I woke up before dawn, like always. Not because I wanted to, but because I never really slept. The walls in my house were thin—thin enough for me to hear my parents' voices cutting through the night like knives.
"Useless girl.""She won't amount to anything."
It was always the same. Words sharper than slaps. I curled under my blanket, pretending the fabric could shield me from the weight pressing down on my chest.
By the time the sun rose, my eyes were swollen. But no one noticed. No one ever did.
I packed my bag quietly, slipping out of the house before anyone could stop me. The morning air was cool, brushing against my skin as if it pitied me. My steps were quick, almost frantic, like if I stayed too long, the house would swallow me whole.
At school, things weren't much different.
In class, I kept my head down, scribbling notes while everyone else chatted around me. If someone's elbow brushed mine, I'd mutter an apology, even when it wasn't my fault. I never wanted trouble. Trouble always found me anyway.
And today, for some reason, I couldn't shake the feeling that… someone was watching.
It wasn't the same as the usual stares from classmates who thought I was strange. This was different. Heavy. Focused. Like a pair of invisible hands pressing against my back, tracing my every move.
I told myself it was in my head. It had to be.
When the lecture ended, I slipped out like a shadow, clutching my books to my chest. My steps were small but quick, my eyes on the floor. I didn't stop until I reached home, and even then, I didn't feel safe.
The curtain in my room fluttered even though the window was shut. My chest tightened.
I froze.
For a moment, I swore I heard something
—a faint sound, like a breath that wasn't mine. My heart pounded, my ears straining. But when I turned, there was no one.
Just my empty room.
I let out a shaky laugh, pressing a hand against my chest. "It's nothing, Naomi. Just your imagination," I whispered to myself.
But deep down, I wasn't sure.
Because even when I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling, that heavy feeling never left.
Someone was out there.Someone was close.And for reasons I didn't understand, a part of me felt… chosen.