I live alone and whether I run late or not, that's none of your business!"

I finally turned because he didn't reply anything to that and was only bearing a poker face.

I was humming as I made my way back, occasionally hopping over fallen twigs and branches. I hadn't moved long when I heard my footsteps tracing, yet again.

What's wrong with this duffer?

"Why do you have to follow me now?"

"As much as I hate doing it too, I've got no choice. There's a single road." He has such sharp expressions. Does he own the planet or what?

"Holy-

I stopped as I heard my phone ringing. It was Sally. I slid the green button when-

"Vera! Are you okay? Damn it we were so fucking worried!" She spoke everything in a single breath.

"Screw y'all. If you were so worried why not join me in the first place?" I rolled my eyes as I hung up. I was so close to catching the culprit only if this duffer wouldn't have shown up!

As I was heading home, I found a new cake shop opening near my lane. Attracted by its vibrant display, I entered it and was warmly welcomed by the staff. I felt so puzzled in buying for all the items were so alluring! Just as I was about to order a mousse,

"Order what you like girley! Alex says it's on him today!

In a flash I turned my head to see the owner of the voice. Yes, undoubtedly it was her. It was none other than Tiffany, who used to be my best friend once upon a time....

Why is she talking to me on her own?

My friends....who are no more mine now...

They'd left me, back in tenth grade inflicting hurt much more than Tristan could have done... It was me who introduced Tiffany to my group... and in return what did she thank me with?

She stole all of them from me...

Since then hope flickers like a dying candle in the wind, constantly threatened by the darkness of isolation..

They didn't ghost me on one single day. It was gradual and eventual....with seeds of ignorance deeply and constantly sown by Tiffany on their minds...

"Vera, hey! Sit right here, grab it before that Hillary!"

I was brought out of my trance when for the first time in four years...Alex talked to me....on his own!

WHAT'S WRONG WITH THEM?! HAVE THEY GONE BONKERS?

And as much as I hate to admit it....a part of me...was reminiscing those days...It felt as though I was back..to the days when they were my peers and not Tiffany's.

Of course I couldn't be easy when they gave their attention to me while we were eating. How could anyone? 

Heck, how would you feel if your long lost squad started to acknowledge you out of the blue? When earlier they wouldn't give two flying fucks if you existed?

I slowly got up, still not getting hold of the situation...How is this possible? They were so normal, talking this, talking that..

They insisted that I stay for long but I denied...because I-I couldn't! It better not be a dream. Am I so sick and desperate that I'm seeing things right now?

A sudden ring of my phone wronged my thought. I sighed in disbelief as I struggled to open the purse to get the phone while my hands were occupied carrying the cakes and shakes they've sent away with me.

And in the next instant, my soul quivered with an inexplicable and unknown fright...causing the phone to drop on the ground with a thud...

Not out of clumsiness....But out of seeing the caller......

Because it showed none other than.......Dave..

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A/N:

Let the games beginnnnnnn!

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till then,

Love,

Juyeon.