It All Started With A GAME || ongoing 18++ ||

Chapter One: Isabella Cruz

Chapter One: Isabella Cruz

The faint glow of autumn leaves painted the street in hues of orange and gold as I stepped out of my house, the cool air nipping at my skin. Halloween was just around the corner, and the anticipation was palpable. My friends and I had been planning a weekend getaway to a cabin in the woods, hoping for laughter, ghost stories, and a break from the daily grind of senior year. Little did we know, we were about to stumble into something far more sinister.

As I approached Haven Valley High, the scent of crisp leaves mixed with the distant aroma of pumpkin spice wafting through the air. I pulled my cardigan tighter around me, feeling the chill that seemed to cling to the ground, hinting at the change in seasons. The vibrant colors of the leaves contrasted with the dull gray of the school building ahead, which seemed to loom larger as I got closer.

Spotting Mason leaning against his car, I felt a flutter of nerves in my stomach. He was tall and athletic, with sandy brown hair tousled just enough to look effortless, and a playful smirk that made my heart skip. He looked effortlessly charming, and for a moment, I felt a rush of warmth despite the cold. Mason had that magnetic presence; you couldn't help but be drawn to him. But today, I forced myself to focus. He was the one who had come up with the trip, and while part of me was excited, another part felt an odd sense of dread that had settled deep within my gut.

"Mason! You ready to go?" I called out, my voice breaking the tranquil morning air.

He turned to me, his smirk widening. "Always. You're just in time, Isabella. I was starting to think you were going to bail on us."

"Not a chance. I wouldn't miss out on a weekend of camping and ghost stories." I flashed a grin back at him, though I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. I was determined to put my doubts aside—after all, how many chances would we have left for adventures like this?

As we walked towards the school entrance, I glanced at Lila, who was practically bouncing with excitement. Her strawberry blonde hair shimmered like spun gold in the sunlight, and she was animatedly discussing the latest trends in fashion, her pale green eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. She was the social butterfly of our group, always eager to include everyone in her plans, and today was no different. Next to her stood Ryder, his brooding presence a stark contrast to Lila's bubbly nature. With dark hair that fell over his forehead and piercing gray eyes, he seemed perpetually wrapped in a shroud of mystery, which only heightened my curiosity.

"Isabella, you'll never believe what I found!" Lila exclaimed, her voice ringing with excitement. "There's a legend about a killer in those woods. They say he—"

"Lila, please," Ryder interjected, his tone slightly annoyed. "Let's not start that. We want to have fun, not freak everyone out before we even get there."

I chuckled nervously, trying to dismiss the chill creeping up my spine. "Yeah, let's keep the horror stories for the campfire." Yet, the mention of the legend stirred something in my mind, a flicker of unease that I couldn't quite place.

"Come on, it's Halloween! We need some thrill," Lila insisted, her excitement unwavering. She had a knack for turning the mundane into the magical, and I admired her for it, but this felt different.

Just then, Caleb strolled over, his black-rimmed glasses perched on his nose, a sarcastic grin spreading across his face. "You know, there's nothing quite like a weekend getaway filled with teenage angst and urban legends. What could possibly go wrong?"

I shot him a playful glare. "Thanks for that vote of confidence, Caleb." He was always the one to crack jokes, and while his humor usually lightened the mood, today it felt like an uncomfortable reminder of the stakes we might be facing.

His laughter rang out, infectious as ever. "Just saying, a little danger never hurt anyone. Right, Blake?"

Blake, who had been leaning against a nearby wall, looked up with an inscrutable expression, his dark blonde hair framing his chiseled features. His intense hazel eyes flickered with something that sent a shiver down my spine. "Danger's overrated," he replied coolly, his voice low and steady.

"Speak for yourself," Caleb shot back, earning a half-smirk from Blake. I couldn't help but notice the electric tension between Caleb and Blake. It was like watching fire and ice collide—both captivating and unsettling.

As we headed inside, the bell rang, signaling the start of another day of classes. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Our Halloween getaway was supposed to be an escape, a chance to create memories before we scattered in different directions after graduation. But the shadows of uncertainty loomed closer, whispering that the woods held secrets we were not prepared to face.

Classes passed in a blur, and the excitement in the air was almost tangible. I exchanged glances with Mason across the classroom, and each time, the connection between us seemed to deepen. It was a playful dance of banter and teasing, but there was an undercurrent of something more—something that made my heart race in ways I didn't quite understand.

Finally, when the day came to an end, we piled into Mason's car, the energy in the air crackling with excitement and apprehension. I caught Mason's eye in the rearview mirror, and he grinned, the warmth of his smile wrapping around me like a cozy blanket. For a moment, everything felt right.

As we drove away from the familiar streets of our town, the trees lining the road blurred into a kaleidoscope of colors. But the nagging feeling in my stomach persisted, a reminder that beneath the laughter and carefree banter, darkness lurked just beyond the horizon.

"Are we really ready for this?" I thought, my mind racing with possibilities. What awaited us in the woods? And would the secrets we held close be the very things that could tear us apart?

The road stretched ahead, twisting into the unknown, and with every mile, the reality of our trip settled in. We were headed into the heart of a mystery—a getaway that could change everything.