We talked for several hours. Ethan told me he worked part-time at a café near the campus. By the time the sun went down, I already had a lead on a room in a shared flat — inexpensive, close to campus, and most importantly, with reasonable rules.
‘If you want, I’ll help you move,’ he offered, his tone almost too eager.
‘Really?’
‘Of course,’ he said, grinning in a way that didn’t reach his eyes. ‘I can’t leave you hanging.’
Over the next few weeks, I settled into my new place, found a higher-paying job at Ethan’s café, and began to feel like I could handle life again. Ethan and I grew closer, and soon he became more than just a friend to me.
But sometimes, late at night, I caught him looking at me strangely. Almost… appraising.
‘Have you ever been interested in Mrs Wilkins?’ he would ask casually.
‘Not really,’ I would reply. But that was a lie.
Sometimes I think about Mrs. Wilkins and her strange little house. I wonder if she ever found another tenant. A chill runs down my spine when I remember her last words: ‘Everything is always worth discussing.’
But one thing I can say for sure: leaving that morning was the best decision of my life.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalised for creative purposes. Names, characters and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to real people, living or dead, or real events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claim to the accuracy of events or character portrayals and are not responsible for any misinterpretation. This story is provided ‘as is,’ and any opinions expressed herein belong to the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.