Shadows

Annalise's POV
Harry and I agreed to go to the police with the note tomorrow after school, I didn't want to leave my parents tonight.
"Mom?" I call out, shutting the door behind me. "Dad?"
I sigh and lean against the front door. I made it home before them. I guess I could have stayed at Harry's longer.
I sigh and climb up the steps to my bedroom, flipping on lights as I go. I move over to my bedroom window, looking right into Harry's bedroom. He isn't in there anymore and I can't help but feel a little sad. He's been so...nice, lately. I shut the curtains and flop onto my bed, kicking off my shoes. I grab Gatsby off the night stand and to my confusion, a paper slides out of the book.
Oh shit not again.
I grab the white card stock that landed next to me on the bedspread, the thick paper exactly the same as the note still stuffed into my pocket. Hesitantly, I open the note.
Annalise darling, I think you're lovely
Yet going to the police would be lowly
If you go to them there will be a price to pay
Show Harry this note and I'll make it today.
Xxx
Anonymous
My hands are trembling by the time I finish the note. I tear my fingers through my hair and throw it down on the bed, getting to my feet rapidly.
"Why why why," I mumble and cross the room. Why is this happening to me? Why now, when Catherine was just found dead? I quickly grab the notes and throw them into my desk drawer, using the lock on the drawer for the first time in my life. I cannot let my mom find these, she will die. Maybe literally. I take a shaky breath and sink into my desk chair. If only there was someone I could talk to about this! The one person who would understand, who would know what to do in this situation, would be Catherine. The one time in my life I would have actually needed Catherine's help and she's dead. Because of whoever wrote these letters.
A thought sends chills down my spine. Someone had to have broken into my house while I was at Harry's to put that note in my book. I feel sick. What if they're still here? I quickly throw open my shades to face Harry's room and breathe a sigh of relief when I see him sitting on his bed. Thankfully, he looks up just in time and sees me standing there. He looks confused but walks over to his window, opening it. I open mine in turn as he talks, his voice carrying easily across the small gap between our houses.
"Is everything okay?" He asks.
Haha, nope.
"Yeah," I shake my head, trying to appear nonchalant. "It's just that my parents aren't home yet and being alone kind of freaks me out so I was wondering if you would keep your window open just in case anything were to happen or something," I babble out.
His expression softens immediately.
"Yeah of course, you can even shout out the answers to the trig homework across the way," he winks, causing a foolish blush to highlight my cheeks.
"I'm not in trigonometry," I admit.
"Oh?" His eyebrows raise in surprise. "Too smart for normal math?"
I blush at the comment, it's true.
"Something like that.." I mutter and lean against the windowsill.
"When will your parents be home?" He inquires.
"Um soon I think," I mumble and stare at my hands instead of his gorgeous face.
"You could always come back over here," he suggests and I look up in surprise.
"That's okay, I've already taken up a bunch of your time," I respond.
"I don't mind," he shrugs, leaning his tanned forearms on the window sill.
"Really it's okay," I say urgently. I don't want to bother him more than I already have. "They'll be home really soon."
"Alright," he throws his hands up in surrender and backs away from the window. "But my offer stands."
"Thank you," I mutter and walk back over to my bed, laying back in the comfort that Harry would be there if someone were to still be in the house.
Music from Harry's room startles me and I immediately get up and walk back over to the window. Harry's sitting at his desk, his iPod plugged into a radio, the music echoes over to my room.
"What are you doing?" I shout, annoyance seeping into my voice.
He turns to face me in surprise and a slow smirk spreads across his face, heat rises to my face as I notice how attractive he is.
"Listening to music," he shouts back, his dimples showing with his grin.
"Do you mind?" I force sternness into my tone, hoping he takes me seriously.
"What? You don't like hip hop?" He chuckles.
I scrunch up my nose in distaste, giving him my answer.
"Damn, I was hoping you were secretly ghetto," he says with a smile.
To my surprise, I laugh and lean against the window, willing to continue the easy conversation about music.
"Annalise?" My moms voice shouts from behind me. I turn away from the cool breeze blowing in my window and look behind me.
"Uh my parents are home," I say and turn back to Harry.
He gives me a weak smile. "See you tomorrow," his gaze is knowing and my heart sinks.
"Oh yeah about that," I mutter. "I don't want to go to the police," I feel like I'm whispering yet somehow he still manages to hear me.
"Why not?" His voice is gentle and I stare down at the ground below me.
"It's probably just a prank, I don't want to get the police involved and worry my parents even more, they've already got so much going on," I excuse.
