Chapter 5:Suspense in the Night
Shane lazily rested her chin on her elbow in hopes of finding a comfortable position. Her eyes were plastered on the computer screen in front of her. It seemed like her laptop was her new best friend these past few days. She absolutely could not think of anything better to do other than required schoolwork and writing articles for the newspaper. Her life was finally starting to have a bit of normalcy to it and it was nice.
However, not EVERYTHING felt normal. And not surprisingly, Shane expected that. But she was definitely trying hard to ignore it. She just couldn’t get her little luncheon together. She just felt so horrible for walking out on him the way she did. But she just couldn’t let him know the truth about her past. If the truth ever came out, she could be risking Justin’s life.
Shane snapped out of her train of thinking when she barely heard a faint sound of tapping and knocking. The scary part was that although it was barely audible, Shane could hear it perfectly loud and clear…and it made her blood run cold. Shane instinctively reached underneath the couch but began to panic once she found no gun there.
“Shit! Where the hell did I put it?” Shane said quietly cursing herself. “I gotta find it before…”
Too late. This time the noise at the window changed from a faint tapping to a loud crash and shattered glass. Shane’s breathing quickly turned heavy and gained momentum as she felt déjà vu all over again. There was nothing she could use as weapon. Nothing in the living room at least. Shane quickly ran into the kitchen and grabbed the largest knife she could find and slowly made her way towards the noise, which was oddly enough coming from her bedroom. It truly was déjà vu all over again. It hit close to home.
Too close.
Loud pounding noise wouldn’t stop resounding in Shane’s ears. It was the sound of her heart beating faster than it ever had in her entire life. She couldn’t help but feel the her blood rushing through her veins. Her palms were sweaty, her skin was pale white, dried tears had stained her face, and her whole body was trembling uncontrollably. She could barely think straight.
The noises were so loud, so obvious. The window cracking, the footsteps hitting the ground, the fast motion of an axe slicing through empty air. It was so frightening, so very frightening.
She knew with just one more step, she would be face to face with that hideous person. That vile and dangerous face. The one she had only encountered so very few times, but was still fresh in her mind. The face of a person who she never in her whole life thought would betray her…and hunt her down like a wild animal looking for its prey.
That was it…she was prey.
The footsteps became louder and the figure distantly became more visible. With every ounce of strength in her tired and frightened body, Shane tried her fastest to run. Run.
Just run, she thought.
Too late. The glass was shattering. The walls were closing in. The fear was in control. The figure was inching closer. Run, she thought. Run…or die.
Shane knew that this time she couldn’t run. There was nowhere to run to. She remembered how dangerous it was to just run like she did the last time. No, she had to go through with this…this time around. She had to see who was in her bedroom. Or at least who was trying to get IN.
Slowly she made her way past the couch and once she got to the entry way of her bedroom, the noise of glass shattering refreshed her mind of the past. Shane peeked into the dim room through the small opening that the bedroom door provided. She could see someone fumble with the lock on the window. There was glass all over the floor already. Shane quietly crept towards the figure outside of her bedroom window. Slowly, quietly, she approached that unknown figure. This was the moment of truth. If it was HM, this could be her one chance to be on the winning end of the game. It was always a game. And she was usually the main game player. Even though she didn’t want to be.
The window was now opening and Shane was getting closer. A hand once again reached from outside of the bedroom and wrapped its fingers around the edges of the window in order to better open it. This was it, Shane thought. She reached for the hand and immediately grabbed it and jerked the person inside. Screams came from both people and at the moment that Shane heard the scream of the other person, she was extremely surprised. Surprised to find that it was odd enough for someone like ‘him’ to be so clumsy and unskilled when he was the total opposite. But the most surprising thing was that the person that was screaming was that of a woman’s voice. Once this all clicked in Shane’s head, she immediately let go of the person’s hand and ran for the bedroom light switch.
Panting, heart racing, and fear overwhelming her, Shane turned to look who it was and was totally in awe as to who it was. “What the hell do you think you were doing?”
