“Oh, yeah? They all left. Took off early this morning, right after breakfast. Something about spas and vampires.” He grins, but there’s something off about it, something that makes my skin crawl.
I nod, taking a cautious step back. “Right. Halloween-themed spa day. I’ll just… I’ll meet them there.” I turn to leave, but his hand darts out, gripping my arm. I flinch—almost jump out of my skin.
His grip tightens, fingers digging into my arm. "What's the rush? Maybe we could hang out, get to know each other better. After the other night..." He trails off, a smirk playing on his lips.
I swallow hard, trying to pull my arm free. "Lyle, let go. Please. I really need to go."
"Go where? Your friends pretty much ditched you." His eyes glint with something dark, dangerous. "C'mon, it'll be fun. Just you and me."
Bile rises in my throat as flashes of that drunken night flip through my mind. His sloppy kisses, rough hands groping me. Jesus, I think I was using my own hand when I orgasmed against the back of his door. There’s a quick memory of him watching it, his hands nowhere near me, shoved down the front of his own pants.
I yank my arm back, and he throws his hands up like he’s surrendering. “Okay, okay, sorry. I get it.” His bag slips off hisshoulder and lands on the floor with a heavy thud. He looks at me like I’ve just kicked his puppy.
Shit, now I feel bad.
I take a deep breath, my heart still hammering wildly in my chest. "No, it's fine. I just... I need to text my friends and figure out where they went." I pull out my phone, hoping that he’ll stop looking at me like that.
Lyle shrugs, picking up his bag. "Sure, whatever you say."
I turn my back to him, typing out a quick message to the group chat:
Tori: Hey, where are you guys? Something weird is happening here. Call me ASAP.
I send it and wait, my stomach churning. When no response comes, I send another message:
Tori: Seriously, I need one of you to call me now.
Minutes tick by with no reply. Lyle watches me with a curious expression. "Your friends not answering?"
I force a smile. "Not yet, but they'll get back to me. They're probably driving back right now."
"Yeah, right. Whatever you say." His lips press into a tight line, and he pulls up his bag. "You know, if you need a place to hang out, the library is pretty nice. We could chill there until you hear from them."
I hesitate, glancing down the hallway. The idea of going back to my room is too terrifying right now. And, honestly, I don’t want to be alone. "Sure, okay. Let's go to the library."
As we walk to the elevator, I send one last desperate message to Tessa.
Tori: Please call me. I'm freaking out
In the library Lyle leads me to a couple of chairs by a large window, and we sit down. I keep my phone in my lap, checking it every few seconds, hoping for any sign of a response.
Not even one.
"So," Lyle says, breaking the silence, "what's got you so freaked out? You were running down the hallway like your panties were on fire."
I pause, not sure if he’ll play the part of haunted house ghoul or not. But something, some nervous wild energy, is pacing and raw inside me, clawing to be let out. "Lyle, be straight with me, okay. It's just... the weird stuff? Is it really happening? Are you doing it? Like, I woke up and all my things were rearranged. And I heard scratching from the closet, but when I tried to open it, the door slammed shut. It's like someone is messing with me. And the rose with the skull on it…you left it for me, right? It’s all part of the Everwood package."
Lyle raises an eyebrow, leaning back in his chair. “I didn’t leave you a rose with a skull on it, Tori. That would be weird.”
“Yes, you did.” I nod vigorously, pointing at him. “Stop the act for a minute and be real. You left that creepy note.”
He chuckles, and the sound grates on my nerves. “It wasn’t me. I think maybe one of your friends is playing a joke on you.”
I bite the inside of my cheek, frustrated by his dismissiveness. He’s just got to be playing the part—not able to break character, just like they do in Disney. He just has to be.
Lyle sighs, leaning forward. “Look, I know this place can be really frightening. I’ve seen a lot, and I mean A LOT, of horrifying things here. But that’s the magic of this place. If people come here skeptics, they end up leaving believers.”
“Believers in…?”
