Sierra’s POV
Tall and broad-shouldered, dressed entirely in black, was standing just across the street, under the dim streetlight. He was staring directly at me, unmoving. The way his eyes locked onto mine through the window made a chill slither down my spine. He didn’t move; he didn’t even flinch, just stood there staring straight at me, like he was waiting for something, his face shadowed, but I could see his eyes fixed on my window.
My breath caught, my heart hammering and my mouth went dry. A chill ran down my spine. I could tell he was a man by his build alone, and everything about him screamed danger. I knew it was silly to assume just from a look, but something in my gut twisted with fear.
Who was he? And why was he staring at our house? His physique was solid, and there was something about his stillness that made my skin crawl. I knew he could see me, too—his gaze was direct, unwavering, and impossible to ignore.
For a second, I couldn’t move. I just stared back, feeling like I was frozen in place.
Then I heard my dad’s voice echo in my head: “If you see anything strange, you tell me.”
I yanked the blinds closed, taking a shaky breath. Maybe he was just a random passerby, or maybe I’d imagined it. But the feeling lingered, gnawing at me, making me feel exposed.
“Sierra? What’s up?” Kim’s voice called from the living room.
“Nothing! Just… closing the blinds.” I replied. My mind raced, my dad’s words echoing in my head. “If anything seems out of place, let me know…”
I joined the girls, forcing a smile as if nothing was wrong, but my mind kept drifting back to the man outside. I tried to brush it off—maybe he was just some random guy, or maybe he wasn’t even looking at me. But every time I thought about it, the fear would creep back in, nagging at me.
I decided that when Dad got back, I’d tell him. This time, I’d take his advice and keep my guard up. But until then, I’d try to push it to the back of my mind and focus on this one last night with my friends.
“Ready for the movie marathon, Sierra?” Olivia asked, grinning.
I plastered on a smile and nodded. “Absolutely.”
I couldn’t shake the image of the man in black, his eyes boring into mine. I tried to focus on the movie, laugh along with the girls, and enjoy this last night together. But the worry stayed with me, a prickling unease that grew stronger every time I glanced at the window.
This was supposed to be a carefree night, a proper goodbye. But something told me that after seeing that man, things wouldn’t feel quite as safe again.
As I sat there, laughing with my friends and pretending everything was normal, a shiver ran down my spine. Somewhere outside, a stranger in black was lurking, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was watching me still.
As the movie droned on, I struggled to relax. My friends’ laughter echoed through the room, filling every corner with warmth, but that cold feeling wouldn’t leave me. I kept glancing toward the window, as if the man’s silhouette might reappear through the closed blinds. I tried to shake it off—maybe he was just someone from the neighborhood, or maybe I had let Dad’s warnings mess with my head.
“Sierra, Earth to Sierra!” Kim laughed, waving a hand in front of my face.
“Oh, sorry,” I said, snapping back to the moment. I forced a smile, hoping they couldn’t sense my nerves.
Claire handed me a slice of pizza. “Seriously, what’s up with you tonight?”
“Nothing, nothing,” I said quickly. “It’s just… weird, I guess. Leaving, moving, all of it.”
They nodded sympathetically, all traces of laughter gone as they realized this was it—the end of an era. We’d grown up together, and now we were all scattering in different directions.
“Yeah,” Olivia said softly. “It won’t be the same without you. I mean, who else is going to convince us to do all the ridiculous stuff we’ve done?”
“True,” Kim added with a smirk. “No more midnight snack runs, no more sneaking out for last-minute road trips.”
We all laughed, and for a moment, the tension melted away. I wanted to savor it—the way we sat close together, sharing food and stories, knowing that our friendship would change but hoping it would still hold, no matter where life took us.
Then, from the corner of my eye, I noticed movement through the narrow gap in the blinds. My heart skipped a beat as I caught a glimpse of that dark figure again, standing exactly where he’d been before. This time, I was certain it was him—the same man, still as a statue, staring directly at the house.
