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Chapter eleven

!TW!~ Brief mentioning of an eating disorder, attempted sexual assault, fainting, mentioning of alcoholism, mentioning of child abandonment, pedophilia, brief blood, shouting, brief mentioning of domestic violence

As expected, Alex's mom left again the next morning. Even though he knew she wouldn't, Alex kinda hoped she'd stay a bit longer after what had happened last night. He thought she might've cared at least a little. She proved him wrong.

Alex was just sitting on his bed, staring at his closet. He wasn't crazy, right? Something had to be there. Someone was hiding, just waiting for the right moment...

"You okay?"

Alex jumped and looked out at the hallway. Caroline was standing there, watching him.

"When did you get here?" Asked Alex.

"You let me in a minute ago?" Said Caroline, walking in and sitting beside him.

"No I-...did I?" 

"Yeah...are you okay?" Asked Caroline.

"I'm fine, I'm just..." Alex wasn't sure what else to say. He just sighed and laid his head in his hands.

"What happened while I was gone?" Asked Caroline.

"Nothing."

"Something's clearly wrong."

Alex sighed again. "I don't know. I think I might be going crazy."

"Why?"

"'Cause I've convinced myself there's someone else in my house."

"I'd call that paranoia, not insanity."

"No, but, like...I don't know. I thought I saw him in my closet a while ago. I saw him moving, I heard him eating, I-...It's nothing, it's all in my head."

"Yeah, it's all made up. It's just in your head."

Alex glanced at Caroline. Something about the way she said that didn't sit right with him.

"What?" She asked.

"Nothing, don't worry about it."

She stood up from his bed and walked to the closet.

"What are you doing?" Asked Alex.

"Come on, let's go in your closet. I'll prove to you there's nothing there."

Alex blinked at her in surprise. "I really don't think that's a good idea, Caroline."

"Why not? Your fears won't just disappear on their own. You have to face them."

Alex hesitated for a minute before walking over and standing beside her, staring into the closet.

"See? There's nothing there." She said, smiling at him. She walked into the closet and Alex's stomach lurched. He had an awful feeling that if he didn't go in with her, she wasn't coming back out. 

As he was walking in, he heard someone knock on his front door.

"I'm gonna go see who it is." He said, stepping out of the closet. "Please, get out of my closet."

He ran downstairs and looked through the window, and who he saw surprised him.

Caroline was standing outside his front door.

Who the fuck is in my room...?

Alex felt nauseous. He couldn't stand anymore. Slowly, he sank down on the floor and sat against the wall.

Caroline unlocked and opened his door.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

"I don't know..." He answered.