Finn's POV

Something's been off with Lily since that movie night at her place a week ago.

It's like a switch flipped, and now she's distant, guarded, like she's built a wall between us. Every time I ask if she's okay, she gives me the same brushed-off response. "I'm fine, Finn," she says with that tight-lipped smile that doesn't reach her eyes. But I know her too well to buy that. There's something she's not telling me, and it's driving me crazy not knowing what it is.

I want to push her to talk, to tell me what's going on, but I also don't want to pressure her into revealing something she's not ready to share.

I walk across campus, the crisp winter air biting at my cheeks. The place is starting to empty out with Christmas break just around the corner. Most people have already headed home, and the usual bustle of students is reduced to a few stragglers hurrying to their last classes or finishing up last-minute errands. I shove my hands into my jacket pockets, my breath visible in front of me with each exhale, my mind still stuck on Lily and the strange distance between us.

"Finn!" I hear someone call my name, pulling me from my thoughts. I turn around to see Rachel hurrying toward me, her expression frantic.

Great. Just what I need right now. I don't even bother acknowledging her and keep moving, hoping she'll take the hint and leave me alone. Shawn mentioned something had been off with her lately, but honestly, I've got my own problems. Besides, Rachel never seems to understand boundaries, and I'm not in the mood to deal with her drama today.

"Finn, please," she begs, her voice shaky.

I stop and turn, ready to tell her to back off, but something in her face makes me pause. She looks terrified—eyes wide, face pale, like she's seen something awful.

"What's going on, Rachel?" I ask, my annoyance giving way to concern. She looks like she's on the verge of breaking down and the fear written all over her face is putting me on edge.

"I... I didn't think he'd take it this far," she stammers, tears welling up in her eyes. Her hands are shaking, and she looks around like she's worried someone's watching us.

"What the hell are you talking about?" I demand, my patience wearing thin. This cryptic shit isn't helping my mood, and the anxiety I've been feeling all week about Lily starts to spike.

Rachel's voice cracks as she continues, "I only needed a space to vent about how you should have been with me and not her, but I never intended for anything this severe."

Every muscle in my body goes rigid. I don't need her to say Lily's name to know exactly who she's talking about. My heart pounds harder, a mixture of fear and anger coursing through me. I grab her by the arms, pulling her closer, my grip tight enough to make her wince.

"Rachel," I growl through clenched teeth, trying to keep my voice low but firm. "What the fuck have you done?"

Her hands tremble as she wipes at her eyes. "I was just venting, you know? I didn't think it would lead to this. I met this guy online, some random guy in a forum. I thought we were just talking ranting, really. I was upset about you, about how you chose Lily over me. I never wanted any of this to happen. I didn't think he'd actually do something."

A chill runs down my spine. This is worse than I thought. "What do you mean, 'do something'?" I ask, my voice low and urgent. "What did you say to him, Rachel?"

Her face crumples, and she starts to cry in earnest now, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I was just angry, okay? I said some things—things I shouldn't have. But he seemed to understand. He said he could help, that he could 'make things right.' I thought he was just talking shit. I didn't know he'd actually—"

"Actually what?" I cut her off, my heart pounding in my chest. "What did he do, Rachel?"

She shakes her head, her sobs growing louder. "I don't know! He didn't say exactly. He just kept hinting that he was going to 'handle it.' I thought he was bluffing, but now—now I'm scared, Finn. I think he might have gone after Lily."

My blood turns to ice.

"Rachel, who is this guy?" I ask, gripping her shoulders, trying to keep my voice steady even though panic is clawing at my insides. "What's his name?"

"I don't know!" she cries, her voice frantic. "I don't know what he looks like, or even his real name. He was just some guy on a forum, using some stupid username like 'ShadowHunter' or something. I swear, Finn, I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I just wanted to vent. I didn't know he'd—"

"Jesus, Rachel," I mutter, running a hand through my hair. "You didn't think to stop and ask who the hell you were talking to?"

Then realization hits me, "he doesn't know what she looks like right?" I ask, hoping she was not foolish enough to give a photo of Lily.

She sobs harder, her body shaking with fear and regret. "I'm sorry." She whispers.

"Fuck, Rachel" I yell, my throat sore and I can feel my heartbeats in my ears.

"I was so mad and hurt, and I wasn't thinking. But now—now I think he's done something terrible. You have to find her, Finn. You have to make sure she's okay."

Without another word, I turn and start running, my heart pounding in my chest. I have to find Lily. I have to make sure she's safe. My mind races, imagining all the worst-case scenarios.

I pull out my phone as I run, fumbling to dial Lily's number. My fingers feel numb against the screen, my heart hammering in my chest. The phone rings once, twice, three times, each ring sending a fresh wave of panic through me.

"Come on, Lily, pick up," I mutter under my breath, pushing myself to run faster, my breath coming in ragged gasps. The ringing stops, and her voicemail clicks on.

