scarletwriter101

[scarletwriter101]

Through my window - Chapter 3

- That same night -

That night, after Dad and Bree had gone to bed, I stayed up.

I sat in the chair by my window, one knee pulled up to my chest, eyes fixed on the back yard. The moon was bright enough to cast everything in a pale glow—the garden, the shed, the narrow path into the trees. And there, just beside the shed, the plate of food.

From this distance, it was barely more than a smudge of white in the grass, but I kept my gaze locked on it. Waiting.

Minutes dragged into hours. Every so often, I thought I saw movement in the shadows at the edge of the woods—branches shifting, a darker shape between the trees—but it was always just the wind.

Nothing came.

Finally, with my eyes burning and my head heavy, I gave up. I crawled into bed, telling myself I’d check first thing in the morning.

_________________________________________________________

When I stepped outside the next day, the air was still cool and the grass was covered in dew. I walked straight to the back of the shed.

The plate was still there. The stew untouched, a thin layer of dusting from the night settling on its surface.

I frowned, crouching down. That’s when I noticed them—just barely visible in the soft, damp earth.

Prints.

Not deep, not clear enough to make out exactly what had made them. But they were there, leading from the edge of the trees straight toward the plate. The grass was slightly pressed, the soil faintly indented. Like something had come close enough to reach it—close enough to smell it—and then turned back.

'Weird' I thought, leaning forward, eyes locked on the faint impressions in the soil. They were so light they almost vanished if I looked too long.

Maybe whatever animal made them was small. Maybe it didn’t eat meat, and that’s why the stew was untouched. Or maybe… something scared it away before it could get the chance to eat.

I glanced back toward the house. The kitchen window was dark, the curtains still drawn. Bree and Dad were probably still asleep.

I didn’t want to explain this to them, so I picked up the plate, careful not to spill what was on it, and carried it a few steps to the narrow space behind the shed. It was shadowed there, hidden from view unless you were looking for it. I set it down again, tucking it close to the wall.

For a moment, I just stood there, listening. The morning was quiet—almost too quiet. No birdsong, no breeze. Just the stillness of the forest. Then I turned and went back inside.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

The rest of the day went by like normal. Bree spent most of it fussing over the new chickens, Dad worked on fixing a loose board in the porch steps, and I helped weed the garden.

The next morning, I went to check on the plate, more out of habit than expectation. I rounded the corner of the shed, eyes half-lidded from sleep - and my eyes widened at the sight. The plate was empty. Completely clean, not even a scrap left.

A strange rush went through me. Excitement, maybe? Or...curiosity, sharpened and alive. I couldn't help but smile.

That evening, I set out another plate, putting in in the spot I originally established, so that I could see it from the window of my bedroom. And the next night, too. Each time, when I checked in the morning, the food was gone. It became a quiet ritual. My little secret. I was glad I could help whatever hungry animals stabled across my small offering.

One night, maybe a week later, I woke in the dark with my mouth dry and my throat parched. I shuffled downstairs, poured a glass of water, and drank it slowly, listening to the old house creak around me. On the way back to my room, I thought of the plate. 'Just a quick glance', I told myself.

I stepped to the window of my room, peering out into the moonlit yard. The plate was still there, sitting exactly where I’d left it. Untouched. I was about to turn away—when something in the corner of my vision made me stop in my tracks.

At first, I thought it was nothing. Just a darker shape in the sea of shadows between the trees. But then it shifted again, and now I was sure there was something there, not yet fully visible, hidden in the shadows.

After a small while, the figure finally stepped out from behind the trunks. The moonlight touched it, making it fully visible - and my blood ran cold.

The thing that had crawled out of the forest was no animal. Its skin was the color of bone, stretched over thin limbs that were almost human, but wrong in ways I couldn't explain. The hunched frame was crawling on all fours, though I could tell from the strange, jerking way it moved that it wasn't build for this. It was meant to walk upright...but had chosen something else.

The arms -God, the arms - dangled low, ending in hands that were nothing but claws, long and crooked, catching the moonlight like rusted knives. The claws were covered in something dark, something that had dried there long ago. It's legs ended in hooked, predatory talons that scraped against the ground as the creature dragged itself forward.

Its head was tilted at an odd angle, almost curious, as it crept forward. A few tangled tufts of long, pitch-black hair clung to it's scalp. Where it's eyes should have been were only deep, black pits, as if someone had carved them out, leaving nothing but void.

And then there was its mouth...

It hung open in a jagged, eternal snarl, packed with sharp, uneaven teeth that didn't match, all angled wrong. It couldn't close its mouth completely - the teeth wouldn't let it. Thin strands of something dark clung between them.

Every nerve in my body screamed at me to move, to back away. But I could only stand there, completely frozen, watching as this....this hellish creature made it's way towards the plate.

It moved with slow, jerking motions, every step deliberate, as if it was listening for something I couldn't hear. When it finally reached the food, it lowered its head, those horrible teeth tearing into the meal. Even if it seemed impossible, I could swear I heard the wet, animalistic sound it made when it chewed, and it made every strand of air on my body sit upright.

Then, slowly - almost painfully - I felt control creep back into my limbs. I had to move, back away before it saw me. I finally took a small step back, eyes never leaving the creature in front of me. It's body twitched every few seconds, a strange, unnatural motion. It kept eating.

I took another careful step into the darkness of my room.

Then, without a warning, the creature stopped moving. Even though it's head never moved, I could feel its gaze shift towards me - felt it like a weight pressing against my skull.A cold, crawling sensation slid down my spine.

Slowly, it turned its head - not to the side, but up. Directly toward my window. Those black, empty hollows fixating it, fixating me. I froze, my breath catching in my throat.

It just stood there, staring. And then - without breaking that awful gaze - it rose.

