The next morning, the world felt thinner, like one wrong step and it might crack open beneath Claire's feet. Sleep had come in short bursts, each dream darker than the last. She barely touched her breakfast before heading out, the weight of the crumpled note heavy in her bag. Today, she told herself. Today, she would tell Sam.
School bustled around her like nothing had changed—kids laughing too loud in the hallways, teachers barking reminders about upcoming exams, the smell of cheap cologne and cafeteria grease hanging in the air. But for Claire, everything felt off-kilter, like the walls had shifted a few inches overnight.
She spotted Sam near the courtyard after third period, his head bent low as he scribbled something into his notebook, earbuds in. Relief flooded through her so fast it made her knees weak. He was here. Finally.
Claire wove through the crowd, heart hammering. Her fingers tightened around the note in her bag.
"Sam!" she called, her voice sharper than she meant.
Sam glanced up, pulling out one earbud. "Hey, Claire. You okay? You look—"
"Can we talk? Now. Somewhere private?" she cut in, her throat dry.
Sam's eyes flickered over her face, reading the cracks in her calm like only he could. He shut his notebook with a soft snap. "Yeah. Courtyard's empty this time. Come on."
They cut through a side door and stepped out into the small stone courtyard behind the science building. The autumn wind stirred the fallen leaves at their feet. It was quieter here, tucked away from prying eyes.
Claire's hands trembled as she pulled the paper out and thrust it toward Sam. "This was in my locker. Yesterday. It's the second one I've gotten."
Sam took it, his easy-going expression hardening as he read the jagged letters. "'Hey Claire, wanna tumble down the stairs again? Hahaa.'" His mouth flattened into a grim line. "What the hell—"
"I don't know who's doing this." Claire's voice cracked, raw with frustration and fear. "First it was in the library. Now my locker. And whoever it is... they know. About what happened last semester. The fall."
Sam looked up, sharp now. "You think it's someone from back then? Someone who knows you—knows what happened?"
Claire's breath came out shaky. "I don't know. But last night, Randy said some stuff... about Diana. About how she hated me because of Miko." Her fingers clenched into fists. "And I can't stop thinking—what if this is her? What if she's the one doing this?"
Sam's eyes darkened. He folded the note and stuffed it into his pocket. "If it is Diana, she's playing a dangerous game.
Claire grabbed Sam's sleeve before he could turn away.
"Wait, Sam — you know about Diana?"
Sam's expression shifted, his jaw tightening just a little.
"Claire," he said quietly, "yeah. I know. The girl you used to bully. The one you—" he hesitated, then finished, "threw dirty water at. In front of everyone."
Claire's face burned. She looked away, her throat tightening.
"God… I was such a mess back then."
Sam's voice softened. "People change, Claire. You're not that person anymore." He shrugged lightly. "Besides, I heard more about her from a friend of mine."
Claire blinked, her head snapping up. "Who?"
Sam hesitated this time, glancing away.
"Miko. You knew that Diana likes him right"
"How come I forgot Miko. Yeah, he knows Diana well".
Sam let out a breath, running a hand through his hair like he was already making a plan in his head.
"Alright," he said. "First things first — we're gonna figure out who's behind this. The note in your locker, the one in the library… Someone's been watching you for a while, Claire. This isn't random."
Claire swallowed hard. "You really think so?"
Sam nodded, his eyes steady on hers. "Yeah. And I'm guessing the paper you found in the library wasn't just left there by accident either. Which book was it again?"
Claire's fingers tightened around the strap of her bag. "It was Time Travel. I just pulled it off the shelf, and there it was— folded between the pages. No name."
Sam's mouth pressed into a thin line. "So they planted it where they knew you'd find it. In a book you'd pick up."
That realization made Claire's skin prickle. She hadn't thought of it like that before. It meant whoever this was… they knew her habits. They'd been close. Watching.
Sam straightened, his energy shifting now — focused, sharp.
"Okay. I'll start by checking the cameras near the locker rooms. There's gotta be at least one that catches the hallway." He glanced at her. "And we're going back to the library later. You'll show me exactly where you found that note."
Claire's heart pounded. "You really think we can find something?"
Sam's lips lifted in a half-smile — not cocky, but determined.
"I'm not promising Sherlock Holmes stuff. But yeah. I think we can get close. And whoever did this?" His gaze darkened. "They messed with the wrong person."
Claire felt a flicker of warmth in her chest. Maybe, just maybe, she wasn't as alone in this as she thought.
"Thanks, Sam," she whispered.
He gave a small nod. "We'll get to the bottom of it, Claire. I swear."
Later that afternoon, when the last bell echoed through the halls, Claire found Sam waiting by the main staircase, his hands shoved in his pockets.
"Ready?" he asked, his tone low but steady.
Claire nodded, though her stomach was a knot. "Yeah. Let's do it."
The library was quieter than usual — most students had already cleared out, leaving only the soft hum of the ceiling fans and the faint scratch of a pen from the front desk. Claire led Sam through the maze of tall shelves until they reached the spot.
"It was right here," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Middle row. I pulled The Time Travel from this shelf…" She pointed to the exact place, her fingers trembling slightly.
Sam crouched down, scanning the floor and the shelf like he was looking for invisible clues.
"No cameras in here," he muttered. "Figures."
He stood up and turned to her. "Do you remember if anyone else was around? Even just someone passing by?"
Claire shook her head. "Not really. I mean… I wasn't paying attention. But now that I think about it—" she paused, her brow furrowing. "Mr Rick the library guard only told me there was a girl with long hair who was here before me".
Sam's eyes sharpened. "Long hair. Could've been Diana. Or someone else trying to make it look like her."
Claire's pulse jumped. The thought that Diana might really be behind this sent a chill through her.
Sam tapped his phone screen, checking the time. "Locker room cameras roll over every two days. If we're gonna check them, we have to move fast."
He started to turn, but then he froze. His eyes flicked past Claire's shoulder.
"What?" she asked, spinning around.
At the far end of the row, someone was standing by the window — a girl, half-hidden by the shelves. Her back was to them, but Claire caught a flash of auburn hair.
Sam's voice was tight. "Do you see that? She's been standing there since we came in."
Claire's heart hammered against her ribs. "Who is that?"
Before they could move, the girl turned — just for a second — and then slipped away, disappearing down the aisle.
Sam didn't hesitate. "Come on!"
He darted after her, with Claire close behind, weaving through the rows of books. But when they rounded the corner, the space was empty. Just rows of shelves and the heavy silence pressing in on them.
Sam cursed under his breath. "Gone. Too fast."
Claire's chest heaved. "Did you see her face?"
Sam shook his head, frustrated. "No. But I swear she was watching us."
They stood there for a moment, both breathing hard, the library suddenly feeling a whole lot colder.
Finally, Sam turned to her, his jaw set. "This wasn't random. Someone's playing a game with you, Claire. Leaving notes, watching you, leading you here. And I don't think they're done yet."
Claire swallowed the lump rising in her throat.
"What do we do now?"
Sam's eyes met hers, fierce and unyielding.
"Now? We fight back. We watch them. Before they get another move in."