Valentine’s Day was coming up soon and I had spent all day at school contemplating whether or not I should tell my crush Matthew how I felt towards him. Even though I’ve known him for almost 5 years I still found it hard to build up the courage. I thought to myself, I should tell him because maybe he will feel the same but then I thought what if he doesn’t and I would make our friendship awkward. After putting much thought into it, I decided to suck it up, be brave and tell Matthew. I guess I wasn’t too brave since I wrote him a note instead of telling him face to face. After writing the note I slipped it into his locker and made my way to 6th Period.

When I entered the classroom I overheard Ariana, the most stuck up girl I’ve ever met, talking about how Matthew was planning a romantic date with her for Valentine’s Day. I felt like such an idiot, of course Matthew wouldn’t be interested in someone like me. I mean, he is absolutely handsome with his dreamy honey like hazel eyes, his quiff hairstyle, and that smile that could create world peace and then there is me, average Maya. After 6th Period I ran to his locker to go get the note back but as I was turning the corner I saw Matthew stash it into his backpack unopened. As he was walking away from his locker I followed behind him gently trying to open his backpack with no success, the zipper wouldn’t budge.

I ended up following him home after school; I NEEDED to get that note back, no matter what it took. He reached his house and I stayed back hidden behind a few bushes across the street at a park. He entered his house but shortly left with his parents just as I suspected, Matthew told me a few weeks ago that his family always goes out to eat after he gets back home from school. This was my chance; I looked for a way to enter his house without making it look as if someone broke in. I searched for a key under the mat but no luck. “Desperate times call for desperate measures” I said under my breath as I opened an unlocked window in the back and jumped in which lead into their kitchen. The window was just above the sink which I dodged by spreading my feet over it and jumped off the sink counter.

I quickly searched for his room which wasn’t hard since his door had Matthew written in graffiti. I turned the door knob and slowly made my way into his bedroom. His backpack was slouched on his computer chair as if he threw it there like a daily routine. I quickly opened it and searched for my note, I let out a sigh of relief as I found it unopened. I grabbed it and placed it in my pocket. All of a sudden I heard footsteps; I quickly tried to find a place to hide and rushed inside his closet. It was dark so I turned on the flash on my cell phone I looked around and in the corner of the closet I came across a small box that caught my attention. I opened it and within it was old newspaper; I removed it and found a tiny old rag doll that looked like it was from the early 1950’s. It had a worn out white rugged dress with holes that was frayed at the ends and brown string for the hair that had pieces missing. I found it really interesting; I’ve always had a thing for antiques so I put it into the same pocket where the note was. The doll looked like it wasn’t being acknowledged stashed away like it was anyways. I stayed in the closet till I thought the coast was clear and I could make a break for it out his bedroom window.

Out of the blue I felt a burning sensation on my arm, I lifted up my sleeve and covered my mouth in shock and horror, upon my arm was what looked like a claw mark. I was beyond terrified; I didn’t care if Matthew and his family found me inside their home, I bursted out of the closet and ran out of the room. As I ran down the hallway I realized that nobody was home. The house was dead silent. Where were the footsteps I heard coming from? How did I get the claw mark on my arm? It all didn’t make sense to me. I made my way over to the kitchen to leave through the back door, and when I entered the kitchen all the cabinet doors and drawers were wide open. They were not open when I entered through the kitchen window. In a panic I sprinted to the back door and I couldn’t get the knob to turn, I was locked in and started crying at this point. As I was struggling to get the door open I felt a breeze of cold air in the back of my neck, my body stiffened and I slowly turned around to see that there was nothing behind me. I wanted to get the hell out of this freak house.

I started to believe that Matthew’s house was haunted by a spirit, whatever it was I didn’t want to feel weak to it. I yelled “LEAVE ME ALONE! STOP! YOU ARE NOTHING! LET ME LEAVE!” and all at once the lights started flickering on and off, all electronics started to go off, and the cabinets and drawers started slamming open and shut. I rushed toward the window I had previously entered from and as I was about to open it, it shot open itself. Without thinking twice about what I just saw I jumped out the window and ran, just before I jumped their fence I looked back and saw a black silhouette from the window I had jumped out of. I was trembling of how scared I was and immediately turned and jumped the fence. As I was walking home I was still shaking, trying to get the paranormal events I witnessed out of my head.

“Where were you? Why are you late from school? I want answers Maya!” my mom said to me when I got home. I told her I had to serve after school detention for my tardies and she believed me as it has happened before. I went upstairs to my room to place the rag doll and note on my nightstand and plopped onto my comfy bed. I still couldn’t believe what had just happened, “all that for a stupid love note” I said to myself. I wanted answers for what happened to me, but didn’t want to dwell on it either as I was still in shock. All that mattered was that I got back the note. I decided taking a nap would help me calm down and recollect myself.

I was later awoken by my mom and dad talking outside my bedroom door. “Mom?.....Dad?” I said but there was no answer, the voices immediately stopped after I spoke. I looked over at my alarm clock on my nightstand 9:42pm it read, I got up out of my bed and opened the door but nobody was there. I thought maybe I was hearing things as I had woken up from what I thought was going to be a little nap. I laid back down on my bed and tried going back to sleep then I heard an angry growl next to my ear that made the hairs in the back of my neck stand. I shot up out of my bed breathing heavily, “It was probably just the neighbor’s dog” I said to myself in reassurance. I rested my head again closing my eyes tightly hoping that would help me fall asleep faster. Just as I thought I was finally falling asleep I heared a spine-chilling whisper in my ear say “She or he, who finds me aged and dreary, will live their life in unwanted eerie. For you cannot get rid of me my darling dear, time to get used to these whispers in your ear.”