“Me? What were trying to do, kill me?” Kori Lockheart, Shane’s next door neighbor, exclaimed.
“Kori, what do you expect a SANE person to do when they hear someone breaking into their apartment? What were you doing anyway?” Shane asked angered, but deep down she was relieved that it wasn’t ‘him.’
Kori took a deep breath and explained, “I was TRYING to get into MY bedroom window; however, it was too dark outside and both my REAL window was dark and so was yours and I just guessed as to which window was the right.”
Shane shook her head and tried to make any sense of what Kori had just explained, but she was just completely lost. “Okay…explain why you were outside on the ledge trying to get in through your WINDOW of all places. You were three floors up…you could’ve been killed Kori. Did that ever think of that?” Shane looked at Kori who’s face was red with humiliation and tried her best to calm down fully and act more accordingly. “So why in heaven’s name didn’t you just go through your door?”
“Well…cause…you see…but…” Kori stammered. She looked up at Shane who looked obviously frustrated just waiting for her to explain. “I wasn’t allowed to go out tonight, but I decided to just sneak out to see my boyfriend and well…my parents don’t know…or at least I hope they still don’t know…that I sneaked out my window.”
Shane tried her best to not get to antsy and frustrated over it all, but she just couldn’t let her nerves rest. She also didn’t want to seem all jittery in front of Kori if it meant that she was to find out why Shane was so frightened. She looked at Kori’s pleading face to not tell her parents and replied, “alright I believe you. But Kori, how in the world do you expect to get back into YOUR room this time?”
“I guess I’ll just go out this window and back through mine.”
Shane had a battle of thoughts in her mind at that moment. She didn’t want Kori to get in trouble, even if she deserved to be. She also didn’t want her to be climbing outside of a building three stories up. But there seemed to be no other solution. “Alright fine, but I’m gonna watch you and make you sure you get there…SAFELY. Jesus Kori, the lengths I go to keep you from getting in trouble.”
Kori wrapped her long arms around Shane’s neck in a big hug and thanked her repeatedly. “I swear I’ll pay you back for the broken window. And thanks SO SO much. I totally owe you.”
Once Shane pried Kori off of her, she ushered her towards the broken window and watched as she made her way onto the narrow ledge. Shane was so scared that she might fall, but luckily she was a pro at doing it that she got to her bedroom window in a matter of minutes. Once inside her room, Kori bobbed her head out of it and mouthed ‘thank you’ while giving Shane the thumbs up.
Shane decided that she would just turn in for the night, but not before sweeping up the broken glass on the carpet. The window was totally broken. Just that there was a good-sized hole in the middle of it underneath the latch. Shane—who was still quite jittery—decided to just put in a pad lock on the latch. Luckily the window was an old type of window where you could not only lock it by the latch, but you could also put in a lock to hold the bottom half from being opened up. Shane looked through her kitchen drawers and sighed a breath of relief when she finally found a pad lock. She latched it on the window and walked into her living room. She wasn’t about to risk having someone break into her apartment through her window…again.
Shane sat at her desk and looked at the literature paper she had been typing up on her laptop. She was NOT in the mood to pull an all-nighter trying to finish the paper. “Oh forget this. It’s not due for another two days. I can do tomorrow.” Shane told herself as she turned the laptop off. She looked at the clock sitting on the desk and noticed that it was already 2am. “God, am I beat.” Shane said as she lay down on her couch and drifted off to sleep.
She didn’t know it then, but she was being watched. A pair of eyes so fixated on her sleeping was intensely trying to meditate a plan so wicked, so psychotic, and so devilishly devious. Those eyes watched her like a hawk. Watching her every toss and turn as she slept restlessly. For Shane, this was only the beginning. The beginning of the end of what mattered to her the most. Her life.
Shane woke up with a start as her phone continuously rang throughout her living room. She exhaustedly made her way to her study desk to pick up the phone. “Hello?” Shane answered trying to rub the sleep out of her eyes.
