Chap 14: Stranger or Stalker

The following day, Evelyn woke up dreaming about a guy in a black hoodie. She still felt a heaviness in her head because of the drugs.

Ava, who had been worried sick about Evelyn, had been sleeping beside her in her room to ensure she was okay. She woke up as soon as she heard Evelyn and gently asked, " Are you alright? "

" W-What happened?" Evelyn asked, confused." My head seems like it's bursting."

" Have some water." Ava helped Evelyn and waited for her to calm down. " Don't you remember what happened yesterday?"

"Y-Yesterday?" Evelyn recalled the previous day's events and suddenly jolted up. " The d-drugs...kidnapping."

" Can you tell me what happened?" Ava asked, concerned.

Evelyn recounted everything that happened, from the time her friend gave her drugs to the kidnapping and being rescued by a hooded man. " Once I was in the car, I lost consciousness, so I don't know what happened after that."

" He dropped you home."

" Huh??"

" The hooded man. He brought you home," Ava clarified.

" Did you see who it was?" Evelyn asked hopefully.

" No. His face was covered except for his eyes," Ava replied. " I was so shocked to see you unconscious in the arms of a stranger; I was this close to calling the cops. Thankfully, he didn't attempt anything."

" I don't know who he was and why he helped me." She then remembered talking with him while in the car and looked flustered. " He said a few weird things."

" What was it?"

" He said he has been watching me for days and knows everything about me. He almost sounded possessive."

" What have you got yourself into, Evelyn?" Ava asked, now even more worried. " And what's with these guys kidnapping you? I think we should go to the cops."

"No," Evelyn said hurriedly.

" What do you mean no?"

" They are all very influential people, and I don't have any proof against them. Even the goons didn't mention their names."

" Then should we sit quietly doing nothing?" Ava scoffed.

" Of course not. I was careless this time, but I would never give them a chance again," Evelyn said with determination.

" But these guys are dangerous. It's not regular college bullying; they have resorted to kidnapping."

Their conversation was interrupted by the ring of the doorbell.

" I think it's Josh," Ava said.

" What's he doing here so early in the morning?" Evelyn asked, surprised. She looked at the guilty look on Ava's face. " Did you tell him?"

" He showed up home yesterday as he was unable to reach you on the phone," Ava said and went to open the door.

After a few seconds, Josh rushed into Evelyn's room, looking concerned. " Evelyn, you are awake. How are you feeling?"

" I am perfectly fine, Josh. You don't have to worry," Evelyn said with a smile.

" How can I not worry? I want to know everything that happened yesterday."

" It's not a big deal. Look, I am safe now," Evelyn tried to pacify Josh, but he was not in a mood to listen. " Tell me, now," he said, glaring at Evelyn.

Evelyn repeated the entire ordeal in front of Josh, who seemed to grow angrier by the minute. " You were being bullied, and you never told me?"

" I was able to handle them myself," Evelyn pouted.

" I can see how you handled it," Josh spat. " I am going to make them pay," he said, cracking his knuckles.

" No," Evelyn said hurriedly. " I don't want you to be involved."

" How can I not? Can't you see what they did?"

" I know, Josh, but they are extremely rich people, and if you beat them up, you yourself will land in trouble."

Josh wanted to argue, but he knew what Evelyn said was true.

" They got me since I trusted my friend. But I will be careful next time," Evelyn added.

" Stay away from Triston's problems. You got involved because of him," Josh seethed.

" That's not fair, Josh. We can't blame Triston for what happened," Evelyn replied. " Rather, you can concentrate on training him harder."

Josh wanted to refute that but decided against it. "...And do you know who this hooded guy is?"

" I couldn't see his face," Evelyn said.

" Why would he help you out of the blue?"

" What if it's someone you know?" Ava asked suddenly.

" Who?" Josh asked, raising his brow. " Do you know who it was?"

" I don't know anything," Ava said. " Even I couldn't see his face."

" Whoever he was..." Evelyn added. " He was as tall as you and could fight very well," she said, looking at Josh.

Josh left after he was convinced Evelyn was alright. She freshened up and switched on her phone to see numerous messages from Josh and Triston. She decided to call Triston to ease his worry.

" Where are you, Evelyn? I have been trying to contact you since yesterday."

Evelyn could hear the fear and concern in Triston's voice. " I am at home right now. I will talk to you once I meet you."

" So, what time are you coming? The classes are about to start."

" I will be a little late; see you at lunch."

After the call, Triston was relieved as his mind had been running wild since the previous day when he failed to meet Evelyn. He was under the impression that she was angry with him and didn't want to be his friend.

During lunch, Triston was shocked to hear Evelyn's words, and his first thought was that he was the reason for it.

" It's all because of me," Triston choked up. " They targetted you because you are helping me. "

" I knew you would say that," Evelyn said, holding Triston's hands. " Don't blame yourself for their deeds."

" How can I not? What if something happened to you? No...!! I think you should stay away from me," Triston said with a heavy heart.

" Don't you consider me as your friend? "

" How can you say that? You are the only friend I have."

" Then why are you asking me to stay away?" Evelyn spat. " Do you think I am a coward?"

" Of course not," Triston said hurriedly.

" In that case, get out of your negative thoughts and help me fight with them. I have no other friends here whom I could trust."

Triston was easily convinced when Evelyn put it like that. Together they decided to stay alert and keep a watch as Evelyn had a feeling the Cliff twins would be angry at the failure of their plan and might act again.

After lunch, Evelyn went to the locker room to get her books. When she opened her locker, she found a note and a red rose. The note read, 'Hope you are doing well, Love, Adam.'

Evelyn had mixed feelings about this. Though she was thankful to him for saving her life, she was still confused about his behavior. Did he have her locker keys? Her thoughts are interrupted when she sees more people barging into the locker room. She hurriedly closed the locker before anybody else could see the rose or the note.

The rest of the day at the college went smoothly as their bullies were nowhere to be seen.

Josh was particularly harsh with Triston in their MA class and pressured him to do better. Even Triston himself felt a newfound determination after whatever happened with Evelyn. He felt a necessity to be capable of keeping her safe.

Evelyn felt a bit tired, so she had left early to go home. While she was on the way back, she constantly had a feeling she was being watched. She turned around several times but couldn't see anyone and thought she was getting paranoid because of the kidnapping. Finally, she reached home safely and heaved a sigh of relief.

Unbeknownst to Evelyn, she was indeed being followed. The Cliff twins could not get hold of the goons after they took Evelyn to the warehouse as their phones were not reachable. Feeling frustrated, Jeff and Fred went to the warehouse to find it completely ransacked with no sign of Evelyn or the goons.

The next day they were shocked to see Evelyn in the college looking perfectly fine without a scratch on her body. Unable to handle the defeat, they decide to strike again by sending more goons after Evelyn. Before they could attack her, they were intercepted by Adam, who beat them badly until they were unconscious.

Evelyn was sitting in her room when she saw a shadow near the window. She rushed towards the window to see Adam standing there staring at her.

" What are you doing here?" Evelyn asked, surprised.

" Protecting you," Adam said in a deep voice.

" What? How?"

Adam ignored her question and asked, " Why is your window open? Anyone could easily enter in."

"Huh?"

" You should be careful and be safe."

" First, tell me who you are."

" I will tell you when the time is right."

" When is the right time?"

" I don't know."

" How did you open my locker?" Evelyn asked, annoyed that he was not answering her questions properly.