The movement was jerky at first, like its body wasn't used to standing on two legs anymore. It then straightened into its full, unnatural height.

Neither of us moved for what seemed like an eternity to me. I wanted to move, but I just couldn't.

One clawed hand twitched, and the corners of its mouth stretched just enough to expose more of those crooked, sharp teeth.

That's when I finally broke the stare and I stumbled back into the darkness of my room. My heel caught on the edge of the rug and my legs gave out. I hit the floor hard, the sound muffled by the pounding in my ears. Scrambling backward as far away from the window as I could, my back hit the wall besides the door.

I stood there, my chest raising and falling in short, ragged breaths, heart pounding. Whatever that thing was, it saw me.

A horrible thought occured to me 'Oh God, what if it tries to enter the house?'. I wanted to scream for my Dad, but my mouth couldn't form the words. My throat felt locked, my voice trapped deep within my chest.

I didn't now if 'It' was still there.

I didn't know if 'It' was trying to make its way inside the house.

And I didn't dare find out.

I just stood there, pressed against the wall, eyes fixated on the window across the room, unable to move.

The moon hung silently in the sky. There was nothing but silence surrounding me.

I must have drifted of at some point, because the next thing I knew, a sharp ray of sunshine burned right onto my face.

Before I even had the chance to fully come to my senses, I heard Dad calling me downstairs. I rubbed my eyes and hurried down the stairs, still shaky from the night before.

Dad was waiting for me on the back porch. "Hey" he said ''Did you leave your plate out her eon the porch last night?" He asks, his voice calm, pointing at the plate that was sitting on the first step of the porch.

I froze, throat tightening. 'It' put it there, there was no doubt in that. I wanted to tell my dad the truth right then and there, but something in me held it back.

"Yeah'' I lied, nodding a bit to quickly. "I must've forgotten it, sorry.."

Dad gave me a knowing look and nodded "It's fine, just try not to let it happen again" he said, then turned and walked back inside the house, leaving me standing there, staring helplessly at the plate in front of me.

What will happen now?

[scarletwriter101]

Through my window - Chapter 2

-> Part 3

The next morning came quietly—no alarms, no traffic, just birdsong and the sound of branches swaying in the wind.

Over the next few days, we got to work. There was a lot to do.

We cleaned every room, swept out years of dust and cobwebs, and aired out the curtains that still held the smell of old wood and time. Dad patched up a broken step on the porch, fixed the loose doorknob in the hallway, and even got the old water heater working—though it groaned every time someone took a shower like it was being woken from a long slumber.

Bree and I took to the garden right away. We spent hours kneeling in the dirt, tugging out weeds and working the soil. It actually started to look like something again. The shed, on the other side, was left untouched. Bree didn't really want to go near it, and honestly, neither did I. And it wasn't just the thick layer of spider webs that coated most of the walls that made us keep our distance, but rather the uneasy feeling that washed over me anytime I went near it. It was just...creepy.

We also made a few trips into town, mostly for supplies—paint, tools, groceries. Each time, we saw more of the locals. They didn’t say much at first, just gave us polite nods or watched from a distance like they weren’t sure what to make of us yet. At the general store, an older man rang us up for a bag of nails and a box of cereal. “You the ones moved into the old Wexler place?” he asked. His voice was polite and his attitude felt almost welcoming, but his eyes didn't match his behaviour. They were cold, stopped of any emotion. I tried to shake off the feeling, it was probably just me being paranoid. These people seemed nice enough.

“Yeah,” Dad said, adjusting the box under his arm. “Fixing it up.”

The man gave a thoughtful no. “Takes work, that house. Been empty a long time.” He said as he handed us the bag. I caught a glimpse of a tattoo on his wrist that vaguely resembled a cross. 'He must be the religious type' I boredly thought to myself. Even though I haven't seen any churches around here.

No one asked why we’d come, or where we were from. Just small nods, faint smiles, the occasional soft "morning" or "need help with that?". It wasn’t warm exactly—but it wasn’t cold either. It felt like the town was watching. As if they were quietly deciding if we belonged.

- Time skip -

It's been almost a month since we moved in the new house and things were slowly starting to come into place. The house looked almost nothing like when we first got here. Dad had managed to fix most of the structural issues—loose boards, drafty windows, the crooked front step—and a fresh coat of paint gave the old wood a second life.

The garden actually started growing a few vegetables now that it wasn't suffocated by weeds. Dad started talking about getting chickens. “Fresh eggs every morning,” he said with a grin one night at dinner. “Might even fix up that old coop behind the shed.”

It felt nice, having a place we could finally call our own. We deserved this, a quiet life. Bree was going to start school at the end of summer, dad talked about getting a job at the grocery store. Life felt easy, calm. It was going to be okay.

-One evening, late at night -

For the first time since we've got here, I couldn't sleep. I stared at the ceiling, trying to make myself tired, but I was just buzzing with this strange awareness that wouldn't allow me to relax. After what seemed like hours since the house went quiet, I got out of bed and headed towards the window. The moon stood half hidden behind the clouds, barely providing any light. I watched the trees that stood not too far from the house, and they appeared almost pitch black.

I looked over at our little garden. I was now thick with fresh leaves, and the tomato plants swayed gently in their rows.

Then something moved.

At first, I thought it was just the wind/ But, the way the plants shifted - sudden, sharp, like something had brushe through them - it made my brows furrow. I squinted in the dark, pressing my forehead against the cold glass of the window. The garden was still for a moment - completely still.

Then - there it was. A shadow, low to the ground, quick, darted behind the shed. I couldn't see it clearly, it was just a flicker of movement. It looked like an animal, but it was sort of uneaven. I wasn't sure of what I saw, anything was barely visible in the pale moonlight.

Seconds passed. A minute.