“Hey sleepyhead!” Rachael replied cheerfully.
Shane yawned once more before starting, “so to what do I owe this early morning wake up call?”
Rachael chuckled and replied, “someone sounds grouchy. What bug bit your ass?”
Shane took the cordless with her into the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee into her mug. “Very funny Rach. I’m just tired. I had a rather frightening experience last night which is about to cost me the price of a new window.”
“Oh, that doesn’t sound to good. Well, look I was just calling to see how you are. So anyway, maybe you could give me the 411 on last night’s festivities over lunch?” Rachael asked.
Shane looked at her watch and noticed that it was already 9am and she was due on campus for her literature class in about an hour and a half. “Yah, that will be fine. I’ll meet you at the Marie Callendar’s by your hotel around 1pm. Sound good?”
Rachael replied, “sounds good to me.”
Rushing into her bedroom, Shane went through her closet feverishly trying to find a good outfit to wear, “alright. Hey I gotta go get ready for a class. I’ll talk to you at lunch.”
“Okay see you then,” Rachael retorted.
“Bye.” Shane hung up and picked out an outfit.
Before going into the bathroom to change, she turned to look at her bedroom window. The lock was still holding and it was still in the same condition it had been in last night. “Hmm, I better call the landlord and tell him about that broken window being fixed. Fast.” Shane quietly said to herself.
She turned around to go into the bathroom but was abruptly stopped by a strong breeze brush her back. Shane instinctively turned around slowly to look at the window. Her eyes scanned the rest of the bedroom and even into a good part of the living room. Shane nervously bit her lower lip and slowly walked over to the broken window. She stood in front of it at first and watched the tree outside of her window. The leaves were calm and no wind seem to be going. How odd. Shane stepped forward in an attempt to touch the window but she suddenly felt a tremendous and sharp pain hit her as she stepped forward. She looked down at her foot and noticed blood on the carpet from her bleeding foot. “Shit! I must’ve stepped on some glass.” Shane spoke as she sat on her bed looking at the small but quite deep cut in her foot. She got off the bed and painfully hopped to her bathroom. As she turned to close the door, she looked once more at the broken window. How strange, she thought. It almost felt as if…as if someone were watching her every move. Shane closed the door and leaned her back against it and let her head dip forward. “You’re being stupid Shane. No one’s watching you. It’s all in…” Shane took a deep breath and looked at herself in the mirror—she was pale and visibly shaking—and finished her sentence, “it’s all in your mind.”
Shane walked out of her calculus class and was totally drained. She had been tardy to her literature class since she had been limping the whole way to class. Her psychology class was a complete bore and calculus was the absolute one class that she hated the most. She was just happy to finally be able to go see Rachael for lunch. It was nearly one o’clock and she was starving.
Once she arrived at the restaurant, she was immediately ushered to the table where Rachael had been waiting for her. “I’m sorry for being late. I got out of a late class, and traffic was absolutely horrid, and…”
“And nothing Shane. Relax.” Rachael said calming her down.
“Relaxation is definitely what I need!” Shane replied.
After their food arrive, Rachael decided to bring up what she had been wondering ever since Shane walked in. “So umm…what’s up with the limp?”
Shane looked up from her bowl of soup and looked confused, “what are you talking about?”
Rachael pointed to Shane’s foot and waited for an explanation. Shane followed her lead and replied, “oh that, it’s nothing really…I just umm…stepped on some broken glass…but anyway this soup is really delicious. Reminds me of that…”
“Woah wait a minute. Hold your horses. What is this about broken glass?” Rachael asked concerned.
“Like I said, I had a little mishap last night and I just accidentally stepped on a little piece of broken glass this morning. I’m fine.” Shane said reassuring her.
Shane really hated to concern her best friend. Rachael—as wild and feisty as she was—was a bit of a worrisome person. But Rachael wouldn’t back down from this at all, “so mind explaining what your little mishap was?”
