𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘 𝐎𝐍𝐄
"Stay down."
🝮

Kali groggily awakes to the blaring sound of her alarm clock. She rubs the sleep from her eyes and glances around the room, remembering that she spent the night in Mr. Anderson's bed since he left last night.

Kali stretches and swings her legs out of the bed, her feet touching the cool floor. She sighs, realizing that it was Monday and the weekend was already over. She heads to the bathroom to brush her teeth and shower, mentally preparing herself for the day ahead.

"I hate Mondays." She said to herself

Once Kali finished in the bathroom, she returned to the bedroom and rummaged through her closet for her uniform. Her school's dress code required her to wear a blue and white plaid skirt with a sweater that matched, which she quickly put on.

Kali swiftly tied her braids into a neat high bun, ensuring they were pulled back tightly. She then looked in the mirror and gave herself a quick once-over, making sure her uniform was straight and presentable.

Kali headed downstairs to find Miranda, Although they hadn't gotten off to the best start when they met, Kali knew it was important to maintain a positive relationship with her.

But then She entered the kitchen with no sight of her.

Kali tried to brush off her concern, telling herself that maybe Miranda had just slept through her alarm as she sometimes did. After all, Miranda was known for her punctuality and dedication to her routine, including making breakfast every morning. But an uneasy feeling tugged at Kali's thoughts, making her wonder if something was off.

Kali decided to act on her instincts and prepare some coffee for Miranda, thinking it would be a nice gesture. She knew she wasn't the most skilled at making coffee, but she figured it was the thought that counted.

Kali clutched the cup of coffee tightly in her hand, careful not to spill it as she made her way upstairs. She walked quietly down the hallway, stopping in front of the bedroom door. With a deep breath, she slowly turned the knob and pushed the door open.

Kali entered the room, a hesitant smile on her lips as she held out the cup of coffee. "I made coffee for—," she began, but her words caught in her throat as her eyes widened in shock. The cup slipped from her grasp, crashing onto the floor, the hot liquid spilling everywhere.

Kali's hand flew to her mouth as she let out a strangled cry. She was frozen in shock, her eyes glued to the horrifying sight in front of her. Miranda's body looked so wrong, the way it hung upside down with a bloody message scrawled across the wall.

"She didn't listen so I took care of her" - A

—-
Kali quickly turned away, unable to bear the horrific scene any longer. The message scrawled on the wall sent a chill down her spine as she fled from the room, closing the door behind her with a trembling hand. She stood there for a moment, her heart pounding in her chest, trying to process what she had witnessed.
—

Kali sat anxiously at the dining table, her leg bouncing restlessly as she was being questioned. The sound of police sirens outside the house and the presence of officers inside made the situation feel all the more surreal.

"Did you do it Ms. Torres." The investigator asked

"Did I fucking do it? You better be joking." I glared

Mr. Anderson entered the house, his gaze immediately fixing on Kali. She could see the concern and worry etched on his face as the police began to fill him in on the details of what had happened to Miranda. Mr. Anderson's expression darkened, his jaw clenching as he nodded along to the police officers' words.

"I think she's done here." Mr. Anderson spoke up.

The tension in the room thickened as a police officer challenged Mr. Anderson, questioning his intention to speak with Kali. However, a woman in an FBI uniform spoke up, effectively silencing the officer.

"That's enough, Officer Harold," she said, her tone firm.

Mr. Anderson's gaze fixed on the FBI officer, a flash of anger in his eyes before he looked back at the officer, giving him an intense glare.

The FBI lady and her assistants stepped back, giving me some space. Just before walking away, the FBI lady leaned in to whisper something in Mr. Anderson's ear. Did they know each other? I wondered.

"Get up." Mr. Anderson demanded.

"I didn't do anything." I said

Mr. Anderson scrutinized Kali's face, his gaze intense and searching. "I know you didn't do anything," he finally spoke up, his grip tight on her arm as he led her towards his car.

