She lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling with wide-open eyes, while thoughts crowded her mind without mercy.
Everything that had happened during the day replayed over and over again:
The alley… the girls… the money… the messages… the mysterious man… and the black car.
It wasn't just a coincidence—of that, she had become certain.
But the question that haunted her more than any other was:
Why her?
She was just a student… a girl from a simple village who knew no one in this city, carrying no secret worth all this mystery.
She had come for only one purpose:
to study… to build her future… and to help her family.
So how had she suddenly found herself in the middle of all this?
She let out a deep sigh and closed her eyes for a few seconds, only to open them again.
Fear had begun to creep into her slowly.
A real fear.
Fear of drifting away from the path she had drawn for herself.
Fear of finding herself in a place that didn't resemble her… nor the life she had left behind.
She whispered to herself:
"No… There must be something hidden behind all these walls. I'll find out the truth eventually."
At that moment, she made her decision.
She would stay away from that group.
She wouldn't get close to those girls again.
She wouldn't try to understand what didn't concern her.
She would focus only on her studies… and her goal.
And yet… she couldn't ignore one thing.
The messages.
Who was sending them?
How did they know what she had seen?
And why were they warning her specifically?
With the first light of morning, Sara got out of bed and left the house before Lina woke up.
She needed some peace… a place to think, away from everything.
She sat on a concrete bench in a quiet corner near the college, far from the noise.
Placing her bag beside her, she rested her head on her hand and sank into her thoughts.
She began connecting the dots:
"Who's following me?
How did they get my phone number?"
She suddenly paused.
Lina's name crossed her mind—this time, differently.
She lifted her head slightly, her eyes distant.
"Could it be…? No… impossible…"
She tried to push the thought away, but it came back stronger.
Lina…
She was the only person in the city who had her number.
And she was the one who had introduced her to those girls.
A tight feeling gripped her chest.
"Could it be her…? Could she be involved in all this?"
She remained lost in her thoughts, unaware of her surroundings…
until she suddenly felt a hand placed on her shoulder.
She flinched in fear and quickly turned around.
It was Lina.
Lina looked at her with curiosity and said,
"What are you doing here alone? You seem lost in thought."
Sara tried to control her expression and replied calmly,
"No… I just feel a bit worn out. I came here to rest."
Lina smiled and said,
"I have a class in an hour."
Sara nodded silently and stood up with her.
They walked into the college together, heading toward the place where students usually gathered.
Within minutes, they joined the group.
Everything seemed normal… suspiciously normal.
The laughter… the conversations… the same faces.
Sara tried to stay composed, to appear natural, to forget what she had seen.
But her eyes betrayed her.
This time, she looked at Lina differently.
Watching her in silence.
The way she spoke… her laughter… her glances…
trying to discover something… anything.
"Could she be hiding something from me?
Is it possible that she knows everything?
Or am I just afraid for no reason?"
Her thoughts were interrupted by one of the girls, who said with a smile:
"Sara, you're invited to my birthday party next week—you have to come!"
Sara looked at her, then replied with a hesitant smile.
"Hopefully…"
But before she could finish, Lina quickly intervened with confidence:
"Don't worry, leave it to me… I'll bring her with me."
Sara looked at Lina for a moment…
A faint smile appeared on her face, but deep inside, she felt far from reassured.
The conversation shifted back to studies, as if nothing had happened.
But inside Sara…
Everything was changing.
At that moment, the questions began to multiply once again:
Was her decision to stay away enough… or was it already too late?
Was Lina just a kind friend… or was she hiding another side?
Who was really watching her… and why hadn't it stopped yet?
And was the birthday party just a normal occasion… or the beginning of something more dangerous?
But the one question she couldn't escape was:
Was Sara getting closer to the truth… or closer to danger?