And then, just before the trees swallowed it whole, I saw it again - a flash of something pale slipping into the woods. Gone before I could make out a shape.

I stood at the window for a long time after that, watching everything carefully, hoping I would catch another glimpse. But nothing happened. I thought about waking Dad, but something stopped me. A strange instinct, like if I said it out loud, it would make it real. And besides, what would I even say? I began to wonder if I had just imagined what I saw... I was tired, after all.

After what felt like forever, I finally moved again, slumping onto the bed. It wasn't long before my eyelids felt heavy, and I fell into a deep slumber.

- The next morning -

The next morning came as usual. I decided to ignore what had happened last night. Must have been a stray dog or something. I went downstairs for breakfast then busied myself with doing some work around the house. I was washing some dishes and looking out the window above the kitchen sink, which led to the garden. Bree was nearby, picking some wild flowers, and Dad had left earlier to take care of something in town.

After I was done, I headed outside as well. Bree was in the same spot as earlier, flowers in hand. As I aproached her, she turned her head to look at me and gave me a smile. I smiled back and stopped a few feet away from her, facing the garden. I thought I might check to see if anything had moved. And, surely enough, a few of the stems had been broken and several of the tomato stems were Bent or snapped near the base. Some of the tomato fruits were missing as well.

'I haven't imagined it after all...' I thought to myself. I must have gotten lost in thought because the next thing I know, Bree was calling out to me.

"You should see this!" She exclaimed as I turned to look at her. She was standing next to the shed with a concerned look on her face, her gaze fixated on something behind it. I quickly made my way to her and turned my gaze towards hat she was looking at.

At first, I didn't know what she meant, but then I saw it - the grass behind the shed was flattened, as if someone had been walking across it multiple times. The flattened weeds formed some sort of path. The trail curved slightly as it went, weaving through the tall grass before vanishing into the tree line.

It led straight to the forest.

''Who could have done this?" Bree finally asked.

I forced a shrug, not wanting to make her worry. " Could be a stray dog" I said lightly "Or a fox, maybe"

Bree didn't look convinced. "What if there are wolves around here?" She asked again, looking worried this time. I shook my head "There aren't any wolves in this area" I confidently lied. "You sure?" She pressed.

"Yes" I replied. 'No..' I thought. I wasn't sure. But I wasn't about to tell her that. The last thing I wanted was for her to be afraid everytime she stepped outside.

Bree nodded slowly and seemed to relax a bit. I gave her a reassuring smile just as we heard our Dad calling us. He was walking towards us, carrying a wooden crate. A flurry of clucking and rustling came from inside it.

“Guess what, girls?” he called out, grinning. “We’ve got chickens.”

He set the crate down carefully and opened the lid. Four scruffy hens blinked up at us, feathers puffed and confused from the ride.

Bree lit up immediately, already kneeling to peer inside. “Can we name them?” she asked. Dad chuckled. “Only if you plan on feeding them.”Bree nodded excitedly and all the tension from before seemed to lift. We spend the night setting up a fenced area for the hens.

- Later that evening -

After dinner, I went out on the back porch, holding a plate with some leftover food from dinner. I stared walking stoward the shed, bowl in hand. I knew it probably wasn't very smart, but I decided to place the food on the grass, next to the back of the shed. Whatever animal came here last night must've been hungry, and we had enough food to spare. I took one last look at the trees that stood only a couple of meters in front of me. It was almost completely dark outside, and the forest ahead of me looked almost pitch black. Only the first row of trees could be distinguished ,everything behind them was swallowed by darkness.

I returned inside, not uttering a word to Dad or Bree about what I had done. Not yet, at least.

[scarletwriter101]

Through my window - Chapter 1

Summary: a girl, along with her father and sister, move into a small, secluded town where things aren't exactly what they seem....

-> Part 2

When I heard we were moving—again—I wasn’t even surprised. Pretty sure this made it, what, the fourth time in the last two years? At this point, I could pack blindfolded. Ten minutes later, my things were stuffed into a suitcase and dragged downstairs, where my father and younger sister, Bree, were already waiting by the door.

Mom wasn’t in the picture. Not dead, just... gone. She left shortly after Bree was born, which was eleven years ago. I was four at the time, so my memories of her are mostly fuzzy fragments—flashes of laughter, maybe her hands brushing through my hair. Bree has none at all. We don’t talk about her. Not even between the two of us. Especially not in front of Dad.

The reason we moved so much wasn’t some big secret—it was just money. City life was expensive, and finding a decent, affordable place felt impossible. Every apartment we stayed in had something wrong with it. Rats, mold, leaking roofs, broken pipes—sometimes all at once.

So when Dad told us we were leaving the city for good, I didn’t expect much. But then he said we weren’t going to another apartment or rundown rental—we were moving into a house. Not just any house, either. A farmhouse. Apparently, one of his distant relatives—someone I’d never even heard of—had passed away and left the place to him. It was tucked away on the edge of a tiny village most people probably wouldn’t even find on a map. Population? Small. Neighbors? None for a mile in any direction, from what I gathered from my Dad.

Was I sad to leave the city? I wouldn't say so. Was I excited to be moving in the middle of nowhere, far away from any civilization? I wouldn't say that either, but I guess anything was better than having to endure yet another damn rat banging in the walls every night.

Once everything was packed in the car we were on our way. Bree was staring blankly out the window, head resting against the glass. Dad didn't say much either, eyes fixated on the road ahead of us, tapping his fingers along with the song that played on the radio. I just sank into the seat and tried to close my eyes, hoping to get some sleep, but I just couldn't bring myself to fall asleep. After a while, I gave up and just watched the road.

