The Devil In Disguise

Shadows In The Hallways

The first week of December arrived with a chill, the air crisp and biting as winter settled over the town. The holiday season would typically bring a sense of joy and excitement, but for Gianina and her friends, the cheer felt distant, overshadowed by the string of dark events that had upended their lives. Thanksgiving had passed in a blur, and though they had tried to find comfort in each other's presence, the shadow of fear lingered, a constant reminder of the dangers lurking just out of sight.

As Gianina walked down the familiar hallways of her school, bundled in her winter coat, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. The killer's messages, relentless and taunting, had haunted her throughout the break. She'd tried to forget them, to ignore the claims he'd made about Cal's supposed feelings for her, but the words lingered, like an itch at the back of her mind.

Could Cal really feel that way? She'd known him for years; they'd been close since childhood, but she had never seen him as anything more than a friend. Yet the killer's words had stirred something inside her, a nagging doubt that refused to go away.

As she approached her locker, she spotted Marcus and Cal waiting for her, leaning against the wall, chatting quietly. She gave them a small smile as she joined them, but her gaze lingered on Cal, watching him closely, trying to decipher the truth in his expressions, his gestures, the subtle looks he threw her way.

Cal had been third-wheeling more than ever lately, always by her side, rarely leaving her alone with Marcus. It could have been a protective instinct after everything they'd been through, but now she wondered if there was something more to it, if the killer's taunts held some grain of truth. She wanted to dismiss it, to chalk it up to paranoia, but the doubt had taken root.

"Hey, GG," Cal greeted her, giving her a small smile, his eyes lingering on her in a way that made her stomach tighten with unease.

"Hey, Cal," she replied, her voice steady, though her mind was anything but. She forced herself to smile, acting as though nothing was wrong, though the tension between them felt almost tangible.

Marcus slung an arm around her shoulders, his usual warmth comforting, grounding her. "You ready to get back to the grind?" he asked with a smirk. "December's got finals and, well, our long-awaited break."

She nodded, but her attention kept flickering back to Cal, her mind whirling with questions. The killer's words echoed in her mind, taunting her, daring her to uncover the truth.

They made their way to first period together, Cal trailing close behind, his presence a constant shadow. She could feel his gaze on her, but whenever she glanced back, he looked away, his expression unreadable. It felt like a game, a silent dance of glances and stolen looks, and she was growing tired of it.

During lunch, as they gathered at their usual table, Gianina excused herself, slipping away to a quiet corner of the hallway. She pulled out her phone, typing out a message to the killer with a shaky hand.

Why did you lie? Cal doesn't love me.

She sent the message, her heart pounding as she waited for a reply. It was a risky move, she knew, but she needed answers. She needed to know if the killer's taunts were part of his twisted game, or if there was a hidden truth she hadn't seen.

Her phone buzzed almost immediately, the reply sending a chill down her spine.

Oh, GG. So naive. He's loved you longer than you realize. Why else would he be so eager to stay by your side, to protect you?

She felt a pang of unease as she read the words, glancing back toward the cafeteria where Cal sat with Marcus and the others, laughing as though nothing was wrong. The killer's words were poison, seeping into her mind, making her question everything.