Mr. Anderson opened the passenger door, gesturing for Kali to climb into the seat.

His hand suddenly grabbed hold of my skirt, pulling it down in order to prevent it from riding up further.

Once I was settled, he closed the door behind me and walked around the car to the driver's side, getting in himself. As he sat down, his gaze flickered across to me, his expression unreadable.

"Mr—

"Put your seat belt on." he interrupted

"Okay—but Your wife just got murdered! You're acting like everything is fine." I blurted out

"I knew it was going to happen." He sighed

"What do you mean—you knew?!"

"It's not hard to guess Kali, she died because she said something about it yesterday when she wasn't supposed to."

"But then It also means that someone was at the house last night."

"stalking.. or stalking someone.." his eyes turned to me.

"What are you saying."

Mr. Anderson's tone was casual as he mentioned something that caught Kali off guard. He held her phone in his hand, looking at it as he spoke. "Hm, why haven't you told me that you're being stalked, Torres?"

Kali's heart skipped a beat.

"And receiving messages?" He continued.

"The FBI told you didn't they." I said

"Kali." He started 

"yes?"

"Look at me when I'm speaking to you, you know how much I despise when you're not listening."

"Who is stalking you? Who is A ?" He glared

"How the hell am I'm supposed to know?"

"The question is—Why are they only texting you these messages, that's what I want to figure out."

"I really don't know sir."

Mr. Anderson's expression was stern as he took Kali's phone from her. "Well, I'm taking your phone for safekeeping," he said firmly. "Because whoever this person is—they must know you."

Mr. Anderson gunned the engine and pulled away from the curb, the tires screeching as they gained momentum. He glanced over at Kali, his expression serious.

"I hope you have your notes," he said, a hint of concern in his voice.

Kali rummaged through her bag and pulled out some notes, holding them up for him to see. Mr. Anderson gave a satisfied nod, a hint of approval in his tone as he looked at her. "Good girl," he said, his hand gripping the steering wheel firmly.

As Kali fidgeted nervously, shaking her leg in the passenger seat, Mr. Anderson took notice of her growing unease. His hand reached out and rested on her thigh, the veins on his hand prominent and his touch warm.

"I'm not letting No one touch you Torres." he stated.

Kali's gaze lingered on Mr. Anderson as he focused on the road ahead. The gesture of his hand on her thigh seemed so intimate and unexpected coming from him.

Kali leaned her head against the cool glass of the car window, lost in thought. Her mind was a whirlwind of confusion and worry. Suddenly, Mr. Anderson's voice broke through her thoughts.

"Torres," he repeated firmly.

"Yes?" she replied, her attention snapping back to him.

"Do you miss her?" he asked again.

Kali was briefly confused by the question. "Who?" she echoed, her voice laced with curiosity.

"Your mother."

"I-uh No."

"Do not lie to me, it's okay."

"Just a little bit, a tiny bit— it's nothing really."

Mr. Anderson's gaze shifted sideways to glance at Kali, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips. "Yeah, okay," he replied, his tone nonchalant.

I rolled my eyes playfully.

"what the hell?"

Mr. Anderson's eyes widened in surprise as he caught sight of the spiky traps scattered across the road ahead.

Kali's heart leaped into her throat as the car came to a sudden halt. She gripped the edge of her seat, her eyes wide with shock as she looked at the treacherous road before them.

Bullets suddenly began to ricochet off the sides of the car, the sound of metal grazing metal filling the air. "Duck, Kali!" Mr. Anderson yelled urgently, his voice cutting through the chaotic scene.

Kali reacted instantly, her body folding low in the seat as instructed. Her heart pounded in her chest, the adrenaline coursing through her veins making her hands shake.

With a swift and practiced motion, Mr. Anderson reached into his pocket and pulled out a gun. His voice was stern and commanding as he barked the order, "Stay down."

Kali obeyed, her breathing ragged as she huddled in the seat.