A warning (1)

Lena stared at the piece of paper in her hand.

The words were simple.

Three short words.

Stay away from him.

But for some reason, they made her chest feel tight.

“What does it say?” Mia asked, leaning closer.

Lena quickly folded the paper again.

“Nothing important.”

Mia squinted at her.

“Lena.”

“What?”

“You’re a terrible liar.”

Lena sighed and handed the paper to her.

Mia unfolded it and read the message.

Her eyes widened.

“Stay away from him?” she repeated. “What the—”

She lowered her voice.

“Who wrote this?”

“I don’t know,” Lena said quietly.

“Maybe someone is messing with you.”

Lena shook her head slowly.

“It doesn’t feel like a joke.”

Mia looked around the classroom.

Students were talking, laughing, scrolling through their phones.

Everything looked normal.

Too normal.

Her gaze slowly moved toward the back of the room.

Enthan was sitting at his desk, leaning back in his chair.

His expression was calm, almost distant.

He looked like someone who didn’t care about anything happening around him.

“Do you think it’s about him?” Mia whispered.

Lena didn’t answer.

Because she already knew the answer.

Of course it was about him.

The message literally said “him.”

And right now, there was only one person she could think of.

Enthan.

“Maybe someone likes him and doesn’t want you near him,” Mia suggested.

“That’s ridiculous.”

“Why? Girls like him. A lot.”

Lena looked away.

That part was true.

Enthan Carter had always been… popular.

Not the loud, charming kind of popular.

But the quiet type.

The type that made people curious.

And curiosity could be dangerous.

“Still,” Mia said, “this is creepy.”

Lena nodded slightly.

“Yeah.”

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then suddenly—

The classroom door slammed open.

Everyone turned their heads.

It was Ryan.

He was breathing heavily, like he had just run across the entire school.

“Did you guys hear?” he said loudly.

“Hear what?” someone asked.

Ryan looked around dramatically.

“There was a fight behind the gym this morning.”

The classroom instantly buzzed with excitement.

“A fight?”

“Who?”

“What happened?”

Ryan lowered his voice slightly, enjoying the attention.

“Apparently… Enthan was there.”

The room went quiet.

Lena’s heart skipped a beat.

Mia immediately turned toward the back of the classroom again.

Enthan hadn’t moved.

He was still sitting there, looking completely uninterested.

Almost bored.

“Was he fighting?” someone asked.

Ryan shrugged.

“I don’t know. But people said he was definitely there.”

Lena felt a strange feeling in her stomach.

That didn’t sound like Enthan.

Or maybe…

She didn’t know him as well as she thought.

The teacher walked in before anyone could ask more questions.

“Alright, everyone sit down.”

The class slowly returned to their seats.

But the whispers didn’t stop.

Lena tried to focus on her notebook.

But the words on the page blurred together.

Her mind kept returning to the message.

Stay away from him.

Why?

What was she supposed to stay away from?

Enthan?

Or something connected to him?

She slowly glanced toward the back of the room.

At that exact moment—

Enthan looked up.

Their eyes met.

For a second, Lena felt frozen.

His gaze was steady.

Quiet.

Like he was trying to read something on her face.

Then his eyes moved down slightly.

Toward her hand.

Specifically…

Toward the folded paper she was holding.

Lena quickly looked away.

Her heart was beating faster now.

Did he see it?

Did he know about the message?

The rest of the class passed slowly.

When the bell finally rang, students immediately started packing their bags.

Mia stretched.

“I’m starving.”

“Already?”

“It’s almost lunch.”

Lena closed her notebook.

As she stood up, something strange happened.

Someone bumped into her from behind.

Hard.

Her books fell to the floor.

“Hey—”

But the person who bumped into her was already gone.

Lena frowned.

“That was weird.”

Mia knelt down to help pick up the books.

“People are always rushing after class.”

But when Lena picked up the last book, she noticed something.

Another piece of paper.

Smaller this time.

Her stomach dropped.

Slowly, she unfolded it.

Mia leaned closer.

“Oh my god.”

Two words were written on the paper.

Too late.

Lena felt a chill run down her spine.

“What is this supposed to mean?” Mia whispered.

Before Lena could answer—

A shadow appeared beside them.

“Move.”

The voice was low.

Lena looked up.

Enthan was standing there.

His expression was slightly annoyed.

Mia immediately grabbed Lena’s arm and stood up.

“Sorry.”

They stepped aside so he could pass.

But Enthan didn’t move.

Instead, his eyes moved from Mia…

To Lena.

Then slowly—

To the paper in her hand.

His expression changed.

Just slightly.

But Lena noticed.

“Where did you get that?” he asked quietly.

Lena blinked.

“What?”

“The paper.”

His voice was calm.

But there was something tense underneath it.

“I found it,” Lena said.

Enthan’s jaw tightened.

“From who?”

“I don’t know.”

For a moment, the hallway felt strangely silent.

Students were walking past them, talking loudly.

But Lena felt like she was standing inside a bubble.

Just her.

And him.

Enthan suddenly reached forward.

He took the paper from her hand.

His eyes scanned the words.

Then his expression darkened.

“Did you get another one before this?” he asked.

Lena hesitated.

Then slowly nodded.

“Yes.”

“What did it say?”

Mia answered before Lena could.

“Stay away from him.”

Enthan closed his eyes briefly.

Like he was annoyed.

Or maybe frustrated.

“Idiot,” he muttered.

Lena frowned.

“Excuse me?”

But before she could ask anything else—

Enthan grabbed her wrist.

The movement was quick.

Unexpected.

“Hey!” Mia protested.

But Enthan was already pulling Lena away from the hallway.

“Wait—what are you doing?”

He didn’t answer.

Students stared as they passed.

Lena’s heart pounded.

Finally, he stopped behind the staircase.

The hallway here was empty.

Enthan let go of her wrist.

Lena stepped back immediately.

“What is wrong with you?” she said.

“You shouldn’t be holding those.”

“What?”

“The notes.”

Lena crossed her arms.

“Maybe you should explain instead of acting weird.”

For a moment, Enthan didn’t say anything.

Then he ran a hand through his hair.

“You need to stop talking to me.”

Lena blinked.

“What?”

“You heard me.”

Her chest tightened.

“Why?”

“Because it’s better for you.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

Enthan looked at her.

His eyes were serious now.

More serious than she had ever seen before.

“Just trust me.”

Lena laughed slightly.

“Trust you? You barely talk to me.”

“That’s the point.”

“What does that even mean?”

Before Enthan could respond—

Footsteps echoed in the hallway.

He immediately stepped back.

His expression returned to the calm, distant look Lena was used to seeing.

Like nothing had happened.

Like the conversation never existed.

“Forget this conversation,” he said quietly.

Then he walked past her.

And disappeared down the stairs.

Lena stood there, confused.

Angry.

And strangely hurt.

Mia ran down the hallway a few seconds later.

“There you are!”

“What happened?” she asked.

Lena looked toward the staircase.

“I don’t know.”

But deep down…

She knew one thing.

Those messages weren’t random.

And somehow…

Enthan was involved.

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