Lauren

“So, the stalker came back?” I ask, propping my head on the pillow.

Natalie walks to the window and glances outside. Evening light streams in, sharp and bright. She pulls the curtain halfway, her fingers trembling.

“I’m not making this up,” she says. Her voice is steady, but fear clings to the edge of it. “Someone was in my house. They moved my phone again.”

I hesitate. “I never said you were lying.” I’m not sure if she caught the doubt in my voice.

“Mason and Bethany did,” she says, then sits, right there, in the path of the light. It moves across her face, flickering, but she doesn’t react.

I reach for the chair and try to shift her out of the glare. It won’t move. She stands, adjusts, and sits again without a word.

“So, you didn’t hear anything? You were asleep?”

She shakes her head, her hands knotting in her lap. “I must’ve been out cold. You know how I am. Once asleep, the whole house could fall down, and I wouldn’t notice.”

“Why not lock your door?”

“It doesn’t have one.”

“Then get one.”

“I am. I’m getting a camera too.”

“Smart. We should’ve done that a long time ago,” I remark.

“I tried,” she says, bitterness creeping into her voice. “Mason laughed when I brought it up.”

I frown, a bit thrown off. Natalie and I aren’t supposed to keep secrets. No promises, sure, but that’s always been our unspoken deal. Apparently, she talked to Mason about putting in a camera but kept me out of it. Now I’m starting to wonder what else she hasn’t told me.

“Why?”

Instead of answering, she asks, “Do you think Mason would do something like this?”

“Like what?” I stare at her, confused.

She shifts uncomfortably, then asks, “Do you think he’s actually trying to freak me out on purpose?”

I rub the back of my neck. “I don’t know. Why would he?”

She looks away, like she’s trying to find the right words. Her fingers restlessly mess with the hem of her shirt.

“Are you starting to doubt him?” I press.

“He keeps saying I’m overreacting. And he’s totally against the cameras. It makes me wonder,” she says, then goes quiet.

“Why would he want to scare you? Do you have any reason to think that?”

She doesn’t answer right away. Her silence speaks more than words. I gently nudge her arm. “Is there something you’re not telling me?”

Her eyes stay down as she traces a slow circle on her knee. After a pause, she looks up and says, “I think Bethany and Mason are having an affair.”

My stomach twists. “What?” I sit up too fast, heart pounding.

“Careful,” she says, scooting closer. “Don’t move like that. Your back’s been acting up all day.”

It’s not my back that hurts. It’s my heart, falling apart. But I’m not about to show it. I wave a hand dismissively. “I’m fine. Got an injection earlier. It’s doing its job.” I take a breath, steering the focus back. “Bethany and Mason… why do you think that?”

“I don’t know. It’s just a feeling.” Her voice is quiet.

I swallow hard. “Did you see something?”

She twists her fingers, shoulders tense. “Bethany’s always around. When I’m sleeping. When I’m awake. When I’m not home. She’s always there.”

“She’s your sister. That’s why she’s at your place so much.” I try to sound reassuring.

She nods, but it doesn’t hold. “Maybe.” She buries her face in her hands, dragging them up and down. “Please don’t tell anyone. I shared it with you only because I wanted to know if you’d noticed anything too.”

“Honestly? No. I never thought of them that way. Bethany’s got too much integrity for that.” I pause, thinking it over, then add, “But people change… especially the ones who only think about themselves.”

Natalie’s eyes lock on mine, surprised at first. Then her glare sharpens as the words sink in. She realizes the jab was more about her than Bethany.

She checks her watch. “I should go,” she says quietly, getting to her feet. She walks to the door without a glance back. No hug. Nothing.

Then she’s gone.