Worst Nightmare Come True

Chapter 1- A Frightful Morning

I walk into Harvard University through a back entrance. My hands are clenched so hard that my fingers start to slip due to the thick coating of sweat that covers both my hands. I reach my left arm up to my forehead to wipe away the dripping sweat. My heart is pounding like a drum, with the speed increasing between each and every beat. I hear the voices of a woman and two men in the distance and I begin to walk in their direction. One of them takes a few footsteps. The footsteps are slow and loud.

"I don't know where she is I haven't seen her all day." The woman says, so far away that I can't distinguish the voice. "Have you tried calling her?"

"Of course I've tried calling her. Do you think I'm stupid? She's not answering her phone." One of the men replies.

The other man interrupts the argument. "My dear, don't be upset. My son is just worried about….."

I don't hear the rest of his sentence, because I suddenly realize who the people are, so I speed up, heading in their direction. I have to turn a few corners before I see them, and when I do, they all turn and stare at me, surprised.

"Found her." Astrid said, sarcastic.

"Olivia, I'm so glad you're back. We were all so worried that something happened to you." Walter interjected. "Especially Peter."

"Dad, was that really necessary? I mean, come on. Seriously?"

I allow a smile to spread across my face, but it soon disappears.

"Are you okay."

"Peter, I'm fine. Don't worry about me." I lied.

"You sure? Your forehead is covered in sweat. You're stressed about something."

"Yeah, I don't want to talk about it." I change the subject as soon as possible. "So, what's on the agenda today, any new investigation, or a freaky dead person to inspect?"

"Nothing." Walter said. "Sadly."

"It never ceases to amaze me that you get sad as soon as there are no problems for us to solve. Seems kind of backwards."

"That's my dad."

I pull out my phone and dial Charlie's number. It only has to ring once before he picks up.

"Agent Francis." His formal telephone greeting.

"Yeah, Charlie. It's Olivia. You got anything for me to work on at the office?"

"No, not really. Just some filing. Why, you bored?"

"Yeah. Well, I think I'll pass on the filing."

"Alright. Bye, Liv." I hang up and start to walk away from the team. Peter runs up beside me.

"So, you want to keep busy, eh. I can help with that. Let's go get some lunch."

"Is that a question or a demand?"

"Neither, it's an offer. Take it or leave it, I'm going, with or without you."

"I'm starving."

"Me too, let's go." He leads me out the front exit of Harvard University and I hop into the passenger seat of his truck. We start talking and before I know it, we're standing outside a small diner outside town.

"Have you ever eaten here?" He asked.

"Not yet."

"Oh, you'll love it."

We take a seat in a booth near the front of the restaurant so we can look outside and see the strangers walking by. We sit in silence for a moment before he starts talking again.

"Olivia. What's going on with you lately? You seem really tense. What's bothering you?"

"I just have a lot on my mind lately." I try to take my mind off of this morning.

"Olivia. You know I'm not gonna stop asking until you tell me. I'm very persistent. I know when something's bothering you, and right now, something's really bothering you."

I find myself staring at him. "It's really hard to talk about. I don't even know if it really happened."

"You don't know if what happened?" He asked. I don't know why, but I suddenly feel the urge to tell him, I know I can trust him to not tell anyone else. He'll eventually find out anyway.

"Peter, I saw my stepfather this morning."