Claire
She didn't go home right away.
After leaving Christopher's office, Claire walked aimlessly around campus, her thoughts tangled in a web of unease.
She wasn't stupid. She knew when someone was lying to her. And Christopher was keeping something from her. Maybe he didn't have all the answers yet, but he knew enough to be concerned.
And that worried her more than anything.
If he was taking this seriously, then maybe she should be more afraid.
She sighed, rubbing a hand down her face.
"Thinking too hard, blondie?"
Claire was startled, looking up. Xavier stood a few feet away, hands stuffed into his jacket pockets, a smirk tugging at his lips.
She hadn't even noticed him.
"You're getting sloppy," he teased, stepping closer.
Claire rolled her eyes, trying to shake off the tension. "I didn't know I had to be on guard around you."
Xavier chuckled. "Fair enough." Then he studied her, his expression softening. "You okay?"
The words nearly made her crack.
She wanted to say yes. Wanted to pretend everything was fine. But she couldn't force the lie past her lips.
Xavier sighed, motioning toward a bench. "Sit."
Claire hesitated but eventually sat down beside him.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. The late afternoon air was crisp, the sun beginning to dip below the buildings.
Then Xavier said, "I saw you leaving Miller's office."
Claire tensed.
Xavier arched a brow. "So?"
"So what?" she muttered.
Xavier gave her a knowing look. "You tell me."
Claire exhaled. "I asked him if he had someone watching me."
Xavier frowned. "And?"
"He doesn't."
Xavier's eyes darkened. "But someone is watching you."
Claire didn't answer. She didn't need to.
Xavier leaned back, draping his arm over the back of the bench. "You need to be careful."
Claire let out a humorless laugh. "I thought I was."
Xavier didn't smile. "You know what I mean."
She did. And that was the problem.
She stood. "I should go."
Xavier didn't stop her, but as she walked away, he called out
"Stay close to Miller."
She stiffened but didn't turn around.
Because deep down, she already knew she would.
***
Christopher
He sat in his office long after Claire had left, her words replaying in his mind.
It started at the club.
That was the missing piece.
Christopher had already begun looking into it. He wasn't the type to sit around and wait for trouble to come knocking.
But the deeper he dug, the more unsettling things became.
The men from the club weren't amateurs. They weren't just some low-level thugs looking for trouble.
They had a purpose.
And Claire had somehow become part of it.
Christopher rubbed his temple. He wasn't sure what frustrated him more-the fact that she was involved in something dangerous, or the fact that he cared.
He shouldn't.
But he did.
Too much.
A knock on his door pulled him from his thoughts.
He expected a student. Maybe a colleague.
But when he looked up, his jaw tightened.
Xavier.
Christopher leaned back in his chair, leveling him with a cool stare. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
Xavier closed the door behind him, crossing his arms. "Claire."
Christopher's eyes flickered, but he kept his expression neutral. "What about her?"
Xavier exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know what's going on between you two, but I know one thing she's in trouble."
Christopher didn't respond.
Xavier sat down in the chair across from him. "And whether you like it or not, you're in the middle of it now."
"Giving up already?" Christopher asked
"I just don't want her getting hurt," Xavier said feeling awkward
Christopher already knew that.
The question was-
What was he going to do about it?
***
Claire
When she got home, Chloe was waiting for her.
"Where have you been?" Chloe asked, hands on her hips.
Claire sighed, dropping her bag onto the couch. "Around."
Chloe squinted at her. "You've been acting weird."
Claire didn't answer.
Chloe exhaled, sitting down. "Look, I don't know what's going on with you, but if you need to talk-"
"I'm fine."
Chloe gave her a long look. "Okay."
Claire hated that she was shutting her out, but she couldn't drag Chloe into this.
Not when she didn't even know what this was.
Instead, she forced a small smile. "Let's order takeout."
Chloe perked up. "Now that's the Claire I know."
Claire laughed, but it felt hollow.
Because even as she sat there, pretending everything was normal-
She could still feel the weight of unseen eyes watching her.
Claire
The feeling didn't go away.
Even as she sat on the couch with Chloe, eating takeout and watching some reality show neither of them were really paying attention to, Claire felt it.
That strange, creeping sensation of being watched.
It had started subtly-barely noticeable at first. But now, it was persistent, crawling over her skin like a phantom touch.
She tried to shake it off, forcing herself to laugh at something Chloe said, but her mind kept drifting.
Christopher's reaction had only confirmed what she feared. Something was going on. And she was caught in the middle of it.
She reached for her phone, her fingers hovering over Christopher's contact.
Then she hesitated.
What was she supposed to say? Hey, I still feel like I'm being watched, do you think I'm losing my mind?
Claire let out a frustrated breath, dropping her phone onto the couch.
"What's wrong?" Chloe asked, eyeing her.
"Nothing," Claire muttered, standing up. "I need some air."
Chloe frowned. "It's late."
"I won't go far."
Before Chloe could protest, Claire grabbed her jacket and stepped outside.
The night was quiet. Too quiet.
She pulled her jacket tighter around her, walking down the street. The air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of rain. Streetlights cast long shadows, stretching over the pavement like silent watchers.
Her gaze darted around, scanning the area. No one was there.
And yet-
Her stomach twisted.
Claire quickened her pace, her heart beating faster.
She reached the corner, about to turn back when something in her peripheral vision made her stop.
A figure.
Standing beneath a streetlamp, half-hidden in the shadows.
Claire's breath hitched.
The person didn't move.
They just stood there. Watching.
Her hands curled into fists, nails digging into her palms.
Don't panic.
She forced herself to turn around, walking calmly back toward her apartment.
But she could feel whoever they were, they were still watching her.
She stepped inside her building and shut the door behind her, locking it.
Her heart pounded in her ears.
She needed to tell someone.
But who?
Xavier? He'd tell her to stay close to Christopher.
Christopher?
She bit her lip, already knowing the answer.
***
Christopher
It was almost midnight when his phone buzzed.
He glanced at the screen, frowning. Claire.
Without hesitation, he answered. "What's wrong?"
For a moment, there was silence. Then-
"I think someone's watching me."
His grip on the phone tightened. "Where are you?"
"At home." Her voice was steady, but he could hear the underlying tension.
Christopher exhaled, already reaching for his keys. "Stay inside. Lock the doors. I'm coming."
"Christopher..."
But he had already hung up.
He didn't question why he was reacting like this.
He just knew one thing...
Whoever was watching her had just made a mistake.
Because now, he was watching them.