chapter 3: who could it be?

POV of Scar

"Enjoy your independence while it lasts, as this would be the last celebration you attend."

unknown

My eyes welled up with tears as I attempted to figure out who could be texting me; if they were playing a joke on me, it was succeeding, so they had better start popping champagne.

Who might that be? Everyone was staring at me as if I had grown five heads, they all knew, but no one even tried to confront me about it—not even Nate, who was the only friend I knew who could have done so. Or, was it that I received a different text from each of them? Based on Lizzy's response, however, I was able to tell that we both received the same text. I never really tried to make friends at school because I was always with Liz. Whenever we worked together on a project for class, it was always Lizzy, Nate, and I. Nate is the class representative.

Who could I possibly have harmed? Is that Ralph the creeper? He had been stalking me, but Liz had warned him that he wouldn't want to be locked up.

"Scar, what's the matter, why are you crying, what's the matter, who texted you?"

Liz inquired. Liz's question made me wonder what text message she had received.

"Liz, who sent you that text and what does it say?" I inquired, wiping the tears from my cheek.

"I just found out why everyone was staring at you strangely, girl, you are now popular in school, I guess you would be the talk of the whole school," Liz said with a sweet smile, which scared me the most.Liz, you are making me curious. Girl, Ian just posted pictures of you as the enigmatic girl no one knew about on his Instagram page. "Liz, you got to be kidding me, are trying to make me feel silly, its really working, am not really in the mood for jokes," I stated in a serious tone as she responded with a sly smirk.

"I'm damn serious, Scar, I can show you," she said solemnly. She showed me the photos, which were taken today at the hall, while I was giving my speech and sitting with Liz, so he had been stealing glances and photos. Today has been far too complicated. I discovered that my stalker was someone I had no idea existed in my school, I caught my long-time crush starring, and now he is posting my photos on the internet.

"What's wrong, scar? You don't seem happy, are you okay?" , who texted you?, Lizzy inquired, her voice tinged with concern. I handed her my phone so she could see the message I had received. She yelped after reading, which I expected.

"Scarlett, don't take this text too seriously; it could be a girl crushing on Ian, or Hayley who was enraged at Ian for not paying attention to her," Liz said. "Liz, are you kidding me? Are you attempting to pull my legs? "Does this look like a joke? It's scaring the crap out of me right now." I said this sternly.

"Okay, scar, let's go report it to the vice principal or we can go to the corps instead, but just calm down, it's nothing serious."

"If you say so, Liz, what if it's Ralph or Ian?" I asked, raising my hands in the air.

"Scar, why would Ralph do such a thing? I already threatened to report him to the corps, and he knows what my dad can do if he dares to cross the line, and I don't think it's Ian, why would he scare the lady he's trying to woo, just get over it, let's just report to the school authorities first and see what they can do about such a hideous act."

"Okay, Lizzy, if you say so, and please, something can be done about all this staring, it's driving me insane," Lizzy said. "Lol, whatever girl, just cheer up, everything is going to be fine, let's go report this case to the authorities," I said, smiling.

We left the canteen and went to the vice principal, who told me to calm down and that they would get to the bottom of it, blah blah blah. I wasn't even paying attention because I was trying to figure out why anyone would do such a thing.Why would Ian have feelings for someone like me, I'm a nobody, I don't dress stylishly like the other girls he bangs or dates, I don't wear things that show off my skin, I'm always on jeans and simple plain shirts. I don't wear make-up, and most of my clothes are worn.

"Scarlett Wayne, come back to planet Earth, let's go, you can think all you want when you get home," Lizzie chuckled. I apologized to the vice principal for being distant while she was speaking.

"It's okay, Scarlett, I understand, you can go home and rest, see you tomorrow, I will make an announcement regarding the stares and text, and please rehearse on your speech again, thank you, take care," Mrs Wilson said with a smile on her face. Liz smiled as she said this.

Mrs Wilson, such a sweet lady, started the announcement as we were leaving her office.

On our way out, Liz said I should wait for her outside by the parking lot while she gets her car keys from her locker. As I was walking and thinking about everything that happened at school today, I ran into someone, and to my surprise, it was Ian. I felt like the floor was going to open up and swallow me, I felt like I was going to disappear, I wasn't ready to see or talk to him.

I hurriedly carried my phone, lowering my head and covering my face with my hair, "ummm, hello, sorry, I have to go, bye," I said awkwardly and tried to sweep past him, but he grabbed my wrist.

"Sorry, Scar, I didn't mean to express myself in such a way. I just couldn't hold it in any longer. The feelings intensified when I saw you at the mall with Liz; I apologize for stalking you when you returned home after shopping, and I also followed you to Yogen Fruz for ice cream. I love you and I can't deny it anymore; I'm not sure when it started, but your innocence draws my attention; you are everything I want, someone I can trust with my heart ", Ian said so lovingly that I would have happily jumped to my feet and accepted.

I tried to hide my true feelings by saying, "Ian, am so confused right now, I had a tough day today but I would get back to you tomorrow," in a coy and modest manner.

Ian answered hesitantly, "Okay, I could wait for all of eternity to be with you, would you be my date for the graduation? ", to which I quickly replied, "Bye, I have to leave.

I became even more perplexed as to who Ian, Ralph's stalker, might actually be.

When Liz was driving me home, I told her everything that had happened between Ian and I. She jumped inside the car with such glee that I worried we would hit another vehicle. 

OMG, Lizzy has a tendency to go bonkers.

When we came home, Lizzy said she was still going to stay over at my house; all she needed to do was go pick something out and grab us some chips and ice cream.

I turned as I watched Lizzy drive away and noticed someone staring at me from behind a red hood. I tried to get closer, but the person sped away. 

Although Liz assured me that everything was fine, I wouldn't deny that I felt scared. As a result, perhaps I was just being paranoid.

I took the house key from my bag, but something caught my eye: a white envelope. I picked it up, opened it, and what I saw nearly made me pass out: it was written boldly in red marker.

"If you want to see your graduation or turn 18, you should avoid everyone."

I quickly opened the door, rushed in, and shut it again. I quickly texted Liz to come early, rushed to the kitchen, and gulped down a glass of water when my phone beeped, and I checked my phone and saw I had received a text.

"I am watching your every move; you cannot flee from me," unknown

The glass of water fell from my grasp; it took me a few moments to regain my composure; I hurried up to my room, shut the windows, and double-checked that everything was secure. I shut every door.

I'm sick and tired of this scary game. Could it be Ralph, Ian, or Hayley? God, I'm so frustrated; I couldn't go a single day without Liz or my father; it'd be a death sentence.

Who is it?

......