-Time skip-

We left the highway hours ago. The pavement on the road soon turned into gravel, then finally just plain dirt, making it's way through a seemingly never ending forest. The trees arched over the path, squeezing tightly together so that no ray of sunshine was visible, even though it was the middle of the day. I checked my phone, but there was no signal. Great.

After a while, I started wondering if we were even heading in the right direction, seeing as there were no signs on the road that indicated where we were. Just trees that stretched for miles in any direction. Then, just as I was about to ask Dad if we should just turn around, the trees opened up and a few houses appeared in the distance. We passed by them and believe me when I say this - the place looked ancient. The houses, made almost entirely of weathered wood, were few and far between, scattered across the fields. There were few people, and they all looked at our car passing by with unreadable faces. They didn't look unwelcoming or anything, more like...curious. A little girl waved at us while her mother just stared at our passing car with a serious face.

"The house isn't far from here" Dad finally spoke, taking a look at the map that sat on the passenger seat. "I've been told it's right at the edge of the woods". My eyebrows narrowed hearing that -- it didn't sound ideal. Bree, who'd been silently watching the trees slide past, sat up a little straighter. "The woods?" She said, her voice small. "Like...right next to them?"

Dad gave a short laugh. "Yeah, pretty much. But don't you worry - nothing out there but trees and squirrels".

Bree didn't look convinced.

Her hands gripped a bit tighter at the small backpack she was holding. She didn't say anything and kept her eyes on the trees in the distance. There was a quiet tension visible in her eyes, and, to be honest - I kinda felt it too.

The road dipped, and the house finally came into view. If I had previously said that the other houses looked ancient, this one somehow looked even worse. One-story, with a porch that wrapped around the house. The wood had faded to a sick gray, and paint had long since peeled away, laying on the dirt below. The windows were covered with grime, glass clouded and dull. It was bigger than any place we've stayed in before though, but just thinking how much work we'd have to do to clean this place up made me tired already.

The three of us got out of the car. Dad opened up the trunk and started unloding the bags on the ground while Bree began wandering around. I remained next to the car, back pressed against the closed door, staring blankly at the house in front of me. I didn't even notice that Bree was nowhere in sight anymore.

"Bree?" I called as I began walking towards the house. "Where'd you go?"

A few seconds passed, and then her voice rang out from the back of the house.

"There's a garden back here!" She shouted "And a shed!"

I rounded the corner and found her standing a few feet way from a large patch of earth, half covered in weeds but still clearly once cared for. Rows of raised beds covered in what seemed like lettuce, maybe, or just another weed. There were also some tomatoes, climbing crookedly against some sticks, and they looked almost edible.

Behind stood a small wooden shed with a slanted roof that barely hung on it's frame. There were vines clinging to the sides of it, covering the entrance as well.

Bree turned toward me "Do you think we can fix up the garden? Maybe grow stuff again?" I shrugged, already turning to walk back towards the front of the house "Maybe, if the soil isn't completely dead". She nodded as we both reached the front porch, where Dad had finally managed to pry the door of the house open.

"After you, girls" he said with a smile. We stepped inside, and, to my surprise, the interior didn't look as bad as the outside. Sure, there was a thick layer of dust covering everything in sight, but besides that, all the furniture seemed intact.

"Your bedrooms must be upstairs" Dad said, pointing at the narrow staircase that ledto the floor above. "Why don't you go check it out while I bring the rest of our stuff from the car, yeah?" Bree was already halfway up the stairs by the time he said that. I nodded to my father and followed Bree upstairs.

- TIme skip to that evening -

After a little bit of dusting around and unpacking, I was finally able to enjoy my new room. It was bigger than anything I've had before, with a bed, a closet and even a small desk with a chair. There was only one window which overlooked the garden and the woods. There was still no power, which meant that the only light we'd be using tonight were a few candles that we found laying around the house and my father's trusty torch.

"I'll talk to someone in town tomorrow morning, maybe they'll be able to help us figure out the problem with the electricity" Dad had said earlier, while we were eating some leftover sandwiches from the drive here.

That evening, once I got back to my room, I decided to take a good look out the window of my bedroom. The garden lay still under the soft glow of moonlight, the rows of plants casting long, thin shadows across the earth. Beyond them, the dark forest stretched endlessly. There was something mesmerizing about the way the shadows danced and twisted in the night breeze, and for a moment, I let myself simply watch—feeling both small and strangely at peace.

Later, as I lay down on the bed, staring up at the cracked ceiling in the dim glow of moonlight, I could hear Bree pacing around her room down the hall, probably too excited to go to bed. I close my eyes and let out a deep sigh, and for the first time in a long, long time, I let myself believe that this place could actually be our permanent home. Not just another stop. Not just another roof that we'll leave behind in a few months. But a real home.

__________________________________________________________

-A/n: Hope you enjoyed the story so far! This was more a filler chapter, to kind of set the mood and give some backround.

[scarletwriter101]

Between the raindrops - Part 2

The next morning, I walked into school with the umbrella tucked under my arm, feeling oddly tense. How was I even supposed to give it back to him? Just...stroll up to him in front of everyone? Say 'thanks' like it was no big deal, even though to me it was?

I stopped at my locker, weighing different options in my head, but each one sounded either desperate, or awkward, or both. Wait... Why was I overthnking it so much? It was just an umbrella, and he was just a guy from my school. Well, a guy I had a huge crush on, a guy whom I spent two weeks avoiding like he was radioactive and when we finally talked for the first time, I backtracked and lied, telling him I didn't have feelings for him. I mean, that awkwardness between us must've been somewhat lifted now that he (hopefully) no longer thought I had a crush on him, but still -

"Thought you'd forget this one as well" a voice coming from behind me interrupted my inner monologue.

I turned to face none other than Megumi, standing only two steps away from me. One of his eyebrows was slightly raised, his eyes flickering to me, and then to the umbrella in my hands. His expression was the same as always - passive, unbothered.

