The shadows of the schoolyard stuck to me like glue as I left, my heart beating fast and hard. I couldn't shake the feeling of eyes staring at my back, a creepy presence hiding just out of sight. Ever since I met his eyes during lunch, it felt like Sam was everywhere, watching and waiting for something that I couldn't figure out. I barely knew Sam but had heard many rumors about him. Even now, as I walked out to the parking lot with my two best friends, I almost froze as I saw Sam staring at me even as he hugged his longtime girlfriend, Leah Clearwater. The feeling of Sam's intense stare sent a shiver down my spine, making me feel paranoid and on edge. Should I tell my father? The thought kept bothering me as I tried to hide my unease.

Convincing Quil and Embry that I was fine was not easy. Their worried looks saw through my act, but I managed to assure them I'd be alright and see them tomorrow. With a heavy heart, I climbed into my car, the engine's roar a sharp contrast to the silence around me. As I drove home, the darkness seemed to close in despite the sun shining brightly high in the sky, and I couldn't help but wonder what Sam Uley wanted from me.

The drive felt longer than usual, the road stretching endlessly before me. Every shadow seemed to move, every rustle of leaves sounded like danger. My mind raced with questions and fears, each one more unsettling than the last. What did Sam want? Why was he watching me? The paranoia gnawed at me, making it hard to focus on the road.

When I finally pulled into the driveway, the familiar sight of home did little to calm my nerves. I sat in the car for a moment, taking deep breaths and trying to steady my racing heart. The house was dark, my father likely still at work. I debated whether to call him, to tell him about Sam, but the words felt heavy and hard to form.

I stepped out of the car, the cool afternoon air wrapping around me like a blanket. As I walked to the front door, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched. I looked around, my eyes scanning the shadows for any sign of movement. Nothing. Just my imagination, I told myself.

Inside, the house was eerily quiet. I locked the door behind me and leaned against it, trying to gather my thoughts. The silence was heavy, the darkness pressing in from all sides. I turned on the lights despite the sunlight shining from the windows, the sudden brightness almost blinding. The familiar surroundings offered little comfort.

I made my way to the kitchen, my mind still racing. I needed to talk to someone, to share my fears and suspicions. But who? My father? Quil and Embry? The thought of burdening them with more of my paranoia and fear felt wrong. I was alone in this, at least for now.

As I stood there, lost in thought, a sudden noise from outside made me jump. My heart pounded in my chest as I moved to the window, peering out into the darkness. The yard was empty, the shadows still and silent. Just my imagination again, I told myself, trying to calm my racing heart.

But deep down, I knew that something was wrong. Sam Uley's watchful eyes were a constant presence in my mind, a reminder that I was not alone. And as much as I tried to convince myself otherwise, I couldn't shake the feeling that my life was about to change in ways I couldn't yet understand.

*Time Skip*

The house was very quiet as I waited for my dad to come home. The silence felt heavy, making me feel even more nervous. I decided to do my school homework to keep my mind busy and not think about Sam Uley and how he made me feel uneasy.

I spread my books out on the kitchen table and started working on my homework. Doing math problems and writing essays helped a little, but I kept thinking about Sam. His eyes watching me, like he knew something about me that I didn't know. It made it hard to focus.

After what felt like a long time, I finally finished my homework. The clock on the wall kept ticking, reminding me that time was still moving, even though I felt stuck. I decided to make dinner, hoping cooking would help me stop thinking about Sam.

I moved around the kitchen, chopping vegetables and stirring pots. The familiar tasks helped a bit, but every little noise made me jump. I couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching me, that Sam was still there, hiding in the shadows.

As I set the table, I heard my dad's car pull into the driveway. I felt a bit better, but I was still nervous. I knew I needed to tell him about Sam, but I didn't know how to start.

My dad walked in, looking tired but happy to see the dinner I had made. "Hey, Jacob," he said, ruffling my hair. "Thanks for making dinner. How was school?"

I forced a smile, trying to hide how I really felt. "It was fine," I lied. "Just the usual stuff."

We sat down to eat, the only sounds were our forks and knives and the hum of the refrigerator. I wanted to tell him about Sam, to share my worries, but I couldn't find the words.

Finally, I took a deep breath and said, "Hey Dad, there's something I need to tell you."

He looked at me, concerned. "What is it, Jacob?"

"It's about Sam Uley," I said, my voice shaking a little. "He's been watching me all day for some reason, and it makes me feel really uneasy."

My dad's eyes flashed with an emotion I couldn't understand. It was too quick for me to figure out what it was, but it made me think he knew something.

Dad kept quiet for a few seconds before taking a deep breath and said, "I'll talk to Sam and find out why he's been watching you. Don't worry, Jacob. I'll take care of it."

Even though he tried to reassure me, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to the story. I nodded, hoping he was right, but deep down, I knew things were about to change.

My dad cleared his throat and changed the subject. "So, how's your math class going? Still acing those tests?"

I shrugged, trying to follow his lead. "Yeah, it's going okay. Mr. Thompson gave us a tough assignment today, though."

"Well, I'm sure you'll handle it just fine," he said with a smile. "And what about Quil and Embry? Have you guys been up to anything fun lately?"

I forced a laugh. "Not really. Just the usual stuff. We were thinking about going to the movies this weekend."

"That sounds like a good idea," my dad said, nodding. "You need to take a break and have some fun."

As we continued to talk about random things, I couldn't help but feel that my dad was trying to distract me and It didn't help that his eyes kept flicking back to me, as if he wanted to know if I was still wondering about sam. It made me even more certain that my own dad was hiding something.

But for now, I decided to let it go. I would trust him to talk to Sam and find out what was going on. And maybe, just maybe, things would go back to normal.