“It was a totally minor thing. Just that umm…my next door neighbor’s daughter broke my window that’s all.” Shane quickly explained. So it wasn’t the WHOLE truth. At least she didn’t lie about anything. It was all true. Kori HAD broke her window. It was just that she withheld the more detailed parts of the truth.
Rachael raised an eyebrow in suspicion and asked, “are you sure that’s the truth?”
“Well…” Shane sheepishly replied, “…no. But don’t worry Rach. It really wasn’t anything at all. It’s all in the past. It’s just that…”
“Just that what?” Rachael asked worried.
“Nothing. Forget it.” Shane said.
Rachael comfortingly placed her hand over Shane’s and began, “Shane, I’m your best friend…you can tell me anything. You know that.”
Shane patted Rachael hand and nodded in agreement, “I know Rach. And I love you for that. It’s just that…” Shane stopped to look around her and returned to facing Rachael and continued in a now low whisper, “this morning while I was going to get dressed, I must’ve been paranoid cause I could’ve sworn someone was watching me. I know it’s crazy, but…”
Rachael held her hand up to quiet Shane and replied, “Shane you gotta snap out of it. Everything is FINE.”
“I know, it’s just that I felt so sure of myself,” Shane insisted.
Rachael shook her head and replied once more, “Shane, just forget about what happened in the past and move on.”
“I know I know,” Shane said. She took one glance at her watch and her eyes widened, “oh my gosh.”
“What is it?” Rachael asked startled.
“I have to get to work. I’m sorry to cut our lunch short.” Shane said fumbling to get her bag.
“It’s alright. I’ll talk to you later.” Rachael called after Shane as she rushed out the door and managed to wave.
Rachael looked out the window to watch Shane rush to get in her car and drive off. “I hope I’m not giving you false hope Shane. Cause if I were, then that would mean that everything is at stake. Especially your life.
Shane sat at her desk in the newsroom looking over some topics and background info that Danny had left on her desk for her to read over. She sat rubbing her aching temples as she tried her best to concentrate. Sure enough, just as she was getting into what she was reading, Kayla came over and interrupted her. “Hey stranger. I haven’t seen you so uptight these past few days. You felling alright?”
As much as Shane liked Kayla, she just didn’t need anyone’s companionship at the moment. She tried her best to put on a smile and looked up at Kayla, “really, I’m fine. Just all this work and school stuff is getting the best of me.”
“Well you know if you ever need…” Kayla was interrupted by the ringing of Shane’s cell phone.
Shane breathed a sigh of relief and signaled Kayla to wait while she answered her phone. “Hello?”
“Hey Shane, it’s Justin.”
“Great.” Shane muttered under her breath.
“Excuse me?” Justin asked confused.
“Hi!” Shane replied cheerfully. “What’s up?”
“Nothing really, I was just worried about you ever since you ran out on me at lunch the other day. You okay?” Justin asked. Concern evident in his voice.
“I’m fine, and I’m very sorry about running out on you. But for now could we just not discuss WHY I walked out?” Shane said trying to sound as kind and gracious as she could.
“That’s fine. Well anyway, the real reason as to why I called was because this Saturday me and the guys are performing for a charity gala and I was wondering if you wanted to come along?”
Thoughts ran through Shane’s head about the possible implications of her going, but for some odd reason, she just couldn’t resist. “Umm..”
“I would REALLY love it if you came along. If it makes you feel better, you can bring a friend.” Justin tried insisting.
Shane sighed and finally gave in, “alright.”
“Great! I’ll umm..I’ll call you later and give you details.” Justin added.
“Sounds good. Talk to you then. Bye.” Shane replied and hung up.
She totally did not want to go to the gala alone. She couldn’t’ bring Rachael nor could she bring Ryan cause she knew it was their one year anniversary and she didn’t want to take them away from their own private celebration.
“So was that who I think it was?” Kayla asked cheerily.
BINGO! Shane thought to herself.
“Yes it was. So umm…Kayla, how would like coming along with me to a charity gala that Nsync is performing at?”
Chapter 6
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