𝓗𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓽𝓫𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓴

𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝖗𝖔𝖘𝖊

As the final lesson ended, I rushed out of the building and quickly got into my car. The drive back to my neighborhood felt like an eternity, giving me plenty of time to rethink my options. If I told Georg what happened, he'd likely take the first flight home. And once they did return, I'd have no choice but to ask them about the meeting. However, after hearing the story, they might not agree to meet those fangirls. What had I gotten myself into? If I didn't secure the meeting, the whole school would soon know about me, and who knew what would happen then. Why did I have to tell her my last name? I should've just said I was Lolita; she probably wouldn't have cared. But how could I have known that out of all the people I introduced myself to, she would be the one who recognized me?

When I finally arrived at the shops, I grabbed my wallet and two reusable shopping bags. I placed my school bag in the trunk of my car and then entered the store, grabbing a large shopping cart. Even though I was living on my own for now, I preferred not having to visit the shops too frequently. After paying for my groceries, I returned to my car, placing the bags in the trunk next to my school bag.

I then walked to a nearby market to buy some fresh fruit and potted plants to decorate my living room. Once I was done shopping there, I returned to my car. This time, I noticed a small piece of paper and a red rose stuck to my windshield.

Although it might not have been the smartest decision, I took the paper and unfolded it to read what it said.

As I read the message, every drop of blood seemed to drain from my face. I looked around, searching for anyone who might be watching me. This note had definitely appeared while I was at the market because I would have noticed it before. I decided to take the note with me as some kind of proof, just like I did with the previous one, and quickly got into my car. Placing my groceries from the market on the passenger seat, I started the car. There was no point in going somewhere else since they already knew where I lived anyway.

Approaching the house, I remembered that Georg had given me the keys to the garage in case I needed anything for my car. I decided to park my car there since it was connected to the backyard, which would lead to the kitchen.

I retrieved the keys from the glove compartment and pressed the button to open the garage door. Once it was open, I drove inside and immediately pressed the "close" button. I watched the door shut to ensure it was safe to unlock my car and get out. When it did, I breathed a sigh of relief and opened the car door. After grabbing my groceries, I made my way inside the house and placed everything on the kitchen counters.

I collapsed on the couch, needing a moment to catch my breath. My heart was pounding like crazy. I realized that it was for the best to talk to someone, even if it meant potentially getting called stupid in every possible way for not telling Georg about all this situation. I grabbed my phone from my bag and dialed Kath's number. After five beeps, she finally answered the call.

"Hi, girl, how was the first day?" Kath's voice was full of enthusiasm and excitement.

"It was alright, what about you?" I responded.

"Man, it was awesome. Sophia told me that Andreas has a crush on m—" Kath paused, sensing something was wrong. "Wait, Lolita, what's going on?" Her concern was evident.

"What are you on about?" I tried to play it cool, but my fear was palpable in my voice.

"You don't sound so well, love. Are you alright? Did something happen?"

I hesitated but eventually began recounting the day's events.

"And? What does Georg say about this? When will he be home?" Kath inquired.

"Next week," I replied, avoiding the first question.

"And?" she prodded.

"And? What?" I tried to evade the question, but she wasn't having it.

"Did he tell you what to do? To go to the police or something?"

I hesitated before admitting, "Well, the thing is... He doesn't know." I could hear her breathing on the other end, and I could only imagine the insults and criticisms racing through her mind.

"ARE YOU SLOW?" Kath suddenly yelled. "HOW CAN YOU NOT TELL HIM? DO YOU WANT TO DIE?"

"Because then he will drop everything and rush home," I tried to explain, but it sounded foolish even to myself.

"As he should, damn it. This isn't a joke, Lolita. You know how crazy Tokio Hotel fans can be, and you're well aware of how insane Markus can be and what he's capable of. That's it; I'm calling Georg, and there's nothing you can do about it since you can't make these decisions for yourself," Kath declared firmly and hung up.

I rose from the couch and began to unpack my groceries. As I busied myself with the task, I suddenly heard a knock on my front door. It couldn't be anyone I knew, as I was still unfamiliar with the area. "Can I help you?" I asked cautiously through the closed door. No response. I decided to look through the peephole, but there was no one in sight. My heart raced as I made my way to the kitchen and grabbed a knife for safety. With caution, I slightly opened the front door, which, in hindsight, may not have been the smartest idea. I peeked outside but found no one, just another red rose and a piece of paper.

I brought the rose inside, ensuring that the door was securely locked. Afterward, I checked all the windows to make sure they were closed and locked as well. I disposed of the flower in the trash can and finished unpacking the groceries. Then, I went to my room to review the few notes I had taken during the day's lessons. I felt like someone might be watching me, so I closed all the curtains in my room.