WE MEET AGAIN

Tori**

I sit at the far end of the class, scrolling endlessly on my phone through different job listings. Yet it feels like I’ve been doing the same thing over and over again— refreshing, scanning, hoping any reasonable job will show up.

But nothing ever does.

My eyes hurt, but I don’t stop… I can’t.

Not when I have only two days left before Mum is going to be taken off dialysis. I force the thought away and begin to scroll faster.

Waitress. Sales assistant. Cleaner.

All of them pay too little, not even close to the amount of money I need, but just as I’m about to give up, a new job listing appears on the screen.

A Live-in Babysitter Needed At A Private Residence. Immediate Start.

Responsibilities: Care for an 8-year-old girl, light household duties

I pause for a moment.

Something about it makes me look closer.

Then I see the pay.

Salary: $4,500/month + bonus upon successful 3-month probation.

“…what the?”

I blink, thinking maybe I read it wrong. Then I lean closer to my phone and read it again, and again. This was way more than I’d ever make in two years working at the library, enough for Mum’s surgery deposit.

“Holy shit—!”

The word slips out before I can stop myself.

Slowly, I lift my head to see that every single person in class is staring at me, and at the front of the room, the lecturer is glaring as if I've just committed a crime.

“Miss Tori,” he calls out my name sharply. “What did you just say?”

“I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t mean to—”

“Of course you didn’t mean to…because clearly you are not paying attention.”

“I am, sir. I just—” I stop myself, shaking my head quickly. “It won’t happen again.”

He watches me for a moment, irritation etched across his face. “Better see to it that it doesn’t.”

“Yes, sir.”

The class shifts its attention back to the lecturer, but my heart is still racing. Slowly, I glance back down at my phone to see that the job listing is still there. 

Before I can second-guess it, I press apply. My fingers move quickly as I fill in the details, I don’t even know what the hell I’m writing in there but my fingers just keep moving. 

When I finally hit submit, I hold my breath.

For a second, nothing happens.

Then a notification pops up.

Your Interview has been scheduled for today, 3:00 PM.

Address: 1427 Oakridge Lane, Riverside Estates

Please arrive on time, and dress professionally.

3pm?

I glance at the time on my phone screen to see that I still have thirty minutes left before the time. 

”Oh… thank God, lectures will soon be over.” Relief floods through me so quickly as I lean back in my seat.

This could work.

This could actually save my Mum’s life. For the first time in my entire life, I feel something close to hope—

PING!

The sound of my phone buzzing again shatters through my haze of deep thoughts. I glance down, expecting more details about the job.

Unknown number?

My stomach tightens slightly as I tap on the message. The moment it starts playing, everything inside me freezes. Music fills my phone screen instantly, followed by flashing lights. A stage.

And then—

I see myself in the video.

No. No, no, no…

It’s from last night at the club, I’m on stage, wearing that red dress that barely covered any part of my body, moving under the lights like I don’t have a care in the world.

Every second of it is there.

Recorded.

“H…how did anyone come to know about this?” I whisper, but before I can form a response to that question, the video ends. Another message pops up immediately on my phone screen. 

Meet Me At The Abandoned gym In Two minutes. Or This Video Goes Public.

My chest tightens so hard it feels like I can’t breathe, but I force myself to stay composed, my fingers trembling as I type.

What do you want from me?

The reply comes instantly.

I want to see you suffer.

“Oh, God…”

If that video gets out, the entire school will see it. But much worse…the school authorities, which would cost me my scholarship!

“No, no…” I whisper, shaking my head as panic starts to take over. My breathing turns uneven, fast, and shallow, like the air around me is disappearing.

“Miss Tori!”

A sharp voice snaps me back to reality.

My phone slips from my hands and hits the floor with a dull sound. I look up to see the lecturer staring at me again, but this time the expression on his face has changed.

“You don’t look well,” he says, frowning. “You’re pale.”

“I…I’m fine, Sir.” I force the words out, though my voice betrays me. “I just… have a migraine.”

He studies me for a moment before speaking again. “Go to the clinic.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

Relief rushes through me instantly, and without wasting another second, I grab my bag and rush out of the classroom, my heart pounding like a war drum in my ears.

The moment I step into the hallway, I break into a run, but not towards the clinic. My feet pound against the floor as I race across campus, the message still replaying in my mind over and over again.

“Please…Please don’t send it,” I whisper under my breath, my lungs burning with every run I make but I don’t stop running. “Please…”

By the time I reach the abandoned gym, my chest is rising and falling heavily, and it feels as though I am about to faint right there on the floor.

I push the door open slowly before my brain can think twice. “Hello?” I call out, “Is anyone here?!”

No response.

I step inside fully, my eyes scanning the dark room for any sign of a living thing. But the only things I see are old equipment, sitting forgotten in the corners.

“I’m here as you instructed!” I say again, louder this time.

Still nothing.

My hands tremble as I pull out my phone and send a message.

I’m here.

For a moment, nothing happens.

Then—

A notification sound rings out through the entire room, loud, echoing through the silence. My head snaps up instantly, and that’s when I see it…a figure rather.

Standing in the shadows.

“W…who’s there?” I ask, my voice barely steady as I strain my eyes to look closer, trying to figure out who in God’s name would do this to me.

The figure doesn’t answer.

Instead, it moves.

Slow, unhurried steps echo against the empty walls as it walks out of the shadows and into the faint light. Something about the way the figure moves makes dread crawl up my spine before I even see his face.

But then I do.

And my entire world shatters in the blink of an eye.

“No…” I whisper, shaking my head slightly as the figure stands right in front of me. “I…it can’t be.”

Dylan.

He stops a few feet away from me, his hands slipped into his pockets, as if he is enjoying every second of this moment. Then his eyes lock onto mine, dark with amusement.

“We meet again, Tori Vegas.” His voice comes out, low and mocking, “Or should I say…”

“…last night’s main attraction?”