"Oh- I- uh..." Wow, what a brilliant start. "Right, here. Thanks again" I said, shoving the umbrella toward him a little too quickly.

He took it with a short nod of the head. And with that, he was gone, slipping into the crowd of students without another word. No conversation this time. No acknowledgement of yesterday's conversation. Nothing.

I stood there, staring after him in disbelief. That's...it? That's all? Everything ended just as abruptly as it had started. What I thought might have been the start of something had ended before it even began. I shoved my bag into my locker and slammed it shut. And just like that, I was back to square one. Back to being invisible.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

History class was as painfully boring as usual. I wasn't listening to a word the teacher was saying, completely zoned out. I slumped back into my seat and let my eyes wander across the room, searching for anything to distract me. That's when I locked eyes with him.

Megumi.

He was only a couple of seats away, and he was staring at me.

At first, I thought he was spaced out as well, looking through me rather than at me, but I soon realized that wasn't the case. And when my eyes met his, he didn't flinch. He didn't look away, didn't shift uncomfortably like any normal person would after getting caught looking . He just stared, dark blue eyes boring into mine, his chin propped on his hand.

I felt my face grow hot and I quickly broke the eye contact, turning to look at my notebook instead. But even then, I could've sworn I still felt his eyes on me. Why was he looking at me like that? Was it because of what I said yesterday?

As soon as the bell rang, I basically bolted out of the classroom, pulse buzzing under my skin. I needed to get out of there, calm down. Find Nobara and try not to think so much about that stare. It was nothing. It meant nothing. He was probably just bored, or as I said before, just zoned out. No, I couldn't do this to myself - start over-analizying every little thing. So, I decided I wasn't going to think about it anymore.

____________________________________________________________

PE class wasn't much better than history . The sun was beating down and the air felt too hot. The girls were stretching on the grass while the guys were already jogging their first lap around the track. I tried to focus on the stretch in my legs, on the easy chatter between me and Nobara—anything but him

But of course, my peace didn't last very long. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Mai striding toward us. She had that smug look on her face, a look I'd come to dread, because it almost always meant trouble.

"I saw you this morning, talking to Megumi by the lockers" she announced the second she reached us, folding her arms over her chest. "You really can't take a hint, can you?".

I must've looked confused (I was), because she added "Let me spell it out for you then - he doesn't like you."

Those words stung, but they weren't any news to me. I knew that. I knew he didn't like me, I never pretended he did. But hearing it out loud made my stomach drop. Where did all of this come from, anyway?

"Yeah, I know. I never said he did" I replied, voice quiet but steady. I refused to let Mai know that she'd gotten to me. Nobara's glare sharpened beside me, and she looked like she was ready to kick her ass, but apparently Mai wasn't done.

"Yeah well, he's just being polite, that's all. And you really shouldn't be taking advantage of that'''

Okay, what was this girl's problem?? Why was she so obsessed with whatever was - or wasn't - happening between me and Megumi? Didn't she have anything better to do? But then - it clicked. The way she'd outed me in the cafeteria, the way she'd always seemed so quick to bring him up around me...

She liked him too.

Before I could open my mouth, Nobara cut in, her voice sharp and mocking. "Wow, you must be thrilled with yourself, huh? Creating fake drama because you've got nothing else going on? Why don't you do us all a favour and mind your own damn business for a change?"

Mai's jaw tightened, but she didn't seem to have a comeback ready. With a huff, she spun on her heel and stomp back to where she'd came from, looking annoyed as hell. I let out a sigh of relief.

Nobara then turned her head toward me, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder "Don't listen to her, she's just-"

"I know" I said quickly, giving her a half hearted shrug and an obviously forced smile "It's okay" I lied, my chest still feeling tight.

Nobara looked at me with furrowed brows, obviously not convinced, but she didn't push it. She gave me a sympathetic smile and went back to stretching and we continued our previous chat.

Almost out of habit, my eyes drifted across the field. The boys were still running, and soon my eyes landed on Megumi, only to find him already looking our way.

My stomach dropped. Although I couldn't really tell cause of the distance, his brows seemed to be furrowed, looking at us like he was trying to figure something out. Had he seen Mai talking to us earlier?

I quickly looked away, heart hammering against my ribs. Why does he keep doing that?

_______________________________________________________

Math class was always my personal nightmare. Numbers and formulas danced across the board like some cryptic code I wasn’t meant to understand, and that day was no different. I tried to keep my head down, eyes glued to my notebook, silently praying the teacher wouldn’t call on me. He didn’t, thankfully—but the relief only lasted until the bell rang.

“Y/n, could you stay for a moment?” the teacher said, right as I was ready to exit the classroom.

Shit.

The rest of the class spilled out into the hallway, voices echoing, chairs scraping across the floor. I slowly made my way toward the teacher's desk. He had a serious look on his face. This couldn't be good.

“I’ve noticed you’ve been struggling with the last few chapters,” he said. “Your grades are strong in other subjects, and I’d hate for you to fall behind in math"

Oh.

"So" he continued, leaning against the table "That's why I'd like you to have a tutor."

My face fell. A tutor? Surely, I wasn't that far behind. "I don't think that's really necessary, sir. I'll catch up, I just need a little more time-" He raised his hand, signaling me to stop talking.

"No. A little guidance will do you good." He argued "There are plenty of students in my other classes that would be more than happy to help you out." He probably noticed my expression, because he added:

"And there's no need to feel embarrassed for asking for a little help. You're still one of the top students, you just need a little assistance, that's all" He said in a reassuring voice, but that didn't help.

I stared at him in disbelief, trying to find a excuse to get me out of this. The teacher glanced toward the door, his expression suddenly lighting up like he'd just spotted salvation itself.

