Chapter 8...

Michael shrugged off Sarah's strange behavior and decided to focus on his own life.

He had more important things to worry about, like his grades and his college applications.

As he walked out of the school building, he ran into Alex. "Hey, man, what's up?" Alex asked, noticing Michael's distracted expression.

Michael shook his head. "Just Sarah being weird again. I don't know what her problem is."

Alex raised an eyebrow. "Weird? What did she do?"

Michael filled Alex in on the strange conversation he had with Sarah. Alex listened intently, his expression thoughtful.

"I don't know, man," Alex said when Michael finished. "Maybe she's just stressed out or something."

Michael nodded. "Yeah, maybe you're right. I'm just going to ignore her and move on."

Alex clapped Michael on the back. "That's the spirit! Let's focus on our own lives and forget about Sarah's drama."

Michael smiled, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders.

He was done worrying about Sarah and her strange behavior.

But as he walked away with Alex, he couldn't shake off the feeling that Sarah was still watching him...

As Michael and Alex walked away, they noticed a strange car following them.

It was a black sedan with tinted windows, and it seemed to be tracking their every move.

"Alex, I think we're being followed," Michael said, nodding towards the car.

Alex turned around, his eyes narrowing. "Yeah, that's definitely not a coincidence."

As Michael and Alex walked away from the strange car, they decided to shake off the feeling of being followed.

They walked into a nearby convenience store, where Michael used the money Malik had given him to buy some snacks.

"Hey, Alex, have you ever wondered where Malik gets his money from?" Michael asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

Alex shrugged. "No idea, but I've always assumed it's from his family or something."

Michael nodded, but his mind was racing. He couldn't shake off the feeling that Malik's money was connected to the strange occurrences in town.

As they left the store, Michael noticed a flyer on the bulletin board. "Investigation Services - Discreet and Confidential" it read.

"Alex, look at this!" Michael exclaimed. "Do you think this is connected to what's going on?"

Alex's eyes widened. "It's definitely possible. Maybe we should check it out."

Michael nodded, and they tore off a tab from the flyer with the phone number on it.

As they walked away, Michael couldn't help but wonder if this was the lead they needed to uncover the truth .

Michael and Alex decided to ignore the flyer for now and focus on other clues.

They walked to the park, discussing their next move.

"Hey, Alex, do you think Sarah's involved in all this?" Michael asked, his mind still on the strange conversation with her.

Alex shook his head. "I don't know, man. She seems really upset about something, but I don't think she's behind it all."

Michael nodded, his eyes scanning the park. "Yeah, maybe you're right.

But what about Malik? Do you think he's connected to the investigation services?"

Alex shrugged. "Possibly. But we need more evidence before we can accuse anyone."

As they approached the swings, Michael noticed a piece of paper on the ground.

He picked it up, and his eyes widened.

"Alex, look at this!" Michael exclaimed. "It's a note from Sarah!"

The note read: "Meet me at the old warehouse at midnight. Come alone."

(Word count 572)....