The following day, Cordelia was on her way to school when, unfortunately, she crossed paths with Caleb just a few minutes from her home.
Oh, no. Why? Why is he here? What does this monster want with her now?
Is he here to frighten her again? Or worse, to kill her and ensure she doesn't reveal his crimes—or the truth about what he really is. Not human.
Cordelia's entire body shuddered at the thought of dying. No way. She didn't want to die. She was far too young to die.
With his supernatural, microscopic gaze, Caleb studied her from head to toe, taking in her alluring figure. He was impressed by how well she presented herself. The makeup, though, was unnecessary—she didn't need it.
The girl was inhumanly perfect without it. It was as if she had been forged from milk, diamonds, and precious stones.
Her skin was flawless. Not a scratch, bruise, or blemish.
Strange.
But Caleb wasn't there to admire her beauty. He was conducting a secret investigation. He needed to know exactly what this girl was. That was one of his reasons for keeping such a close eye on her.
"Good morning, Delia," Caleb greeted her politely, his arms tucked neatly into the pockets of his leather jeans. His lips curved into his most charming smile, making him look almost saintly. But, as everyone knows, appearances can be deceiving.
Cordelia ignored him and continued walking. That didn't stop him from strolling along behind her, like an obsessive boyfriend. His presence made her skin crawl.
Five minutes passed, and Caleb was still trailing her. The nerve of this guy—stalking her in broad daylight. It was beyond creepy. Like bugs crawling under her skin.
She quickened her pace, hoping to shake him off, but it was no use.
Enough was enough. She stopped abruptly and turned to confront him, her fear momentarily eclipsed by frustration. "What do you want with me, Caleb?"
"Nothing much. Just escorting you to school," Caleb's lips curling into a playful smirk. For some reason, toying with her amused him to no end. He didn't know why, and he didn't care.
"I don't recall agreeing to be escorted by you," Her voice faltered slightly.
It was hard to look him in the eye—not because of fear alone, but because his gaze was both terrifying and enchanting. He had the kind of beauty and perfection she imagined an angel might possess. It was almost unbelievable.
Too bad his personality didn't match.
"I don't recall asking for your permission," he retorted, his tone sharp.
"You know stalking is illegal, right? Not to mention harassment. You could go to jail for this." Cordelia tried to sound threatening, but she knew it was futile. Caleb wasn't afraid of the law. Her words were meaningless to him.
"You make it sound so bad." Caleb reached out, cupping her cheeks with his hands, his smile widening like that of a circus clown.
"I'll call the police," she threatened, trying to pull her face away from his touch.
"Well, I know where you live now," His voice dropped to a sinister tone that sent shivers down her spine. "So I doubt you'd do something so foolish—unless you want the people you love to stop breathing."
"Are you threatening me again?" Cordelia stammered, her voice trembling. Why is he doing this to her? Why?
"If you don't hurry, we'll be late for school." Caleb turned and walked ahead, leaving her standing there, shaken.
Later, as Cordelia closed her locker door, Caleb appeared out of nowhere, his usual corny smile plastered across his face. The sight of him made her feel as though her bones had fled her body.
Darn it! He was making it his mission to drive her insane—or worse, scare her to death.
What did he gain from making her life a living hell?
Ugh! She felt an overwhelming urge to smack him with the textbook in her hand. Right in that adorable, perfectly cute face.
Perfectly cute? What was she thinking? He was a monster. A beautiful monster, sure, but still a monster.
Ugh, stop it.
"Come on, Caleb," Cordelia groaned, her frustration bubbling over. "You can't keep following me everywhere I go."
"I can, actually," Caleb replied, leaning in close to whisper in her ear. His voice sent goosebumps racing across her skin. "Even to the ladies' room, if I feel like it."
"No!" Cordelia's face turned crimson at the thought. Her body felt weak, as if all the blood had drained from her veins. The sound of her textbook hitting the floor snapped her out of her mortified daze.
She crouched to pick it up, but Caleb's hand reached it first.
"Here you go," he said, handing it to her.
Cordelia stood, shoved the book into her bag, and walked away without a word.
"Wait up!" Caleb called, catching up to her.
Cordelia sighed loudly, exasperated. Caleb was like a lost puppy, constantly trailing her. But what could she do? Nothing. She tried to ignore him, but his presence was suffocating. It felt like being locked in a dark, underground cell with no escape.
"Don't you have class or something better to do?" she asked as they reached her classroom. The last thing she needed was for him to distract her from her studies.
"Yeah, I do. But nothing's more entertaining than this," Caleb replied.
"I won't tell anyone what you've done," she assured him, though the memory of that bloody carnage still haunted her. "So please, just go."
"Oh, I'm not worried about that."
"Ugh." Cordelia facepalmed, feeling a headache coming on. She took a deep breath and asked, "What can I do to get you to stop stalking me?"
"Stalking you?" Caleb feigned surprise, his eyes widening.
"Yes, stalking me."
"Is that what you think I'm doing?"
"What else would you call following someone around all day?" she snapped, her frustration boiling over. Luckily, no one was around to witness her outburst.
"I don't know." Caleb shrugged, flashing the smile that made girls swoon. "Please, enlighten me."
"I hate you," she growled, her face flushing with anger.
"That's a shocker. I always thought I was likable."
"What made you think that?" she snarled.
"Darling, just look at this face. What's not to like?" Caleb grinned, flaunting his good looks.
His smugness made Cordelia's blood boil. She had no comeback, which only made her angrier. "You!"
"See you later." Caleb vanished, leaving her fuming.
For the rest of the day, Cordelia's mood remained sour—all because of Caleb. The only peace she found was when she got home. Of course, Caleb had followed her there, too.
How nice of him. Not.