Page 60 of Who The Hell Are You?

I want to hit my head all over again. Maybe that nausea can offset the one I’m feeling right now.

Two messages pop up immediately after he sends a video and I don’t even want to open it. I know what it is, what I’ll see. Focusing on the photos again, I try to figure out every possibility that my masked stalker figured out I was dating Miles and wanted to make us break up. It doesn’t make sense however, because he wouldn’t pretend to be him if he was trying to get rid of him. This all doesn’t make any sense, but to really cement the betrayal, I stare at the messages he’s left.

@Yourghostboy: I love you, baby.

I’m sorry.

He thinks it’s acceptable to tell me he loves me, over fucking private message on social media? Hell no. Hell fucking no.

For reasons I can’t explain, this enrages me more than the fact that he’s duped me this entire time. Hiding his identity from me flops in comparison, because this fucking infuriating man thinks its acceptable to say I love you over message!?

At the same time a headache blooms in my temple, a calmness overtakes me. It just washes everything away, apart from the thumping that spreads across my forehead too. Letting my phone drop onto my bed, I ignore it as the screen goes dark. My only focus is the throbbing pain now lancing through my entire head. I wonder if there is anything I can do to make him feel this way. Make him so overwhelmed his brain literally shuts down…

He loves me, but can’t say it to my face with the mask off.

Falling back onto my pillow, closing my eyes doesn’t ease anything and that’s how the rest of the night goes. I don’t sleep, can’t shake the pain that feels like it spreads through my entire body, pulsating, stabbing, gutting the breath out of me.

He loves me but can only hide behind a fucking mask account to tell me, like I’m something you can’t say that to in the day.

By the time light peaks in through the blinds I didn’t bother to close, it’s Halloween, Miles’s favourite day of the year and one he’ll never forget. I’m going to make sure of it.

I’ve been up for an hour already, putting my plan into place, taking a page from one of his beloved dark romances. I don’t know how much he’s going to like this though, but I'll for sure feel better.

Throwing the lilac glowing mask onto my bed, I hit stop on the camera. My entire chest is covered in fake blood; crap I found in the kitchen drawers that Emery had planned to use for his vampire costume tonight. I took that side-quest downstairs to take more medication, so my borderline migraine did subside. The sticky shit drips down my abs but I ignore it, sitting on my desk chair as I spread my legs and edit the video. I add a random audio that's a mash up of ghostface speaking from the first scream movie, and an eerie sound. It’s perfect, but it’s not important. Hitting the right buttons to upload to social media, I write my caption and tag Yourghostboy. Within seconds it’s out there live, the views already racking up and I receive many Halloween well wishes. People freak out that I’ve directly tagged another masked man on the internet, but again, none of it fucking matters.

Rubbing at my temple, my hand shakes a little as I start to think over the to-do list I now have for today. A lot needs to happen before the big finale. I wonder if Miles ever imagined himself as a final girl? We shall see.

Staring down at my video, I smile at my caption, ready to end this nightmare of a chapter.

This isn’t a comedy, it’s a horror film. People live, people die and you’d better start running @yourghostboy.

26

Icouldn’t sleep. Can’t fucking eat, or breathe right for that matter. Can’t focus, won’t stop shaking, so I’m sitting in my class in the afternoon completely numb and haven’t paid attention to anything my tutor has been saying. All I can do is worry about the video he tagged me in early this morning.

I looked at my phone for any notification from Cassie, but he never replied, other than the message that came through at the same time I sent him the photos of the real me.

@Inkedreaper: I’ve met someone. This is over.

Seeing as I was on my phone I could see we sent the messages at the same time, so it wasn’t a response to me revealing myself. No, he’d not replied to that at all. He’d not even acknowledged the fact I told him I loved him. Waiting all night, nothing came through, until my phone blew up over the video he tagged my account in. The comments were wild, followers demanding we make content together, asking if we were dating in real life, but also people telling me I should be scared. I’m terrified, because this wasn’t like Cassie at all, but I also respected the use of a Scream four quote. I revealed my true identity and then got an ominous public call out, telling me I need to make a run for it. Were we over? God I’d fucked this all up. In the video he was covered in blood–hopefully fake–rubbing it into his chest as a red light flickered behind him. Suddenly he lunges forward and takes the camera, his position menacing, dominating and angry. Really fucking angry.

My tutor concludes the class and I immediately stand up, legs shaking and nervously I knock my phone onto the floor. The screen lights up as it lands on the carpet, but I don’t have any notifications. Cass hasn’t replied to a single one of my texts or calls, or messages on the thirst trap account.

Shoving it into my pocket, I trail out of the auditorium with everyone else. I don’t know if it’s my lack of sleep, shot nerves or the veil being thin on Halloween, but I’m so jumpy that when Grace calls out my name, I slam myself hard into a wall outside.

“Fuck!” I rub at my arm, shooting a glare over my shoulder like it’s her fault.

Moving around some of our class mates, she catches up to me and to my horror, she walks next to me as we leave the building. “Big plans for Halloween?” She asks, super chipper, like we’re best friends and her ex boyfriend is not my current–well, he’s my current something if he doesn’t kill me.

“Sure. Something like that.” I lie, because I have zero plans. I was going to stay in and have a movie marathon with Cass.

“Look,” she pulls at my arm, wanting me to stop. “I know we’re not exactly close, but despite everything I’m really happy for you and Casper.” As she says his name, I swear I see a flash of dark curls walk past the glass wall of the library, but when I whip my head around, he isn’t there. “What he did at the party was so brave. He saved Faye and Mason's life. Casper is quiet and shy, I didn’t know he had it in him. What I wanted to say is just be careful with him. He’s flighty and a little prudish–I know you love dark romance, so maybe hide the books and don’t suggest trying any kinks.” She laughs, like she’s giving me some really good advice.

I don’t laugh along, in fact I don’t even give her the benefit of the doubt. I’ve completely had enough of her interfering. “Grace, politely fuck off. Yes it was incredibly brave of Cass, but you clearly don’t know him at all, because that's exactly the man he is. He’s brave, kind, funny, outgoing, not quiet or shy. Sexy, supportive, intelligent and the best sex of my entire life. He’s not a fucking prude, you’re just impossible and never shut the hell up to let him actually get to know you. Did you ever listen to him at all? Take anything in or ask him about his life? You didn’t know his dream is to be a vet on his best friend's farm! He knows cows, and you don’t deserve to know cows, or him. Don’t ever assume to know him or me, because you don’t. I love him, so kindly or rather not so kindly, leave us alone.”

Storming off without looking back at her, I push out into the cold afternoon and the further I stomp towards home, the more my mood swells and becomes even more bitter. Fucking Grace. The fucking nerve.

I pass the entrance to the park and swear I see a shadow in all black, but when I slam to a stop and look again, no one is there. Chills run down my arms, making all the hairs stand up on my body. I swear I’ve seen Cass all day, but I think my mind is playing tricks on me. I thought I saw him standing outside my first class, but when I looked it was just another gym-bro. Again when I looked out the window in the cafe at lunch, I thought he was across the street. In the library I thought he was lingering in the stalls when I got a book on my reading list, and again just now outside the auditorium and now park. I feel fucking crazy, but clearly I’m just shook that he may have threatened me publicly now he knows my identity. Was it a threat? He did say I should run.