A shiver ran through me. I took a deep breath, willing myself not to panic. I didn’t want to scare my friends, and honestly, I didn’t want them to think I was imagining things.
“You okay, Sierra?” Olivia asked, catching the look on my face.
I forced a reassuring smile, though my hands were trembling. “Yeah, yeah… I’m fine. Just… must be the nerves, you know?”
I glanced at my phone, checking the time. Dad would be back soon. Maybe I’d tell him then, just to get it off my chest. But I kept my eyes on the closed blinds, silently praying that the stranger would be gone by morning.
“Let’s start another movie,” I suggested, hoping to drown out my thoughts and keep the night lighthearted.
They agreed eagerly, each of them reaching for another slice of pizza. As we got lost in the next film, I kept stealing glances at the window, every so often making sure it was still closed tight, locked as securely as my heart racing in my chest.
The hours crept by, and finally, the girls started to drift off, one by one, leaving me alone with my thoughts. My mind kept returning to Dad’s warnings, how he’d been acting so protective for the last year, like he knew something he wasn’t telling me.
I closed my eyes, determined to push it all away. Tomorrow, I’d be in a different country. The man outside would be just another mystery I’d left behind, like so many others in my life.
But deep down, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this wouldn’t be the last I’d see of him. Something about the way he looked at me had a finality to it, a dark certainty that lingered in my mind even as I drifted into an uneasy sleep.
The next morning came far too soon, with Dad’s gentle but firm voice waking us up. I could hear his footsteps coming down the hall before he knocked on my door, and I was already dreading the moment.
“Girls, time to get up. Sierra, we need to leave soon,” he called out.
I groaned, pulling the blanket over my head, hoping I could make this day stall for just a little longer. My friends stirred beside me, the realization hitting each of us. It was happening. Today, I’d leave everything behind. Last night felt like a dream now—our laughter, the movies, the warmth. The strange man outside seemed like a blur, and I hadn’t even told Dad about him. It hadn’t seemed real enough, I guess. And now, there was no time.
Dad gave us some space, leaving us to gather ourselves. When he came back, Olivia, Kim, and Claire were already misty-eyed, and as I took one last look around my room, my heart felt like it was sinking. We gathered near the door, exchanging hugs and whispered promises to keep in touch, but as the moment got real, I could feel the weight of the goodbye hit us all at once.
“I can’t believe this is actually happening,” Kim said, sniffling, her voice breaking. “Why can’t you just… stay?”
“I wish I could,” I whispered, my voice catching as tears filled my eyes. I hugged her tightly, feeling the tears spill over.
My dad came back just then, taking in the scene with a sympathetic expression. “I’ll give you a minute,” he said gently, stepping back. I knew he understood how much this moment meant to us.
After a few more minutes of tearful hugs, Dad returned, and the girls surprised me by insisting they’d accompany us to the airport.
“Please, Mr. Smith, let us go with you,” Claire said, her eyes red but hopeful. “We’ll behave, promise.”
He gave a small nod, looking between us. “Alright, let’s go,” he said, understanding in his gaze.
The ride to the airport was filled with silence, broken only by the occasional sniffle or the soft laughter as we remembered random memories together. The reality of leaving was settling in, but somehow having them with me in those final moments made it a little easier.
Finally, at the airport, it was time for the last goodbye. We stood there by the security checkpoint, all of us struggling to hold it together.
“Promise me you’ll send photos,” Olivia said, hugging me tight. “Every week.”
“And video calls,” Kim added, her face blotchy from crying. “All the time. We can’t do this long-distance friendship without video calls.”
I laughed through my tears. “I promise,” I said, looking each of them in the eyes, committing to this farewell.
As Dad gestured that we needed to go, I clung to each of them one last time. They were more than friends—they were family. And though we were parting ways, I knew a part of me would always stay with them.
We waved at each other until the last possible second. And then, as Dad and I passed through security, I could still feel the weight of their gazes on me, filled with love, sadness, and hope.