"Ah, perfect timing! Fushiguro!" He called

My eyes widened. Goddamnit.

Apparently, Megumi happened to be walking past my classroom. He paused after hearing his name being called and stopped to look at us. He raised one eyebrow, gaze flickering from the teacher to me, making my heart skip a beat.

"Can I borrow you for a second?" The teacher asked, gesturing for him to come closer. Megumi stepped inside , stopping only a couple of steps beside us, his eyes never leaving me.

"Seeing as you're one of my best students, I was hoping you'd help Y/n here catch up with the material?" The teacher continued, sounding somewhat hopeful. "I know you've refused tutoring other classmates before, but I'm hoping you'd make an exception this time? I'd hate for her to get behind"

I wanted to sink into the floor. No, no, no. Out of all people, it just had to be him? He probably thought I was an idiot. I braced myself for the rejection, the way he'd politely refuse. I watched his face for the reaction, but his expression didn't change. He didn't look at me now. After a moment of silence, he said simply - "Sure, no problem"

My head whipped toward him. Even the teacher blinked, clearly surprised.

"That's wonderful!" The teacher said brightly, clapping his hands together. " I'll let you work out the details, then, and I'll see you both tomorrow" with that, he left the classroom.

There was a moment of silence, and neither of us moved. I turned to look at him, fumbling my words. "You really don't have to do this. I'm fine, really. I'll catch up on my own"

He looked down at me and gave a slight shrug of his shoulders "It's fine". There it is again. That same 'fine' as yesterday. Did he not know any other words besides just 'fine'?

"I mean, I know you're probably busy, and I wouldn't want to waste your time" I tried again. What a lie, though. Obviously I wanted to spend that time with him.

"As I said before, it's fine" he repeated, his tone steady. It was clear he meant what he said. I pressed my lips together and decided it was useless to argue with him.

"Right. Okay, then. Thanks"

"We'll use the library after classes tomorrow, if that's okay with you?" He said, already adjusting his bag on his shoulder, ready to take off.

I nodded quickly, trying not to let my excitement show "Okay. Tomorrow"

He have a short nod, eyes lingering on me for a few more seconds before he slipped out the door, leaving me standing there with my heart racing in my chest.

'That was weird' I thought to myself. Surely, he wasn't the type to just agree helping everyone in need. Not because he was rude, more likely because he mostly kept it to himself . That detached behaviour of his, not wanting to get too involved in anything, it was just who he was. So, what changed? Why help me? Oh well, I guess I'll just have to see what happens next.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------A/n: I've made some changes to the first part, and if you're not in the mood to reread the raining scene it's basically just y/n telling him she doesn't actually have a crush on him in hopes the awkwardness between them would go away. Anyway, hope you enjoyed this second part. Also, this is gonna be kind of a slow burn, so yeah, sorry for that.

[scarletwriter101]

Between the raindrops - part 1

Pairing : Megumi x FEM! Reader

Summary: Highschool AU! After Megumi finds out about your crush on him, you do anything in your power to avoid him entirely. But, it doesn't really go as planned..... -> Part 2

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It started out as nothing—just my eyes following him across the football field during P.E., while the class ran laps and I sat on the sidelines pretending to stretch. He was easy to spot. Tall, sharp shoulders, dark hair that always looked like he hadn’t tried to fix it but somehow it stayed perfectly messy in a way that suited him.

At first, it was just that - my eyes catching him in motion, staring for a just bit longer than I normally would at any other guy. But I soon started noticing more things about him. He wasn't loud, wasn’t the type to linger in the center of attention like some boys in our year; he had a quiet sharpness about him, the kind that made people lean in when he finally did say something. The way he leaned against the wall when his friends talked, saying little but listening anyway. The dry comments he let slip sometimes, the ones that made Yuji nearly choke on his drink laughing.

Before I knew it, what started out as a small crush grew into something more. And suddenly, I found myself appearing everywhere he went - at the vending machine outside the gym after practice, walking the long way around just to pass his locker, hovering near the library at the exact time he sometimes slipped in. I told myself it was just a coincidence. But it wasn’t.

Of course I eventually told Nobara. How could I not? Nobara was my best friend, and keeping to myself felt impossible. So one afternoon, in a corner of the library where we pretended to study, I finally admitted to it.

"I like Megumi". Nobara’s eyes lit up immediately, her grin spreading wide enough to split her face. “Finally!” she hissed, like she’d been waiting for this revelation forever. "Oh my God, this is so exciting!" She beamed, and from then on, she couldn’t stop bringing it up. She teased me when Megumi passed by, nudged me whenever his name popped up in a random conversation. He was suddenly the main topic in all of our talks.

The problem was - Nobara wasn't exactly subtle about it. And someone else had heard us talking about him.

Mai Zen'in.

It was during lunch, when Nobara leaned a little too close and giggled a little too loudly. Mai had been at the next table, smirking in that way she always did, eyes gleaming like she’d just stumbled upon the juiciest gossip of the year.

So, one day at the cafeteria, with absolutely no warning, Mai pushed back her chair, stood up and marched right over to where Megumi sat with Yuuji and the rest of their group. And then,loud for almost anyone in the cafeteria to hear , she said to Megumi - "Y/n likes you".

I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me whole. All at once, I felt everyone's attention shift towards me. All the boys at that table turned to look at our table, and for a horrifying moment, my gaze met Megumi's.

He didn't say anything. Didn't laugh, didn't flinch. He just stared back at me with an unreadable expression. That blank, steady look felt somehow worse than if he'd mocked me.

