Collaborated with: TIffanie Walker <3

He sat in front of me in the therapy group. We were sitting across from each other in the group's circle. How is it possible my school's star football player is in therapy? Though I noticed that he kept staring at me but every time I would turn to look at him, he’d turn away with slight sadness. He would act as if he wasn’t just staring into my soul. But then again, I have noticed him around a lot more ever since my sister died. "Maybe he misses her as much as I do?" I asked myself. The police ruled it out to be suicide, but my sister was always a joyful person. So, I can't believe that nor can anyone else.

Today, for the most part, it was normal until he joined in on today’s group and when group was over, I gathered my things to leave. I stuck in my Airpods and started to play ‘Let You Down.’ By NF. My keys to my 2013 Ford Mustang were clenched in my hands just in case anybody decided to fuck around and find out.

Suddenly my Airpod was plucked from my ear and I rounded on the person with a right-hand swing. The person grabbed a hold of my hand and held up my notebook. My eyes traveled to his Blue ones. His blonde hair looked like he kept running his hands through it.

“Alanna I’ve been calling your name for 15 minutes.” He said as I rolled my eyes.

“What do you want, Ethan?” I asked.

“You dropped this out of your locker today. I've been trying to return it until somebody told me you come to the group on Thursdays I used to when my uh brother died.” He mumbled

Rubbing the back of his head. I took my notebook out of his hands.

“I didn’t read anything in it I swear.” He chuckled

I raised my eyebrow at him.

“Okay, a page or two,” he said smiling

I was completely unamused. “Okay and I care why?”

“Well most people tend to-your not like most people,” Ethan said.

“Ethan you’ve been in every class I have had since elementary so by now I think you should know I don’t care,” I said,

I turned around and started to walk to my car when I noticed he fell into step with me. I looked at him and noticed he had his hands stuffed into his jean pockets.

“Why are you following me?”

“I’m not I parked right next to you.” He motioned to his 2013

Ford Mustang which was blue and had white stripes down the door. I sighed and looked at him.

“What?” He questioned.

“What do you want Ethan? You haven’t talked to me since sixth grade when you made fun of me for my braces. If you don’t want anything please leave me alone.” I said getting in my car.

But even after that Ethan didn’t leave me alone, every day he’d wait for me at my locker giving me a cup of coffee that he bought before coming to school. He’d walk me to my classes trying to make small talk and sit with me at lunch.

By the 5th week of his harassment we were sitting at lunch he had some of his friends at our table. I was currently reading another Article 'The Locked Door,' It was about a mother found close by to where my sister died. The police also ruled it a suicide.

“Alanna, did you hear me?” Ethan asked as I looked up.

He snatched my phone out of my hand and proceeded to put his number in my phone and text himself.

“Ethan please give me back my phone,” I complained but it was too late.

He was scrolling through my music playlist. All of my favorite Artists that amused me most such as NF, Twenty One Pilots, Panic! At the Disco and so much more.

“Oh my god, you like the Red Hot Chili Peppers too and Green Day! The only thing missing is Kid Rock.” He chuckled to himself.

He looked up at me, his blue eyes were so intense they almost looked beautiful. Like ocean waves beyond the sand and shore.

Alanna….no….not him.

“I don’t like Kid Rock,” I said coldly.

“Well, you just haven’t heard the right songs by him.” He said.

I snatched my phone away from him and I touched his hand.

It felt like electricity jolted through my arm. The touch of his hand felt like a jolt of happiness entering my body.

Three months have passed by now and I expected him to not talk to me anymore but here he was in front of me. Showing me the tickets he got for us to go see NF. He looked so proud of himself and I couldn’t help the smile that formed on my face because although I’ve spent the last 3 months trying to hate Ethan Holland, he found his way into my cracked little heart.

“You get on my nerves,” I told him.

“No, I don’t.” He said smiling.

“Yes, yes you do,” I said, rolling my eyes.

We started to walk to my first period U.S History with Mr. Briggs Yay!

“Oh, whatever Alanna. I know under all that black clothing and cold stare there is somebody who knows how to care.” He responded while booping my nose.

“I’ll see you after class Alanna Mikaelson.”

I felt my heart start to do jumping jacks in my chest as I walked into class and sat in my usual seat. Andrew, my best guy friend sat in front of me giving me his mysterious look as I rolled my eyes.