"Hey, it's Lily. Leave a message, and I'll get back to you," her cheerful voice says on the recording, completely at odds with the dread building in my chest.

"Damn it," I curse, hanging up without leaving a message. I try calling her again, my mind racing. Maybe her phone's on silent. Maybe she's in class or something. But a voice in the back of my head tells me it's something else. Something worse. The call goes straight to voicemail again.

"Fuck!" I yell, shoving my phone back into my pocket as I keep running. I can't stop. I can't let myself think about what could be happening. I need to find her. I need to know she's okay.

I try messaging her instead, typing out a frantic text with trembling fingers

Me: Baby, where are you? Are you okay? Please answer me. I'm worried.

I hit send, praying for those little typing dots to appear, for some sign that she's seen it. But nothing happens. My screen stays stubbornly blank, and my anxiety ratchets up another notch.

I can't just sit around waiting. I need backup. I scroll through my contacts and hit Kam's number, pressing the phone to my ear as I continue sprinting across campus. But nothing, I go straight to voicemail as well.

"FUCK" I yell out earning a few looks from people, but I couldn't care less.

I scroll through my contacts for Jen's number, my fingers almost slipping over the screen as I frantically scroll. The phone rings once, twice, three times—each second feeling like a lifetime.

"Come on, Jen, pick up," I mutter, my voice barely above a whisper. I can hear the blood rushing in my ears, my heart hammering as panic claws its way up my throat. The ringing cuts off, but instead of Jen's voice, all I hear is her voicemail greeting.

"It's Jen! You know what to do." Her cheery voice feels like a slap in the face.

"Damn it!" I shout, hanging up without leaving a message. I try her number again, desperately hoping she'll answer this time, but it goes straight to voicemail.

My mind is racing, a thousand worst-case scenarios flashing through my head. I try Kam's number again, but her phone also rings and rings, then clicks over to voicemail. It's like the world is conspiring against me, cutting off every line of communication just when I need it most.

"Shit, shit, shit!" I curse under my breath, my chest tightening with each failed call. I feel like I'm going to crawl out of my own skin. I've never felt so helpless in my life. I try texting them both:

Me: Where are you? Have you seen Lily? This is urgent. Call me back ASAP.

I hit send and wait, staring at my screen, praying for some kind of response.

I shove my phone back into my pocket and change direction, sprinting toward the parking lot where my car is parked. I need to get to her apartment, fast. If she's not answering her phone, and her friends aren't picking up either, then something's definitely wrong. I can feel it deep in my bones, a gut instinct that tells me I don't have a second to waste.

The cold air bites at my face, and my lungs burn as I push myself harder, practically flying across the campus grounds. My shoes pound against the pavement, echoing in the empty space around me. With every step, my mind races through possibilities, each one worse than the last. I need to find her. I need to make sure she's safe.

I reach the parking lot, fumbling for my keys in my pocket as I near my car. My hands are shaking so badly that I drop them, and they clatter to the ground. "Damn it!" I hiss, bending down to snatch them up, my breath coming in quick, ragged gasps. I don't have time for this. Every second feels like an eternity.

Finally, I get my keys and unlock the car, yanking the door open and sliding into the driver's seat. I jam the key into the ignition and turn it, the engine roaring to life. My heart is racing as fast as the car as I peel out of the parking lot, tires screeching against the asphalt.

"Come on, come on," I mutter under my breath, glancing down at my phone on the passenger seat. Still no response from anyone. The silence is deafening, feeding the growing dread gnawing at my insides. I grip the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles turn white, my eyes locked on the road ahead.

As I speed toward Lily's apartment, my mind keeps flashing back to Rachel's words.

'Make things right.'

What the hell does that even mean? What could this random guy she met online possibly want with Lily? And why the fuck did Rachel have to go and run her mouth in some damn forum to a stranger?

I weave through traffic, my focus sharpening with each passing second. I don't know what I'm about to walk into, but I need to be ready for anything. My phone buzzes, and I nearly swerve off the road in my haste to grab it, my heart leaping into my throat. But it's just a low battery warning, not a call or message from Lily, Kam, or Jen.

"Shit," I curse, tossing the phone back onto the seat. I can't afford for it to die on me now. Not when I might need to call for help. I press down harder on the gas, pushing my car faster, praying that I'm not too late. I need to get to her. I need to protect her.

The distance to Lily's apartment feels endless, every minute stretching longer than the last. I can't shake the fear, the bone-deep certainty that something terrible is happening, and I'm racing against the clock. I try to steady my breathing, to focus on the road, but my mind is consumed with worry, my body running on pure adrenaline.

As I finally pull up to her building, I slam the car into park and leap out, not bothering to lock the doors behind me. I sprint across the parking lot, my footsteps pounding against the pavement, and take the stairs two at a time, my heart in my throat.

Please, please let her be okay. I'm almost there, Lily. Just hold on.