"What about the break in?" He asks tentatively.
I shrug and glance up at his concerned expression warily. "There is an open investigation about Catherine going on right now, if the break in has anything to do with it I'm sure the police will find out. I don't want to drag this out like it's going to help."
I wait for his response but none comes, eventually I force myself to look up. He moved out of his chair and is now leaning on the windowsill again, looking at me with deep green eyes.
"I don't like the looks of that note Annie," he says seriously.
"Me neither but I think it's best that we just let it fade away," I sigh, lying. "Unless I get another letter I'm just going to forget about it. You should too," I slam my window shut and close the curtains, avoiding looking at Harry's face.
"Annalise," my dad says from the doorway. "We're home."
"I can see that," I say sarcastically.
"Lisa," he scoffs.
"Sorry," I mumble. "It's been a long day."
I flop down onto the bed, staring up at the white ceiling.
"You can say that again," he mumbles and I feel him sit on the edge of the bed. "How are you dealing with all of this kiddo?"
"Kiddo?" I ask, propping myself onto my elbows to look at him with raised eyebrows.
"Yeah, kiddo," he says pointedly. "How are you doing?"
I sigh and flop back onto the bed. "Not great dad, not great."
"That makes three of us," he sighs. "We're here for you Lisa, this is hard for all of us."
"I know dad," I say and sit up. "Thank you."
I give him a side hug before he stands.
"Dinner will be ready soon," he says before closing the door and leaving me alone.
~
I walk out of school, slinging my backpack over my shoulder as I walk through the parking lot. I glance behind me and to my shock, see a car slowly driving right next to me. I turn back around and walk a little faster. It's probably nothing, I'm in a parking lot after all, they definitely aren't following me. Despite the logic that says the car isn't following me, I still can't shake the feeling that it is.
"Miss Grey?" A deep voice calls out. I freeze immediately and turn to see the car halting right next to me, the drivers side window rolled down to reveal Detective Marks staring at me with his frozen blue eyes.
"What are you doing here?" I ask rudely.
"I wanted to talk to you," he answers vaguely.
"I've already told you everything I know," I sigh.
"Get in the car Annalise," he demands.
Taken aback by his words, I stumble away from the car.
"No," I respond.
"Don't you want your sisters killer to be found?" He asks with raised eyebrows.
Of course I do! But what if he starts questioning me and I accidentally say something about the notes? I can't risk it.
"I have to get home," I blurt and sprint away from his idling car. I slide into the safety of my car and lean into the seat. No, don't cry here. With trembling hands I manage to get the keys in the ignition, pulling out into the flow of traffic. I somehow manage to calm myself down as I drive home, feeling safe in the privacy of my car. I pull up to my house and to my disdain, another car is parked in my spot. I guess I'm going to park in the street.
I heave my bag over my shoulder and walk up to the house just as Harry pulls into his driveway. I pause for a moment as he climbs out of his car.
"Hey Annie," he calls out warmly, his dimples showing as he smiles.
"You know I think you're the only person who calls me Annie," I comment with a smile spreading across my face.
He contemplates my words for a moment before replying. "Good," he says simply before walking up to his house.
I laugh and do the same, pushing open the front door.
"I know I just think therapy would be good for her," my mothers words carry to me from the kitchen. I silently close the front door and creep to the edge of the wall by the kitchen door, pressing myself flat against it to listen.
"You know when we put Jamie in therapy after her meltdown it did her a world of good," the familiar voice of my moms work friend Meredith responds.
"I don't think she needs therapy," my dad says and I can practically see him shaking his head in protest. "She needs to work through things on her own."
Hell yeah I do dad. I do not want to go to therapy. I don't need a stranger asking me about all my issues and trying to get me to talk about Catherine.
"After everything that's been going on I think it's important that Annalise gets professional help," my mother insists.
"Jessica, I do not want to talk about this right now," dad's stern voice commands.
I take the opportunity to scurry back to the front door, opening it and slamming it shut once more before I stomp loudly upstairs.
"Annalise, Meredith is here!" Mom calls out after me.
"Hi Meredith!" I shout before shutting my bedroom door, isolating me from my crazy family. I pull my phone out and sink into my bed. To my absolute shock I have a new text. Nobody texts me.
I look at the unfamiliar number and open the message, growing pale as I read it.
You're a good girl for listening to me
For that you will be rewarded
Annalise dear, you don't need therapy
But stay away from Harry or you'll regret it.
Xxx
Anonymous

Notes

Hope you likeeee it. What do you think about the notes?