I felt my throat close up, heart hammering so loudly that it drowned out everything else going on around me. I did the only thing I could think of - I bolted. My tray clattered against the table as I scurried out of my seat and towards the exit, cheeks burning in embarrassment. I could hear Nobara's voice calling out my name as she hurried to follow behind me, but I didn't stop.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

That night I collapsed onto my bed and let out a desperate groan. There was no way I would be able to face Megumi ever again without melting into the floor in embarrassment. I mean, that expression on his said everything about how he felt about the whole thing. That blank stare felt heavier than any rejection, because I didn't know what it meant. Was he embarrassed? Weirded out? 'That's it' I thought 'I'm never leaving this house'

Ans so I didn't - not for a few days, anyway. During this time, Nobara flooded my phone with concerned texts, which I mostly ignored. I just sat on the bed and stared at the ceiling, feeling completely helpless. My mom was sympathetic at first, but she eventually became impatient. By the third day, she yanked my covers back and said firmly " Enough is enough. Stop acting so silly . Tomorrow you're going back to school".

And so, my genius plan of remaining hidden forever had failed, and the next day I was back at school.

The first few days, I stuck to the shadows, slipping between crowds, pretending I was invisible. No one said anything - not to my face, anyway. But every laugh felt suspicious, every glance targeted. I avoided Megumi's entire friend group like they carried the plague. Nobara was my only comfort, and she kept apologizing over and over again for having a big mouth.

But Nobara was friends with Yuuji, and he wasn't the type to ignore things. A few days after I returned to school, he plopped down on the bench next to us, grinning wide. "So...you like Megumi, huh?" He wiggled his eyebrows, shooting a look at Nobara like they were both in on the joke.

I wanted to melt into the ground.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Almost two weeks have passed without an incident. I took alternate routes to avoid bumping into him, walked in the opposite direction whenever I spotted him and his group in the distance. I basically did anything in my power to avoid any unnecessary encounter with him. Obviously, I couldn't skip History classes , which was our only common class. There I just stood in the back, staring down at my notebook and not sparing him even the slightest glance.

And then it happened. In the hallway, between classes, as I was making my way to the next class, I looked up - and there he was, only a few feet ahead of me. Our eyes met - just for a few seconds, maybe less. His expression was unreadable, calm, like always. His dark eyes stared into mine. I broke eyecontact almost immediately, feeling my face start to heat up as I spun around and hurried in the opposite direction. All this time I spent pretending to be invisible only to bump into him at the most unexpected time. Fantastic.

------------------------------------------------------------

That same day, I decided to stay later than usual and help out a teacher with organizing some old supplies. It was an excuse to make sure I'd miss the usual rush of everyone heading home an risk bumping into him again. I lingered for as long as I could, until the halls were empty and quiet.

By the time I stepped outside, the sky was thick with gray clouds and rain was pouring in sheets against the ground. 'This is great. Just...great' I thought to myself. I stood by the main entrance, slumped against a wall, hugging my bag to my chest ehile watching the rain hit the ground.

I didn't have an umbrella on me, so I thought I'd wait for the rain to calm down enough to make it to the bus station without getting completely soaked. So I waited. And waited. And then waited some more.

Then came the sound of the door next to me being opened. I looked up and felt my stomach drop right through the floor. It was him. The one and only Megumi Fushiguro, standing only a few steps away from me with a gym bag slung over his shoulder. Out of everyone in that damn school, it had to be him. 'Fuck my life' I thought as I quickly looked away from him, staring straight ahead at the pouring rain.

I gripped my bag tighter, contemplating if I should just walk straight into the rain at this point. Anything but having to spend one more second feeling this miserable in his presence. He'd probably think I was a weirdo, but I suppose he already thought that about me, so what difference would it make?

A few good minutes had passed, and he didn't leave. He just stood there. What was he even doing there so late in the afternoon? Football practice ended almost an hour ago. And he wasn't saying a word, just standing there, calmly waiting, while I was damn near dying of hyperventilation a few meters away.

And then - unbelievably, impossibly - he spoke.

"You're....y/n, right?" His voice was flat, detached, almost dismissive.

My heart was pounding in my chest as I turned to look at him. 'He knows my name'. Wait, of course he does. Mai made sure of that.

I tried not to stare, but it felt impossible. His hair was damp with sweat from the football practice he had earlier, and he looked amazing, effortless. I quickly snapped out of it though and nodded my head slightly, trying to force an awkward smile.

"Yeah. That's...me". The words slipped out and I immediately wanted to smack myself. 'That's me? Really? Good one, y/n'

Megumi didn’t react beyond a slight nod, his gaze shifting back to the rain hammering down outside. His expression was unreadable, calm in that maddening way . There was a long, almost painful silence after that, and it pressed down on me until it felt unbearable. Maybe if I just addressed the elephant in the room, this awkward tension would be lifted. I'll just deny everything and hope he'll believe me.

My voice came out small, hesitant. "About what happened in the cafeteria... It really isn't like that. Mai was just joking, seriously. I don't have a crush on you, so I'm sorry if there's been any confusion-"

"It's fine" Megumi cut in. He didn't even look at me when he said it. My mouth snapped shut, heat rushing to my face. It's fine? That's all he was gonna say? Just- fine? I wanted to demand a clearer answer. He really didn't take Mai serious? He couldn't tell I was lying now? Didn't notice me basically drooling over him for the past few weeks, or that I've been avoiding him lately? Or maybe he just couldn't be bothered with any of this. The way he said that 'fine' so...final, like the conversation was already over for him.

I swallowed, trying to brush it off. "Right. Fine"

I stared at my shoes, not knowing if I should say anything else. He clearly didn't want to talk about it anymore, so I just...shut up, thankful my lie was convincing enough. There was another long pause after that. That awkward silence dragged for a good five minutes. He probably thought I was weird for just standing there all mute, but what was I supposed to say?

