Monster Underneath The Bed✓

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Chapter 7: Beneath the Surface

The next few days were a whirlwind for YN. The encounter in the park had left her reeling, her mind constantly replaying the brief conversation she had with the boy. She had finally spoken to him, broken through the barrier that had kept them apart for so long. But with that victory came a new set of questions, ones that gnawed at her relentlessly.

Was he truly oblivious to her years of watching, or had he been playing along all this time? The thought thrilled and terrified her in equal measure. There was a part of her that wanted to believe he knew, that he had always known, and that this was just the beginning of something deeper between them.

But another part of her, the part that was still grounded in reality, worried that she had made a mistake. That by stepping out of the shadows, she had exposed herself to dangers she hadn't fully considered.

The boy's behavior in the days following their conversation only added to her confusion. He was still as calm and composed as ever, his routine unchanged. But now, YN noticed small things his eyes flickering in her direction more often, the way he seemed to linger a moment longer when he passed by her. It was as if he was aware of her presence in a way he hadn't been before.

One afternoon, as YN was leaving school, she noticed him standing by the entrance, his gaze sweeping over the students as they left. Her heart skipped a beat as she approached, trying to act casual as she walked past him.

“YN,” he called out, stopping her in her tracks.

She turned to face him, her heart pounding. “Hey,” she replied, trying to keep her voice steady.

“I’ve been thinking,” he began, his tone measured. “You seem familiar. Have we met before?”

YN's mind raced. She could feel the weight of his gaze on her, searching for answers she wasn’t ready to give. She forced a smile, hoping to deflect his curiosity. “Maybe in passing. We’ve been at the same school for a while.”

He nodded slowly, as if considering her words. “Yeah, maybe. It’s just… I feel like I’ve seen you around more lately.”

YN felt a chill run down her spine. There was something in his voice that made her uneasy, a hint of something more than just casual observation. Had he noticed her following him all those times? Or was he trying to draw her out, to see how much she would reveal?

“Small school, I guess,” she said with a shrug, trying to keep her tone light. “We probably just have similar schedules.”

He smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Yeah, I guess so. Anyway, I’m heading home. See you around?”

“Sure,” YN replied, forcing herself to hold his gaze. “See you.”

As he walked away, YN felt her stomach twist with unease. Something had changed. The boy’s casual demeanour had given way to something else, something more calculated. He was watching her now, just as she had been watching him for so long.

That night, YN sat in her room, her journal open in front of her. She hesitated before writing, unsure of what to put down. The excitement of their encounter was fading, replaced by a growing sense of dread.

“What if he knows?” she whispered to herself, the words hanging in the air like a dark cloud.

The idea that he might be onto her made her feel exposed, vulnerable in a way she hadn’t felt before. She had always been the one in control, the one pulling the strings from behind the scenes. But now, she felt like the roles were starting to reverse, and it terrified her.

YN spent the next few days on edge, constantly looking over her shoulder, wondering if he was following her now. She went about her routine with a heightened sense of awareness, her senses on high alert for any sign that he was watching her.

It wasn’t until a week later that she finally found something that made her blood run cold. She had been going through her locker after school when she noticed a small piece of paper tucked inside one of her books. Her heart pounded as she unfolded it, her hands trembling.

The note was simple, just a few words scribbled in neat handwriting:

“I see you, too.”

YN's breath caught in her throat as she stared at the note. She felt a wave of panic wash over her, the walls of her carefully constructed world closing in on her. He knew. He had known all along.

She quickly stuffed the note back into her book, her mind racing. What did this mean? Was he threatening her? Or was this some twisted game he was playing, trying to see how far she would go?

YN felt her control slipping, the delicate balance she had maintained for so long beginning to unravel. She had spent years watching him, studying his every move, but now, she realised, he had been doing the same to her.

The realisation left her shaken, but also strangely exhilarated. The boy she had been obsessed with for so long was more like her than she had ever imagined. They were two sides of the same coin, each hiding their true intentions behind a carefully constructed facade.

But now that the truth was out, YN knew there was no going back. The game had changed, and the stakes were higher than ever. She would have to tread carefully, or risk losing everything she had worked so hard to achieve.

As she closed her locker and walked out of the school, YN felt a new sense of determination. The boy had seen her, just as she had seen him, but she wasn’t about to back down. If this was a game, then she was ready to play.

But deep down, she couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning and that the secrets they both kept were darker and more dangerous than she had ever imagined.

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