“No Andy whatever you’re thinking no,” I said using his nickname.

“Girl, lie to someone else.” He said and turned around as our teacher walked in.

When the bell finally rang for class to end I exited out half expecting to see Ethan leaning against the lockers on his phone waiting for me but he wasn’t there.

I found him in the hall with Anthony and Ezra talking.

“No guys I refuse to let that happen to her. I want her off the list.”

“Ethan don’t tell me you’ve fallen in love with her.”

“I have and I refuse to let her be another one.”

“You know the rules about being in love.”

“I don’t give a shit about the rules. We’ll rope her in but she won’t be another one of them.”

“Guys everything okay?” I asked.

Ethan whipped around and he looked like a ghost. He was so pale.

“Yeah come on,” he said, taking my arm and leading me away from his friends.

At lunch that day the police came in announcing a curfew for our area because they no longer think these deaths are accidental or involve suicide. Spending all this time with Ethan I truly had forgotten about them. They found another young teenager in the same spot dead. Ethan gripped my hand and in pure shock, I looked over at him and he had this absolutely worried look on his face.

"What's wrong?" I asked him but he zoned out without responding.

"I need some fresh air, let's go on a walk," he said kind of frowning.

He walked me into a forest that was behind the school. An abandoned house far in the back. I could see poking out behind the trees.

He then picked up a piece of paper listing names.

I knew all of the people on this list- but they were all dead.

He kept walking ahead of me. He brings me to a shed-like place I have never seen.

Dragging out body after body. I fainted.

Looking around at the complete destruction of the forest I was in complete shock. I couldn't believe what had just happened right in front of me.

Someone touched my shoulder and I screamed jumping away from the person.

“Alanna it’s just me.” Ethan breathed pulling me into a tight hug. I hugged back burying my face into his chest. I felt safe with him. His warm embrace felt like he'd never let me go. But- he did.

He handed me the list again.

As I read I looked I flipped over the page and my name was written in blood on the back.

“Why?” I asked. "Why am I on this?" I cried.

“You were never supposed to be on the list.” He whispered.

“So why am I?” I screamed at him.

“Because Anthony and Ezra put you on the list, I had my speculation that after they killed Aria we were going to have to come after you…

"You killed Aria," I yelled in his face.

"No, Anthony and Ezra did."

"You still knew and never told me or the police," I cried.

"I care about you Alanna that’s the truth,” Ethan said.

His hand was now covered in blood from his finger.

"Why'd you put me on this list then," I said choking on my words.

"I never wanted to," he said.

His eyes sparkling in front of my face made me want to wheeze.

He was covered in blood and I still couldn’t get the screams out of my head.

Anthony and Ezra were walking towards us scarier than the frieking Nun.

“God Alanna, do you think I would ever try to hurt you?” He asked.

I gave him a look and then looked back at Anthony and Ezra.

“Are you really going to ask me that?” I asked.

“Right. Well.” Ethan said.

Ethan looked at me. “This the part where we run?”

“Yup.”

“Where are we going to go?” I asked.

“Honestly I don’t know but I’ll never let anything happen to you.” He said ready to run for it. He leaned forward grabbing beneath my chin to tilt my head. He kissed my cheek “Never.”

“Promise.”

“I promise now come on.” He said as we ran away from the life I only knew.

But they caught up with us. Ethan was a very strong guy. Considering he played football all of middle and high school.

He tackled them and grabbed out a knife...

"Go," he shouted.

He soon came to me as I hid away from that nightmare that just happened and said

"It's over now."

I gasped, "What do you mean?"

I heard sirens and a teacher screaming "Two dead bodies!"

I looked at Ethan staring into his beautiful ocean eyes.

"You know, it's like Billie Eilish says... I can't stop staring at those ocean eyes."

He leaned forward to kiss me, his soft lips touching mine gently.

Grabbing my hand he smiled and walked me home.

At school next week the bell rang. Ethan wasn't at my locker leaning on it with his phone in is hands.

Then I thought about the shed... "he's probably waiting for me there." I thought to myself. I grabbed my stuff out of my locker and stuffed it into my bag to rush to Ethan..... I saw him-

'IT'S NOT OVER' was written in blood on his T-shirt.

On the ground covered in his own blood. His blonde fluffy hair was now red and flat to his head. I broke into tears and fell to my knees but when I went to scream it felt like something stabbed me in the back-