Chapter 3

• I stood frozen in the middle of the hallway, the last message burning into my mind. Stop looking. Or you’ll be next. My fingers trembled around my phone, and for a split second, I considered listening to the warning.
• But then I remembered Isabelle. Her laugh, her clever remarks, the way she always seemed like she was hiding something just beneath the surface. And now she was gone. If I didn’t find out why, no one would.
• Determined, I shoved my phone into my pocket and strode down the hall. I needed to find someone who actually knew Isabelle—someone who had spoken to her beyond whispered conversations in the library or hushed tones between classes.
• As I rounded the corner, I nearly collided with Marie, Isabelle’s lab partner in chemistry. Her eyes widened in surprise. “Emily! You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
• “Have you heard from Isabelle?” I asked quickly, ignoring the concern in her tone.
• Marie frowned, shaking her head. “No, she wasn’t in class yesterday either. And Mr. Carter said something about having to reassign her seat because she transferred.”
• My stomach twisted. “Transferred?”
• She nodded. “Yeah, but that’s weird, right? She never mentioned moving.”
• It was more than weird—it was impossible. Isabelle would have told me if she was leaving. Wouldn’t she?
• With a quick thanks, I hurried away, my mind racing. Something wasn’t adding up. If Isabelle had really transferred, there would be records. But according to the school system, she didn’t exist.
• And then there was Andre. He knew something—he had to. His cryptic warnings, the way he seemed so confident that Isabelle wasn’t who I thought she was. It was time to confront him head-on.
• I found him outside by the parking lot, leaning casually against his car like he didn’t have a care in the world. When he saw me approach, his lips curled into that ever-present smirk. “Well, well. Couldn’t stay away, could you?”
• “Cut the crap, Andre,” I snapped. “I want answers.”
• He raised an eyebrow. “About what?”
• “About Isabelle. About why you’re so interested in her. About why she’s suddenly erased from this school like she never existed.”
• Andre sighed dramatically. “You really don’t let things go, do you?”
• I took a step closer. “What did Isabelle do?”
• His smirk faltered for a brief moment before he covered it up. “You don’t want to know.”
• “I do,” I insisted. “And I’m not leaving until you tell me.”
• Andre studied me for a moment before pushing off his car. “Fine. But not here. Meet me at the old train tracks tonight at nine.”
• I hesitated. Every instinct told me not to trust him. But he was the only one who seemed to have any real information.
• “Fine,” I agreed.
• “Good girl.” His smirk returned as he slid into his car and drove away, leaving me standing there, my heart pounding.
• The rest of the day dragged by in a blur. Every time my phone buzzed, I hoped it would be Isabelle. Finally, as I sat in my room staring at the ceiling, my phone vibrated with an incoming message.
• Isabelle.
• I scrambled to grab my phone, my hands shaking as I opened it.
• Isabelle: I’m okay. I had an emergency. I’m out of town, but I’ll be back soon.
• Relief flooded through me, but it was quickly replaced by suspicion. This message didn’t feel like her. It was too short, too… impersonal. And it didn’t answer anything.
• I quickly typed back.
• Me: What’s going on? Andre keeps saying you’re not who I think you are. How does he know you?
• The message sat as ‘delivered’ but never turned to ‘read.’
• Minutes passed. Then an hour.
• No response.
• A lump formed in my throat. This wasn’t just an emergency. Something was wrong. And I was going to find out what.
• The clock read 8:55 PM when I arrived at the train tracks. The air was cool, the distant sound of crickets filling the eerie silence. Andre’s car was already there, his figure leaning against the hood, arms crossed as he watched me approach.
• “Right on time,” he mused. “I like that.”
• “Just tell me what’s going on,” I said, crossing my arms.
• Andre chuckled and gestured toward his car. “Get in.”
• I hesitated. “Where are we going?”
• “You want answers, don’t you?” He opened the passenger door. “Then trust me.”
• I swallowed hard, but climbed in. The car ride was silent at first, tension thick between us. Then, Andre spoke.
• “You think Isabelle is just some regular girl, don’t you?”
• I frowned. “What are you talking about?”
• He smirked. “You’ll see.”
• We pulled up outside a club downtown, neon lights flashing in the darkness. The bass thrummed from inside, the muffled sounds of laughter and conversation seeping into the night air. I shot Andre a confused look.
• “A club?” I questioned. “Seriously?”
• He didn’t answer, just led me inside. The moment we stepped through the doors, the atmosphere shifted. The place was dimly lit, filled with people who exuded power, danger. I felt out of place instantly.
• Andre leaned down. “Stay close.”
• We moved through the crowd, eyes trailing us as we passed. I felt exposed, like I was somewhere I didn’t belong. Then, the room seemed to hush slightly as a man in a sharp suit entered.
• Andre stiffened. “Shit.”
• I turned to look at him. “What?”
• He grabbed my wrist. “We have to go. Now.”
• I didn’t get a chance to question him. He pulled me through the crowd, slipping through a back exit. We burst into an alley, my heart pounding. “What the hell was that?!”
• Andre didn’t answer immediately. He walked me to his car, opening the door for me. “That man in there?” He exhaled sharply. “You don’t want him to see you.”
• I climbed in, adrenaline still surging through me. “Why not?”
• Andre started the car. “Because if he did… you wouldn’t be going home tonight.”
• A chill ran down my spine. “Who is he?”
• Andre shook his head. “Not now. Just trust me.”
• The ride back was quiet. When we finally reached my house, he pulled up to the curb and turned to me. “I shouldn’t have brought you there.”
• I swallowed. “Then why did you?”
• He smirked again, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I wanted you to understand how deep this goes. But don’t worry…” He leaned slightly closer. “Isabelle is okay. She’ll be back soon.”
• My heart pounded. “How do you know that?”
• Andre winked before pulling back. “Get some sleep, princess.”
• And just like that, he drove off, leaving me with more questions than ever.