Chapter Eleven: The New Neighbor

The sound of the letter being unfolded echoed in the quiet of the room. Cara’s fingers trembled slightly as she read the message.

“Hi, Cara. Nice that you have a new friend now. He looks smart and sweet. Today, I feel like I want to meet you in person. However, I will give you more time to be ready. I will meet you the soonest.”

Cara’s heart skipped a beat. She had been hoping to find answers, to understand the mystery of Mr. Smith, but reading his letter made her even more uneasy. The fact that he had sent the letter through Choco, her newly adopted dog, made it feel so personal. He was closer than ever before, watching her, waiting. The thought unsettled her.

Without thinking, she stood up abruptly, her pulse quickening. She hurried outside, scanning the area, desperate to catch a glimpse of him. Was he nearby? Had he been watching her again? But as she stepped into the front yard, her hope faded. There was no sign of anyone. She couldn’t see his face unless he chose to reveal it himself.

She let out a frustrated sigh, half-relieved, half-disappointed. She was starting to wonder if she was just imagining things. Her thoughts were interrupted when she noticed unfamiliar faces in the neighborhood.

Men were moving furniture and boxes from a mobile truck, setting up for what looked like a new neighbor moving in.

The idea of new people made her uncomfortable, and she felt an instinctual need to avoid them. She wasn’t anti-social, but living a quiet life was what she preferred. She didn’t want to get tangled up in someone else’s drama, and making small talk with strangers was never her thing.

Turning away from the new neighbors, she retreated back into her house, her thoughts still occupied by Mr. Smith and the unsettling letter he had sent.

---

Dingdong!!!

The doorbell rang, pulling her from her thoughts.

"Cara! We have a visitor, sweetie! Get yourself down here!" her mom called from the kitchen. Cara groaned inwardly. She had been planning to take a nap before her classes resumed later in the day, but her mother always found a way to interrupt her moments of peace.

She sighed, adjusting her position on the bed but made no move to go downstairs. Whoever the visitor is, I don’t care. She pulled the blanket over her head, trying to ignore the world.

---

In the living room, Cara’s mom was still talking with the visitor, her voice full of nostalgia and warmth.

“You’ve grown up tall and handsome,” Mrs. Perez remarked with a smile, looking at the young man standing at the door. “Cara just came back from school. She’s probably resting right now. You can meet up with her later since we’re neighbors again.”

Her mother’s fondness for the visitor was palpable, and it made the young man’s smile widen. He had always been close to the Perez family, especially Cara. They had played together as children, their friendship flourishing in the early years before things changed.

“Thank you. I really hope Cara will remember me, like you still do,” he replied. “And Mrs. Perez, you look even younger than I remember.”

Mrs. Perez chuckled and patted his shoulder. “And you’re still the same sweet boy I adored back then.”

Despite the years that had passed, the man seemed determined to win over Cara’s family once again. He was working hard to earn their favor, especially her mother’s attention. But his real motivation was much simpler: he wanted to be close to Cara again.

---

"Mom, I’m heading back to school now. Who’s our visitor?" The voice startled them as Cara came down the stairs, dressed in her school uniform.

Her eyes scanned the room, and her gaze fell on the young man standing there. He was handsome—tall, with dark hair and a familiar smile. Her face remained emotionless, even though she felt a flicker of recognition deep within. She couldn't place him yet, but his presence was undeniably familiar.

“Hi, Cara! Do you remember who I am?” he greeted her, his voice a little unsure.

Cara looked at him, clearly perplexed. His face was warm, inviting, but there was something about it that she couldn’t quite remember.

“She is your childhood friend, sweetie. Don’t you remember Will?” Mrs. Perez intervened, eager to help him make an impression on Cara.

Cara’s mind was a blur. Will? She thought for a moment, but the memories didn’t come. Her face softened slightly, though it remained guarded. “I... I lost my childhood memories. I don’t think I can remember you.”

Her tone was distant, detached, and the weight of the words hit Will harder than he expected. She really didn’t remember him—not the way she used to, at least.

Her mother, seemingly oblivious to the tension, continued, “Their family just moved back into our neighborhood again. Are you going back to school now, Cara? I thought you didn’t have class today?”

Cara’s reply was curt. “Oh, I see. I need to return some books to the library,” she said, her voice flat.

Will could feel the coolness between them. It was as if all the warmth from their childhood had vanished. But Mrs. Perez, eager to break the tension, suggested, “Aren’t you going to school too? Why don’t you go together in her car?”

Will’s eyes brightened, but Cara quickly shot her mom a look. “I’ll fetch Jean on my way,” she said quickly, avoiding any further interaction with Will. She didn't want to acknowledge him any longer. It was as if he were a stranger in her life now.

“It’s alright, Mrs. Perez. We can catch up later, right, Cara?” Will said, trying to make her feel more comfortable, though Cara only nodded and walked out quickly.

---

Later, at the library:

Cara couldn’t shake the unease she felt after encountering Will. She had no interest in getting close to him again, especially not when she couldn’t even remember the friendship they once shared. Her thoughts were still swirling around the letter from Mr. Smith, and she longed to lose herself in something else.

She had always enjoyed spending time in the library, wandering between rows of books, searching for something new to read. She lost track of time as she explored the shelves, picking up books that piqued her interest.

She wandered into the Science section, skimming through pages and titles, but eventually, her feet carried her to the Fiction section. She paused, glancing over the books. No, not today. She spotted a romance novel that immediately caught her eye but quickly shook her head, warning herself not to indulge in such sentimental stories. She didn’t have time for that kind of distraction.

She moved on, heading toward the magazine section, where the light flickered overhead, creating a strange atmosphere in the room. That’s when she noticed it—a pair of eyes watching her from across the aisle.

Her heart skipped a beat. Someone is watching me.

She turned her head, pretending not to notice, but when she looked back, the eyes were gone. The unsettling feeling remained.

She tried to shake it off, but as she made her way through the library, her skin prickled. She couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was following her. Every step she took, the sense of being watched grew stronger.

Her breath quickened. She sat down on the floor behind a stack of books, trying to hide. She was being followed. There was no paranoia here. The presence was real.

As the sound of heavy footsteps echoed behind her, Cara froze, her body stiff with fear. She wanted to scream, to run, but she couldn’t move. She had left her phone in the locker, unable to call for help.

The footsteps grew closer. She could feel her pulse pounding in her throat. Someone’s coming closer.

And then... the world around her went black.