Whispers in The Crowd

“It’s been two months… and I still feel like I never really escaped him.”

Two months since Adriano Rossi appeared on every screen in handcuffs, and I still couldn’t breathe without feeling his shadow on my neck, I told myself he was gone, I stopped watching the news, I stopped saying his name, I stopped looking over my shoulder, Lies, all of it.

“It’s obvious, Melissa,” Emily said as we walked toward the campus café. “You flinched at a fucking car.”

“It was just a car,” I snapped.

“A black tinted one that slowed down right beside us,” Chloe added, voice too casual.

I stopped walking, my pulse spiked, Zara studied me with those quiet, knowing eyes. 

“You’re not sleeping. You’re barely here.”

“I’m fine,” I lied, forcing my legs to move again.

But I wasn’t fine, I noticed everything now, every slow-moving vehicle, every set of eyes that lingered too long, every silence that felt like it was waiting for me, I was drowning in my own paranoia, and my friends could see the water rising.

“How did we even meet you?” Emily asked suddenly.

I frowned. “Why does that matter?”

“Because it feels like you appeared out of nowhere,” she said. “One day you were just… sitting there. Alone. Looking like someone was hunting you.”

Chloe smirked. “You did look like you wanted to vanish.”

Zara’s voice was softer. “You still do.”

I didn’t answer, the memory of that first day in the café flashed through my mind, me staring at a book I wasn’t reading, Emily stealing my table, Chloe talking too much, Zara looking at me like she could already see the cracks.

They had pulled me in before I could disappear, now they were the only thing keeping me tethered.

At the café, Aisha placed our drinks down with a gentle smile. “You look exhausted, Melissa.”

“I’m fine,” I said quickly.

She nodded gently. “Take care of yourself.”

Emily leaned in the second Aisha left. 

“She’s nice.”

“She is,” I agreed quietly.

“Party tonight, you’re coming.”

“I don’t want to—”

“You’re coming,” Chloe cut in. “Zara’s friend’s birthday. No excuses.”

“I hate parties.”

“You hated people too until we forced you,” Emily said with a grin that didn’t reach her eyes tonight.

I looked down at my untouched drink, the truth was, the idea of staying alone in my room tonight terrified me more than a crowded party, so I decided to go.

Music slammed into us the moment we stepped inside, lights everywhere, bodies pressed together, the air was thick with sweat, alcohol, and something heavier I couldn’t name, Emily grabbed my hand and dragged me into the chaos.

“Okay,” Emily said, grabbing my hand, “No overthinking.”

“I don’t overthink everything.”

“You absolutely do,” Chloe said.

Zara stepped closer. “Just stay with us.”

“I am staying with you,” I replied.

“Good,” she said.

We moved into the crowd, music swallowed everything, for a moment, it almost felt normal.

“Dance with me,” Emily shouted, pulling me forward.

“I don’t know how”

“Too late,” she laughed.

We danced, at first, I was stiff, then slower and lighter I was feeling the best of the song 

“You’re smiling!” Chloe shouted.

“I am not”

“Yes, you are,” Zara said calmly.

And maybe I was but just a little, a guy approached eventually, he was tall, handsome and confident, smiling like the world belonged to him.

“Hey,” he said. “Dance?”

Emily immediately nudged me. “Yes.”

“I didn’t say yes,” I muttered.

“You didn’t say no either,” she replied.

“Ryan,” he introduced himself.

“Melissa,” I said.

He moved closer, gently guiding me into rhythm.

“You don’t come to places like this often,” he said.

“Is it that obvious?”

“A little,” he smiled. “But it’s not a bad thing.”

“Why?” I asked.

“Because you feel real,” he said simply.

That made me pause.

“Most people here don’t?” I asked.

“No,” he said softly.

Something in my chest tightened slightly, but I ignored it, then It came back, that feeling of being watched, I slowed slightly, Ryan noticed.

“You okay?”

“Yeah,” I said quickly. “I just need some air.”

“Want me to come”

“No,” I interrupted too fast, “I’m fine.”

I walked away before he could respond, the hallway outside was quieter, I exhaled slowly, when will this feeling ever stop.

“Stop it,” I whispered to myself.

But I felt it again, not fear, something worse, expectation.

I stepped into the restroom, as if I was expecting to see someone but it was empty of course, I walked to the sink, gripping the edge.

“You’re fine,” I whispered. “Nothing is happening.”

Then silence broke behind me, I turned quickly.

“What-”

Something pressed against my face, a cloth, my eyes widened instantly.

“What—mm—!”

A familiar voice leaned close, low, calm and dangerously soft.

“Easy, pajarito,” Adriano murmured.

Everything stopped, my body froze for half a second, not because I understood but because I was scared, many thoughts crossed my mind in that half a second, no, my hands moved weakly.

“Stop—!”

But my strength was already fading, the world blurred at the edges.

“You’ve been running,” he said quietly.

I tried to fight, but my body stopped obeying me, the last t

hing I heard before everything went dark, was his voice again.

“Now you stop.”