Chapter One
"Hey Alissa! Wait up!" someone called.
Alissa Norman felt a hand grab her shoulder and she jumped in surprise. She turned to see her best friends Natalie Graham smiling at her.
"Nat, you scared me," she said, slowing down to catch her breath. Her heart was pounding against her chest.
"Wow Alissa, you really have to calm down, Vincent is dead remember?" Natalie said. She hoisted her bag onto her back.
"I know," Alissa said shaking her head. She didn't know if she'd ever be able to get Vincent's face out of her head. It always felt like he was following her. It was ironic really. When he was following her she didn't know and when he couldn't possibly be following her, she thought he was.
She could still feel his presence hovering around whenever she went outside. She his stringy black hair, his long fingers that always seemed to be reached for her-
"Alissa! Snap out of it!" Natalie said. She looked concerned for a minute but it passed as quickly as it had come. Natalie was Alissa's best friend but she wasn't very good at being sensitive to her feelings. She just expected Alissa to get over the fact that a man she didn't even know had stalked her for almost a year. Almost killed her.
Natalie just didn't understand.
"We're going to be late," Natalie picked up speed and was almost running when she got to the front steps of the high school.
Alissa had known Natalie since grade four. Sometimes she wondered why she was friends with her in the first place. When she really thought about it, she realized that Natalie was very self centered. They were so different too. Alissa had blond hair and blue eyes, she could be called the "all American girl". Natalie was Chinese with straight black hair and dark brown eyes. Natalie was good at art and science while Alissa was more into music and English. They hardly had anything in common but they were best friends anyway.
Alissa knew she could never stop being friends with Natalie.
Inside the school, people were hurrying to their classes before the bell rang. Alissa didn't feel like hurrying today. She watched Natalie scuttle away without saying goodbye and then went to her locker.
"Hey Alissa!" a few people called. She called back to them and continued to get her books for her first few classes.
Alissa had a lot of friends. Or maybe acquaintances would be a better word. Everyone in school knew who she was and everyone liked her. She was very friendly and she didn't let popularity get in the way of being friends with whomever she wanted.
She reached up to the top shelf of her locker to find a pen. She was feeling around when a small piece of purple paper fell to the floor. She leaned down and picked it up. She read it and gasped in fear.
My Dearest,
Roses are red
Violets are blue
Sugar is sweet
And I WANT you
-Vincent
Where did it come from? She had burned every single note she had gotten from him in the last year. How did this one get in her locker?
She angrily tore it into a hundred pieces. If Natalie had put this in her locker than she wasn't going to get away with it. Alissa was through with letting her friend walk all over her. She slammed her locker shut and hurried to her first class before the bell rang.
Despite her anger, Alissa couldn't help worrying. What if that note wasn't from Natalie? No, she told herself, it was Natalie. Vincent is dead and gone, he can't hurt you anymore.
The rest of the day passed quickly. Alissa didn't see Natalie at lunch which made her even more suspicious. They always ate lunch together, and now, today, Natalie avoids her. It seemed very strange.
"Bye Alissa!" someone called as she walked out the front door of the school. She just waved without looking who had called to her. She was too preoccupied with her supposed best friend. She couldn't get it out of her head.
Suddenly a strong arm wrapped around her waist and yanked her into the bushes. Her heart sped up and she let out a frightened squeak. Was Vincent back to get her?
"Hey Alissa! Wait up!" someone called.
Alissa Norman felt a hand grab her shoulder and she jumped in surprise. She turned to see her best friends Natalie Graham smiling at her.
"Nat, you scared me," she said, slowing down to catch her breath. Her heart was pounding against her chest.
"Wow Alissa, you really have to calm down, Vincent is dead remember?" Natalie said. She hoisted her bag onto her back.
"I know," Alissa said shaking her head. She didn't know if she'd ever be able to get Vincent's face out of her head. It always felt like he was following her. It was ironic really. When he was following her she didn't know and when he couldn't possibly be following her, she thought he was.
She could still feel his presence hovering around whenever she went outside. She his stringy black hair, his long fingers that always seemed to be reached for her-
"Alissa! Snap out of it!" Natalie said. She looked concerned for a minute but it passed as quickly as it had come. Natalie was Alissa's best friend but she wasn't very good at being sensitive to her feelings. She just expected Alissa to get over the fact that a man she didn't even know had stalked her for almost a year. Almost killed her.
Natalie just didn't understand.
"We're going to be late," Natalie picked up speed and was almost running when she got to the front steps of the high school.
Alissa had known Natalie since grade four. Sometimes she wondered why she was friends with her in the first place. When she really thought about it, she realized that Natalie was very self centered. They were so different too. Alissa had blond hair and blue eyes, she could be called the "all American girl". Natalie was Chinese with straight black hair and dark brown eyes. Natalie was good at art and science while Alissa was more into music and English. They hardly had anything in common but they were best friends anyway.
Alissa knew she could never stop being friends with Natalie.
Inside the school, people were hurrying to their classes before the bell rang. Alissa didn't feel like hurrying today. She watched Natalie scuttle away without saying goodbye and then went to her locker.
"Hey Alissa!" a few people called. She called back to them and continued to get her books for her first few classes.
Alissa had a lot of friends. Or maybe acquaintances would be a better word. Everyone in school knew who she was and everyone liked her. She was very friendly and she didn't let popularity get in the way of being friends with whomever she wanted.
She reached up to the top shelf of her locker to find a pen. She was feeling around when a small piece of purple paper fell to the floor. She leaned down and picked it up. She read it and gasped in fear.
My Dearest,
Roses are red
Violets are blue
Sugar is sweet
And I WANT you
-Vincent
Where did it come from? She had burned every single note she had gotten from him in the last year. How did this one get in her locker?
She angrily tore it into a hundred pieces. If Natalie had put this in her locker than she wasn't going to get away with it. Alissa was through with letting her friend walk all over her. She slammed her locker shut and hurried to her first class before the bell rang.
Despite her anger, Alissa couldn't help worrying. What if that note wasn't from Natalie? No, she told herself, it was Natalie. Vincent is dead and gone, he can't hurt you anymore.
The rest of the day passed quickly. Alissa didn't see Natalie at lunch which made her even more suspicious. They always ate lunch together, and now, today, Natalie avoids her. It seemed very strange.
"Bye Alissa!" someone called as she walked out the front door of the school. She just waved without looking who had called to her. She was too preoccupied with her supposed best friend. She couldn't get it out of her head.
Suddenly a strong arm wrapped around her waist and yanked her into the bushes. Her heart sped up and she let out a frightened squeak. Was Vincent back to get her?