Haunted Secrets

Haunted 5

Mia POV

I stood in the kitchen, carefully preparing a glass of milk, my mind racing with thoughts of what could have caused the fight between Belle and Leo. They had seemed fine earlier, so what happened? I just wanted them to work things out; seeing Belle sad was like watching a flower wilt—she couldn't handle this kind of pain.

Lost in my worries, I suddenly heard a rustling sound. “Who’s there?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady, but fear crept into my chest. I glanced toward the living room and spotted a shadow moving closer. My heart raced as I grabbed a broom from the side, ready to defend myself if necessary.

The only sound piercing the stillness was the rapid thump of my heartbeat, echoing in my ears. I took a deep breath, steadying myself, and prepared to throw the glass if the figure got too close.

It was coming nearer now. I could barely see who it was, but I was ready to act. I adjusted the glass in my hand, preparing for the worst.

“Mia!”

“Third!”

We both shouted in surprise. “What are you doing here? Why do you have that glass?” he asked, a puzzled look crossing his face as he noticed the glass in my hand.

I frowned, my heartbeat slowly returning to normal. “What about you? Why do you have that map?” I asked, trying to shift the attention back to him.

He stepped closer, glancing at the two cups of milk I had prepared. “Is that for me?” he asked, reaching for a glass. I snatched it away. “No, it’s for Belle,” I corrected him.

“Then what are you doing here?” I asked again, curious about why he was out of his room.

“I heard a knock on our door. When I went out, I saw a shadow coming down the stairs, so I followed it. I saw the light on in the kitchen and thought it was you, but then I found this map lying on the floor in the living room,” he explained, waving the map in the air like it was a trophy.

“Who knocked on your door?” A chill ran down my spine at the thought.

“Maybe it was Monica or Leo,” he suggested nonchalantly.

“Could be…” I replied, but I felt a nagging sense of unease. Just then, I realized the milk was starting to cool. As I was about to excuse myself, I suddenly heard the sound of a woman’s laughter.

“Did you hear that?” Third asked, his brow furrowing. I nodded, feeling a wave of dread wash over me. I abandoned the milk and followed him as he headed toward the source of the noise.

Once we stepped outside, the cool night air sent shivers down my spine. “Maybe we shouldn’t check,” I murmured, but Third was already determined to investigate.

“I’ll take a look. You stay here,” he said, but the thought of being alone made me uneasy.

“I’m going with you,” I insisted, matching his pace as we moved toward the back of the house. As we crept closer, we could see two figures in the dim light. We couldn’t quite make out their faces, but something felt incredibly off about the scene.

“Shh,” Third whispered, shining his phone’s flashlight on the two figures. As the light fell on them, my stomach dropped.

It was Monica, completely naked, tangled up with Leo in the grass.

“Leo!” I screamed, the realization hitting me like a punch to the gut. “What does this mean?”

Betrayal coursed through my veins like poison. It felt like someone had ripped my heart out and trampled on it. How could Leo do this?

They froze, shock plastered across their faces.

“Mia, Third! What are you doing out here? It’s late!” Leo shouted, trying to pull himself together, but it was too late.

Belle’s voice cut through the night from behind us. “What are you two doing out here?” she asked, her tone oblivious as she walked toward us, holding the glass of milk I had prepared for her.

I wanted to scream, to tell her to turn back, but the words got stuck in my throat. I couldn’t move; I was paralyzed by the sight before me.

“Why are you out here?” she pressed, her eyes searching for answers.

“Belle, wait!” I tried to call out, but Third grabbed her arm, pulling her back.

“Let’s go inside, Belle and Mia,” he said urgently, trying to redirect her attention.

“Why? What’s going on?” she asked, her voice rising with confusion and worry. She took a few hesitant steps closer to where Leo and Monica were.

But as she got nearer, horror washed over her face. I could see the tears beginning to well in her eyes, and I felt my heart break for her.

“B-bastard!” she screamed, her voice cracking with rage and hurt. “How could you do this to me, Leo?”

She turned and ran, her sobs echoing in the night air as she fled from us.

“BELLE!” Leo shouted, his face a mask of shock and regret. “WAIT! THIS ISN’T WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE!”

But it was too late. She was gone, leaving only her cries lingering in the darkness.

I felt frozen, caught in a web of betrayal, anger, and sorrow. I wanted to chase after her, to comfort her, but all I could do was stand there, my heart aching for my best friend.

“What have I done?” Leo shouted, despair flooding his voice as he realized the damage was done.

I turned away from the horrific scene, pulling Third with me. We needed to find Belle before it was too late. We ran after her, the weight of the world pressing down on us, leaving Leo and Monica behind in the shadows of their betrayal.

:>yshanggabi