Verge of Insanity

Chapter Four

Mara Leigh

I woke up early the next morning intent on buying a cat. I knew a big dog with sharp teeth would be a more ideal pet. But I wasn't particularly a dog person. 

Today started our three day weekend, and I was so glad. No having to see Ella Barton for three whole days! I thought as I walked into my bedroom to look for clothes.  

Immediately I realized something was different.

Something's off. My room smells different. It wasn't a bad smell. But it was different. And something felt different. I couldn't put my finger on it. The footsteps from last night rang through my mind like an echo. What if someone really was here?

Mara Leigh, Beau looked all over the house. There was nothing here. It was probably just your mind playing tricks on you. Chill out.

Forcing myself to be calm, I went ahead and started getting dressed, pulling on a pair of pants, a t-shirt,  and my boots. There's nothing to be scared of, I told myself.

Oh wait, I thought as I walked toward my door. I turned around and went to my book shelf. I'd meant to get my drawing pad and sketch Beau from last night. He'd looked so adorable when he laughed. The Grover Animal Shelter wouldn't open for a little while, so I'd have time to get at least a rough sketch down.

But my drawing pad wasn't there. Surely I hadn't left it in the living room. I ran downstairs to check and see. I couldn't find it anywhere. Not on the television stand, or under the couch. Maybe it was in the kitchen. I looked in the kitchen and all over the house. No drawing pad anywhere.

Someone had to have been here. The voice nagged my mind. The six words kept repeating in my mind like a broken record, getting louder and louder. I heard a gasping sound and did a turn looking for the cause of it before I realized it was my breathing. 

Calm down before you hyperventilate! Before I knew what I was doing I called Beau.

"Hello?" he answered before I could hang up. His voice was husky, indicating that I'd woke him up.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

"What's wrong, Mara Leigh?" He sounded more awake now.

"I just... overreacted."

"No, tell me what's going on."

I explained to him how my drawing pad had somehow disappeared, feeling dumb. Last night's almost kiss invaded my mind, bringing embarrassment. Surely he didn't care to be talking to me. Why had I even called?

"So you think someone may have taken it? You think that it has something to do with last night?"

"I don't know where else it could be. I just used it the other day. I draw in it almost every night."

"Do you want to get the police involved?" he asked.

For a drawing pad? Just so they could tell me I'd misplaced it?

"No. They wouldn't believe me. No one would."

"I do," he retorted.

I sighed. "You were here."

"I don't know what to do," he said. "I wish I could help. But I really don't know."

"Sorry I woke you." I apologized again, and hung up, feeling hopeless. I was going crazy. What could I do about something that I wasn't even sure I knew how to explain to others. It would be just a way for them to laugh more at me. Like adding fuel to a fire.