Chapter 134: HARPER

I woke up warm.

Not blanket warm. Not morning sun through the curtains warm.

This was different.

There was weight at my back, an arm draped over my waist like it had every right to be there. Slow breathing against my neck, calm and even, like whoever it belonged to had nothing to worry about in the world.

My brain took a second to catch up.

Then it hit.

Tyler.

I stiffened, my eyes snapping open as everything rushed back at once. My room. Last night. Him staying over. The fact that I had actually fallen asleep with him still here.

“Are you serious?” I whispered under my breath.

His arm tightened slightly, pulling me closer like I was something he didn’t plan on letting go of anytime soon.

“Tyler,” I hissed quietly. “Wake up.”

He didn’t.

Of course he didn’t.

A knock came at my door.

My entire body locked.

“Harper?” my dad’s voice called from the other side. “You ready for school?”

My heart jumped into my throat.

“I’m about to open the door.”

I moved so fast I almost tripped over myself, slipping out of Tyler’s hold and rushing to the door.

“Don’t!” I blurted, pressing my hands against it like that would somehow keep everything inside hidden.

There was a pause.

“I’m… not dressed,” I added quickly, trying to sound normal and failing.

Another pause. Then my dad cleared his throat.

“Oh. Alright. Get ready, we’re leaving soon.”

“Yeah, I will,” I said, already wincing at how high my voice sounded.

His footsteps faded away.

I stayed there for a moment, pressed against the door, letting out a long breath.

“That was close.”

A soft chuckle came from behind me.

I shut my eyes briefly before turning around.

Tyler was awake now, lying on my bed like he had nowhere else to be, one arm tucked behind his head as he watched me with that annoying look on his face.

“You’re cute when you panic,” he said.

I rolled my eyes, even though I could feel heat creeping up my neck. “You’re the problem, not me.”

He smiled. “Didn’t look like that from here.”

I walked back toward the bed, lowering my voice. “You need to leave.”

“So early?” he asked, sitting up slowly.

“Yes, early,” I shot back. “Before my dad decides to come back and actually open the door this time.”

He stretched like he had all the time in the world. “We’ll meet at school anyway.”

“Exactly,” I said. “So go.”

I grabbed a hoodie and pulled it over myself as I spoke.

“Wait here. I’ll go distract him so you can sneak out.”

I turned toward the door, already reaching for the handle when his voice stopped me.

“Does making it official give me access to your room like this anytime I want?”

I froze.

Then I slowly turned back to him.

“Excuse me?”

He grinned slightly, clearly enjoying himself. “Just asking. Trying to understand the perks.”

My face heated up again, and I folded my arms. “You’d have to take that up with my dad.”

“Hmm,” he said thoughtfully, standing up and walking toward me. “I might.”

My eyes widened. “Don’t you dare.”

He didn’t respond.

He just reached for me, pulling me closer before I could react, and kissed me.

It wasn’t rushed like yesterday. It was slower, deliberate, like he knew exactly what he was doing and wasn’t in any hurry to stop.

My hands pressed lightly against his chest at first, like I was going to push him away.

I didn’t.

I kissed him back before I could think better of it.

When he finally pulled away, his forehead rested briefly against mine.

“I’d talk to him,” he murmured. “If it means I get to wake up like this more often.”

I huffed, trying to ignore the way my chest flipped. “Enough of that.”

“Mm,” he said, clearly not convinced.

I stepped back before he could pull me in again. “Stay here.”

“Bossy.”

“Stay,” I repeated, pointing at the bed.

He raised his hands slightly. “Alright.”

I turned and slipped out of my room before anything else could happen.

The kitchen smelled like coffee and something toasted. My dad stood by the counter, scrolling through his phone, while Claire moved around like she’d already been up for hours.

“Morning,” she said brightly when she saw me.

“Morning,” I replied, trying to sound normal as I grabbed a glass from the cabinet.

My dad looked up. “Thought you were getting ready for school.”

“I am,” I said quickly. “I just… came to check on you guys.”

He frowned slightly. “Check on us?”

“Yeah,” I said, nodding like it made perfect sense. “You know. Just making sure everything’s okay.”

Claire hid a smile behind her cup.

My dad gave me a look. “We’re fine.”

“Good,” I said, taking a sip of water I didn’t even need. “That’s good.”

He watched me for a moment longer. “You sure you’re alright?”

“Yeah,” I said quickly. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

Before he could answer, the front door slammed. All three of us went still. My heart dropped.

Oh my God.

I’m going to kill him.

My dad straightened slightly. “Did you hear that?”

“I did,” Claire said quickly, setting her cup down. “Probably just the wind.”

“The wind doesn’t slam doors,” my dad replied, already moving.

