"What's.. beautiful?"
"Beautiful is what you call a girl you like looking at, like your so beautiful I can't take my eyes off of you"
One day Lily Harrington's best friends mysteriously vanish one night in the woods. She and her friends decide to in...
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"Slow down, guys," Dustin whispered, his voice barely audible as he trailed behind Steve and Beverly, who were weaving quickly through the crowded area after the suspicious-looking man. The air was thick with anticipation, and Dustin's heart pounded as they picked up speed.
"We're losing him—hurry up!" Beverly called out, her voice clipped with urgency as she broke into a light jog. Her red hair, vivid and wild, bounced with each step, catching the glow of the fluorescent lights. She glanced back at the others, blue eyes flashing.
"Bev! You're getting too close; you're gonna blow our cover," Dustin hissed, just loud enough for her to hear. Beverly slowed, falling in step with Dustin and Steve, her breath coming quickly as she shot Dustin a quick, apologetic smile. The three friends pressed on, shadows stretching behind them as they moved quickly.
Suddenly, the man halted mid-stride, his head snapping around as if searching for a tail. A jolt of panic shot through the group. Instinctively, Beverly ducked behind a towering potted plant, Steve flattened himself against a cold marble pillar, and Dustin darted to a grimy payphone, feigning interest as he pressed the receiver to his ear. Their breaths mingled with the mall's restless energy, hearts hammering as they prayed they hadn't been spotted.
They immediately began to trail him again, creeping forward with measured steps. The trio pressed themselves behind a half wall, breaths shallow as they watched the man stride confidently into a brightly lit studio.
Inside, women clad in vibrant exercise clothes stretched and chatted, the room buzzing with upbeat laughter. The man set his duffel bag on the polished floor, removed his dark shades, and shrugged off his black sweater, revealing colorful workout attire beneath.
"Who's ready to sweat?" he called out, grinning, his voice echoing over the thumping bass as the class turned to greet him.
Disappointed yet intrigued, the trio remained hidden, peering over the edge of the wall. The class, made up mostly of older women, began to sway and move in time with the pulsing music, their hips circling with surprising energy.
"Will, don't be dramatic—just come back inside. Eddie. Come on, guys," Lily called out, her voice sharp and wavering between annoyance and concern. She squinted through the thick sheets of rain, watching Will stomp toward their bikes, each step kicking up splashes from the puddles gathering on the muddy ground.
Rainwater streamed down his caramel curls, plastering them to his forehead and cheeks. The bikes, lined up beneath the flickering porch light, glistened with droplets, their chrome frames casting ghostly reflections on the slick wooden boards.
The relentless downpour drummed on the roof and churned the yard into a patchwork of rippling puddles, while the storm's cold wind whipped Lily's hair against her cheeks and soaked her clothes to her skin.
"Maybe we should go back inside, Will. We're gonna catch hypothermia," Eddie said quietly, his words nearly swallowed by the hiss of rain against the wooden roof. Will turned, droplets streaming down his cheeks, his eyes glinting with stubbornness before he shook his head.
