Sweetheart

Chapter 4 - Hallucinations

I'm sorry it's taken me so long to upload, I really am! I will be working harder. I also apologise for the short chapter. As I am currently on vacation, I won't have time to edit so excuse any typos. I will review the chapters when I am home(: enjoy and please comment for what you would like to see next! It might just happen! I love you<3

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The scene with the boy still nags at my brain as I absentmindedly find my way home, a shopping bag in my right hand. My brow presses into a confused frown. Maybe it was just coincidence? I mean, we live in a small area, so it's not difficult to know people without having to introduce yourself. Then again, his face doesn't seem familiar, apart from that late night encounter at Jeff's.

As I reach my front door, I shake the thoughts from my head. It's no use dwelling on something that I can't change. But as I look down to insert the key into my lock, I see an odd shape carved into the wood of the door. Stepping back to earn a better look, I realise it is, yet again, another heart. "Bloody vandals!" I curse, shoving open the door and dropping the shopping on the island counter. "KIAN!" I shout with an annoyed tone. How could he not know what was happening? I'd been gone less than half an hour!

"Hey Riley, what's up?" He said, dazed. It seems that I have actually been successful in dragging him from his pit. Kian has bed hair as he progresses towards me, bags beneath his eyes.

"Nothing much...apart from the HUGE CARVING IN OUR DOOR." I raise my voice and he winces. Scratching his head, his brow creases.

"Stop shouting...I've just woken up." He says, his voice resembling that of a child being scolded by their parent. "I'm sure we can fix it. It could happen to anyone." Kian tries to reason with me, but my blood is boiling. I've had enough with these creepy little drawings everywhere.

"They don't happen to people that aren't completely ignorant to what's going on around them. They don't happen to people that will actually get out of bed in the morning." I know that by now he probably isn't listening to me anymore. Kian tends to shut off when I lecture him about how inconsiderate and irresponsible he can be. "And that's another thing. Did one of your 'mates' leave a book here yesterday? Whoever it was, they have issues and too much time on their hands." I grumble, starting to unpack the shopping.

"What are you on about?" Kian raises an eyebrow and looks at me like I'm crazy.

"This!" I say, throwing the little black book towards him. He catches it skilfully and flicks through the pages.

"There's nothing in it." He concludes, dropping the book onto the coffee table and advancing towards the sofa, scooping the remote up on his way.

"What?" I mutter, my mouth agape in disbelief. "Someone had drawn hearts on every inch of the paper, on every page!" I try to explain, slotting the milk into the fridge. I dash towards the little book. Sure enough, nothing is present on the crisp white pages. "But..." I begin but I am stopped by Kian's low chuckle.

"Keep taking the meds Riley." He says, leaning his head to the side to look at me. I launch a cushion at his face but he catches it, much to my dismay.

"But still...the door." I can't be wrong about that too? Can I? Kian lifts his lazy body from the couch and follows me to the front door. "Have you run out of shirts or something? You'll give our neighbours a heart attack." I refer to his bare chest, muscles penetrating the skin. He flexes momentarily and winks at me, sweat pants hanging loosely on his hips. I roll my eyes. "I bet that if it were possible, you'd marry yourself." I claim, opening the front door to show him.

"Oh, you know me so well." He laughs and glances at the wood of the door. Shockingly, the panels of the door are completely smooth and untouched, just as before I'd left the apartment. "What did you want to show me?" Kian asks, his tone bored as his hands find his pockets. He reaches one out to wave at a girl coming up the stairs from her morning run. Her name is Stephanie. She's a fitness instructor. Kian eyes her up and down as she waves back and I punch him in the arm. "Ouch. Riley, there's nothing out here. Now can we please go back inside before I ultimately freeze!" I open the door again for him to pass through and he strides back to the television, planting himself firmly on the sofa. I slam the door behind me.

I knew one thing though. I was determined to find out what sinister things were messing with my head. I'm not crazy...I'm sure of that.