"You're in my history class" he spoke again, as if confirming it to himself. His hands were now burried into his pockets, and he still didn't bother looking at me.

"Uh, yeah" I forced the words out "Back row. By the window" I continued. 'Oh yes, another banger, good job y/n. As if he didn't know that already'

He turned to look at me now. His expression didn't change, and for a second his eyes lingered on me - steady, assesing. I felt like I was melting under his gaze. Another silence followed. God, this felt so weird..

"So, you're just sitting here? No umbrella?" he continued, and his words seemed less intimidating than before, like he was beginning to warm up to me. In his weird, quiet way, but still.

"I forgot to bring one, so I'm just waiting for the rain to slow down" I said, voice half defensive, half defeated.He studied me for a moment and then gave me the smallest shrug.

"Figures"

I stared back at him, furrowing my brows "Figures?" What was that supposed to mean?

"Yeah" he said simply "You seem like the type who'd forget something like that." He wasn't completely mocking me- just stating it like it was obvious.

My jaw almost dropped, and I tried to fight any comebacks that might come up. Excuse me? What type does he mean? Irresponsible, maybe? I crossed my arms, glaring at him in disbelief. "Wow. Thanks."

For a second, his expression remained the same, but then - barely, faintly - the corner of his mouth twitched upward, like he was suppressing the tiniest hint of a smile.

Could I be imagining this? Megumi actually smiling? It seemed impossible. No, I must've been imagining things.

He glanced outside again, then back at me. "You're going to sit here all night, then?"

I gave an exasperated sigh "Well, what else am I supposed to do? Swim?" The words came out sharper than I had intended, but luckily, his expression didn't change. He just stared back at me, unbothered. Oh God, did I just snap at him? Why am I like this?

He then exhaled silently, almost like a sigh, and slipped one hand into his bag, pulling out an umbrella. "Here" he offered, stretching the arm holding the umbrella towards me.

I blinked, staring at the umbrella and then back at his face. "What?"

"Take it" he said, tone steady, like it wasn't up for debate. I hesitated "What about you? I can't just-"

"You can" he cut me off. "I'm getting picked up anyway, so just take it" he demanded, and I had no other choice but to take the umbrella.

His gaze slipped back to the rain while I just stood there. And just like that, he was back at standing there in silence. "...Thank you" my voice came out quieter than I intended, almost swallowed by the sound of the storm.

Megumi gave a slight shrug, adjusting the strap of his bag higher on his shoulder.

I opened the umbrella and my bag before turning to look at him one last time. Words rose to my throat, but I was unsure of what to say. "See you in class, then" I finally blurted out, forcing an awkward smile.

He nodded, but he didn't return the smile. I mean, I didn't expect him to, anyway.

My cheeks burned as I turned around and started walking away. I couldn't believe what had just happened. Every step echoed with my thoughts. He gave me his umbrella. He didn't have to, but he did it anyway. What did that mean? I tried not to jump at any rush conclusions. He was Megumi, after all. It probably meant nothing. He'd do the same with anyone else.

I couldn't wait to tell Nobara about this.

_____________________________________________________________

-A/n: sorry for the not so aesthetically pleasing layout, I'm still figuring things out on here, but I hope you enjoyed it! Also, Im open to fanfic requests, either for jjk or any other fandom really!

[scarletwriter101]

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

Did you ever stop to wonder why some dreams feel so real? Everything just makes sense—the people, the places. Even the weird stuff somehow seems normal. You don't question a thing. It all feels...familiar. So familiar, in fact, that you don’t even question whether you’re dreaming or you're awake. What if I told you that dreams aren't just harmless flickers of your imagination, but rather carefully crafted illusions, meant to trick you into believing you're still awake? I know it doesn't make much sense now, but I'll do my best to explain.

When you fall asleep, you're actually getting dragged into an alternate dimension. A place that mirrors your reality just enough to keep you from noticing the difference. You're not alone in this realm, either. The 'people' that inhabit this place can wear any face. They might appear as your friends, your parents, your pet...hell, even your second grade teacher if they think that will maintain the illusion.

But, make no mistake- these entities are not here to help you. Their only purpose is to make you believe you never left your world. To make you stay. They have access to everything inside your mind —your memories, your fears, your imagination. Every person you’ve ever met, every thought that’s ever crossed your mind—they know it to. And they'll use it against you. They build the illusion from the inside out, crafting a world from your own experiences. That’s why it feels so real.

The illusion isn't always perfect. Some things glitch, or the situation might feel a little off. But it's often just convincing enough. You might find yourself at school, taking a test, or taking a walk with your lover. Ordinary situations. Pleasant ones. Familiar.

And that's how they get you.

You see, the longer they keep you convinced- convinced that this place is real, that these people are safe - the deeper you sink into their world.

You have until morning to break the illusion and wake up , or you'll become stuck in this world. You'll keep playing out these scenarios that aren't actually real, they're just the things you want to see. And, the longer you stay here, the harder it is to leave. Your mind adapts to their version of reality. Your memories dim, your instincts dull. They don't erase your past- they bury it under something better. Something easier. They don't want you to leave... ever.

Maybe, at some point, you do realize something isn't right. A face glitches, your mothers voice feels off...But, the moment you start to doubt, the world shifts. It adapts. You get distracted again. They know what you want to see, to believe, and they'll give it to you. And just like that, you forget you ever questioned anything in the first place. That's how they trick you. That's how they keep you...

So, who knows? Maybe you're stuck in that world right now, as we speak. It's not like you could tell, anyway. You've probably been here so long, nothing feels out of place anymore. They know everything there is to know about you at this point, and their illusions appear flawless.

But, just in case, look out for the signs. They might have missed something... Question everything you see, and, most importantly, don't trust anyone. Escape, before it's too late......

WAKE UP!