The following day felt heavier. The air around Lily was thick with a kind of tension she couldn't explain, something that had settled over her the moment she accepted the janitor’s strange task. The flower, the girl’s reaction—it was all gnawing at her. But that wasn’t the only thing that lingered. There was the janitor. His presence, his gaze, the subtle way he seemed to be watching her every move. And, most disturbingly, his words echoed in her head.

“Don’t let her see you.”

As the day went on, Lily couldn’t shake the thought that she was part of something larger. She tried to focus on her classes, but it was no use. Every time she passed a hallway or a classroom, her eyes involuntarily flickered to the janitor’s figure. He was always there—pushing a mop in the distance, cleaning windows, always alone.

It wasn’t until after school that the next dare came.

Lily was walking down the hall when she spotted the janitor standing just outside the storage room. His eyes met hers for a moment, and this time, there was something different in his gaze. It wasn’t just calm—it was almost knowing. A subtle hint of expectation.

“Come with me,” he said quietly, his voice barely a whisper against the hum of the empty school.

Lily’s heart skipped a beat. She hesitated, but only for a moment. What could it hurt? She had already crossed a line, and she felt like there was no going back. Maybe she wanted to know more. Maybe she wanted to be drawn deeper into whatever game he was playing.