“Wait!” Claire said suddenly, her voice louder than before.

He stopped. “What?”

“There’s… a roach,” she said, pointing toward the corner of the kitchen.

My dad’s entire focus shifted instantly. “Where?”

“Over there,” she said, stepping back dramatically.

He moved toward it without another thought.

I stared at her.

She winked.

I mouthed, “Thank you.”

Then I turned and hurried back upstairs before anything else could go wrong.

By the time I got to school, it already felt like I’d lived through half a day.

I stepped through the gates, adjusting my bag, trying to shake the feeling off, and that was when I saw Megan.

She was a few steps ahead, heading toward the building like nothing had changed. Like we hadn’t completely fallen apart.

“Megan!” I called.

She slowed just enough to glance back. Our eyes met, and something in my chest tightened, waiting for her to stop.

She didn’t.

She turned and kept walking like I hadn’t said anything.

I stood there for a second, then pushed myself forward, not ready to let it go. “Megan, wait—”

A hand grabbed my arm and yanked me back.

“What—” I turned, irritation already rising, and then realized who had stopped me.

My expression hardened immediately. “What do you want?”

Racquel didn’t look like herself. Her eyes were red, her face drawn, and her fingers that held onto me were trembling.

“Harper, please,” she said. “I need your help.”

I let out a short laugh. “You’re joking.”

“I’m not,” she said quickly. “I need to talk to Tyler. He’s not picking my calls.”

“That’s not my problem.”

“It is,” she insisted. “I don’t know if he told you anything. I asked him not to. I didn’t want to drag you into it.”

“Too late,” I said. “And don’t worry, I know enough. You’re a liar, remember? A sociopath.”

She froze. “You believe that?”

“I should.”

Her expression shifted, something desperate creeping in. “That’s what they want. My parents. They’ll say anything to make me look crazy.”

“Then go tell that to the police,” I replied.

For a second, she didn’t move. Then she slowly pushed up her sleeve.

I wasn’t ready for that.

Bruises lined her arm, dark and uneven.

My words got stuck.

“This is what happens when I go home,” she said quietly. “They’re pulling me out of school. They don’t want me here.”

I forced myself to look away. “I don’t know what you expect me to do.”

“I came because I thought I’d find Tyler,” she said. “He’s the only one who listened. Him and his parents. They can help me.”

That hit somewhere uncomfortable.

“Help me talk to him,” she added. “Please.”

I hesitated.

“I swear, once this is over, I’ll stay out of your lives,” she said quickly. “You won’t hear from me again.”

I let out a breath. “…Fine.”

Relief flashed across her face. “Thank you.”

“I just need to get to his house,” she said as we started walking. “I’ve only been there once. Can you show me?”

I nodded. “Let’s go.”

We were almost at the parking lot when Peter stepped in front of us, his eyes going straight to Racquel before landing on me.

“She bothering you?”

Racquel tensed beside me.

“No,” I said quickly. “It’s fine. I just need to help her with something.”

He didn’t look convinced. “You sure?”

“I’m sure.”

He held my gaze for a moment, then stepped aside. “Alright.”

I didn’t wait. I grabbed Racquel’s arm lightly and pulled her along.

We got into her car, and she started the engine.

“Tell me everything,” I said as we pulled out. “Don't leave out details, Racquel.”

She nodded, gripping the wheel. “My stepbrother wasn’t around much. He was studying abroad. But when he came back during Christmas…”

Her voice wavered. “…he started looking at me differently.”

I frowned. “What do you mean?”

She kept talking, her voice a little shaky, but my attention started slipping.

Something felt off.

I glanced out the window, then back at the road.

“Wait,” I said. “This isn’t the way.”

“It’s a shortcut,” she replied.

I looked at her. “You said you didn’t know the way.”

She turned slightly, meeting my eyes, and smiled.

“Don’t you want to hear the rest?” she asked.

A chill ran through me.

“…I do,” I said carefully, even though I wasn’t listening anymore.

I was thinking.

Watching.

“There’s a gas station up ahead,” I said. “Can you stop? I need the restroom.”

She nodded. “Okay.”

She pulled in without hesitation.

“I’ll come with you,” she said.

“You don’t have to,” I replied quickly. “I’ll be fast.”

She paused, then smiled. “Alright.”

I got out and walked straight inside, my heart beating faster now.

The restroom was empty.

The moment I got in, I pulled out my phone and dailed Tyler's number.

He picked up. “Hey, mama—”

“I’m with Racquel,” I cut in quickly, trying to keep my voice down. “Something’s not right. We’re at a gas station, I think it’s—”

Something slammed into the back of my head.

Pain exploded through my skull, and my phone slipped from my hand.

A familiar voice came from behind me.

“Too easy.”

Then everything went dark.