Lily had a mission in mind when she walked into school the next day. It wasn’t just the chill of autumn creeping in. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she was being watched, that someone was always one step behind her. And every time she saw the janitor, that invisible thread tugged at her chest, pulling her toward him.

She was in too deep now. She knew that. But something in her—something rebellious, something desperate for answers—kept pushing her forward, kept compelling her to take each step further into his world.

After class, she made her way toward the courtyard. The sun had dipped low in the sky, casting long shadows on the pavement. It was there, in the distance, that she saw him again—the janitor. He was standing by the garden, a broom in hand, his back to her. But this time, there was something different about the way he stood. It wasn’t just the familiar silence, the stillness—it was the anticipation that hung in the air. Like he was waiting for something.

Lily approached him, her heart pounding in her chest. She wanted to ask him what this was all about, what he was really doing, but the words wouldn’t come. Every time she tried to speak, something inside her stopped her, a warning not to disrupt the strange balance between them.

He turned slightly when he heard her footsteps, his dark eyes meeting hers. The usual calmness was there, but now, there was something more dangerous.