Sleepless✎

𝟐𝟔

Hi hi :)
For this chapter I recommend listening to either Panic Room by Au/Ra or Way Down We go by KALEO

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THINGS WERE GOING PERFECTLY. A month had passed since Ilaria and Kai had finally gotten rid of Michael. Ilaria was happier than she'd been in a while, she had bad days but she was learning that bad days were inevitable - what mattered was knowing that it's just that, a bad day not a bad life.

Kai and Rose helped with that alot, they were always there reminding her that eventually all those negative feelings do leave - it's just up to her to let them go.

The newspapers were filled with Ilaria and Kai's story, at the start - the two never left home because when they did they'd be bombarded by newsreporters.

Eventually, things calmed down and Kai had joked that he'd miss the fame, just a little.

She was also madly inlove... Which everyone knew somehow - she hadn't even said it to Kai yet and she wasn't really sure what was holding her back.

Ilaria and Kai had finally taken down their board, everything - their notes, the pictures. It was a relief to finally know it was over.

The only thing Ilaria had trouble letting go of were her first few notes from when she'd first started investigating but that was soon going to change.

She pulled out the box of it and went outside, the sun was finally out - the air smelt of flowers and lake water. Ilaria loved it.

She stopped outside a trash can and tossed out the stuff from her box, the last few things that tied her to the case.

She struck the match and threw it in, Ilaria watched as all her work went up in flames and the last of her troubles fell off her shoulders. She felt... Free. Something she hadn't felt in an extremely long time.

Ilaria was just about to pull her phone out to call Kai so they could meet up - they were supposed to go out with Rose.

Ilaria was trying with much effort to get her bestfriend and her boyfriend to get along. She suspected, though, that they were finally warming up to each other.

But before she could open Kai's contact a message popped up. A message from an anonymous number.

Ilaria's blood froze.

Please let this be a prank. Please. She repeated in her head as she opened the message.

You're giving up that easily?

Ilarias eyes skimmed over the message about 5 times - she was trying to convince herself it was a prank.

It had to be, her and Kai's entire story was out in the local paper - it was probably just some idiots trying to scare her.

But she still felt the need to go tell Kai about it. So he could tell her the same thing, that it was a prank - nothing more.

Ilaria made her way inside, her heart pounding - she wasn't sure why she was panicking. Michael was caught. The case was closed.

They were wrong about a second UnSub.

"Ma! I'm taking your car!" she called and grabbed the keys, she didn't wait for her mother to answer her before leaving.

As she stopped infront of Kai's house, her blood felt frozen in her veins, her heart for once - slowed down but not in a good way. She felt like she was reaching the peak of panic.

But Kai would reassure her, she just had to get to him.

She shut the car door and walked up at the house - her eyebrows furrowing when she noticed the door was already open. He was probably waiting for her then, they were meant to meet up anyway.

With shaky hands she pushed the door open, the house was eerily quiet - Ilaria could hear her footsteps against the floor as she went to the lounge, the kitchen, when she found both places empty she finally began her journey upstairs.

"Kai!" she called out, she had a terrible feeling. Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

Her breath hitched in her chest when she found Kai's room empty too - her ears felt blocked and her head was spinning as she pushed open Ammrahs room door too - hoping but somehow knowing he wouldn't be there.

And she was right, Ammarahs room was empty too. Ilaria rushed back to Kai's room, her heart seemed to have stilled in her chest - she wasn't sure how she was even still conscious with the amount of panic she felt.

Ilaria found his phone on the floor, she tried to ignore the sting in her eyes and the way she swore she could feel the walls pressing in on her. She needed to focus, to think.

She sunk down to the floor and opened Kai's phone - her heart had surely stopped. She was sure of it.

Because she found an anonymous message on Kai's phone too :

You or the girl.

This time Ilaria let the tears fall. She should've known, happiness wasn't meant for her - and she was too happy the past month. No, fate always had a twisted plan for her.

Ilaria clutched her chest where a sharp pain began, she could feel a panic attack coming on - there was a dull ringing in her ears, she couldn't hear anything aside from the beating of her heart.

She rested her head on her knees and tried drawing in breath - her lungs felt filled with sand.

"Why me? Why? What did I do?" she wasn't sure who she was talking to, God or her demons but she spoke anyway, begged for answers where there weren't any.

She'd just got her breathing pattern right when her phone chimed again, Ilaria scrambled for her pocket and pulled it out.

The phone chimed two more times before she opened the message.

There was a picture of Kai - he didn't look hurt but he was tied up and unconscious.

Underneath it, the caption read : come amd find us.

The second message made Ilaria's blood boil, the ice she thought she felt melted with rage - pure, hot rage.

One last game. Don't call the police, I wouldn't want to hurt the boy too bad.

It was a game to him, he enjoyed this. Ilaria thought, all this time - that she was doing it for Kenna, for Ammarah - for all the other girls.

But maybe the killer was doing it all for her and she was feeding into his fantasy.

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Hi hii :)

Oops...my bad, looks like i added a lil more trauma.

Anyway im sorry, dont be mad at me😭

Also, what do you guys think of this chapter?

Any theories?

If you enjoyed this chapter dont forget to vote and share.

All my love
Saali <3