Page 231 of Faking the Goal

And immediately, I think of him. My stalker.

And after the messages he's been sending me lately, after the anger in them, after finding out he was willing to break into my apartment, my mind immediately goes to the worst place possible.

What if he's finally coming for me?

What if all those threats weren't just meant to scare me?

My stomach twists, and I quicken my pace.

Another footstep sounds behind me, and my pulse jumps.

I don't look back this time. I just walk faster, one hand tightening around my phone as the stairwell comes into view.

By the time I shove through the door, my heart is pounding hard enough to make my chest hurt. I start down the stairs quickly, too focused on listening for the door behind me to notice where I'm putting my feet.

Then I hear it open.

I glance up.

My foot catches the edge of the next step.

"Shit!"

My ankle twists beneath me, and before I can grab the railing, I lose my balance completely. I fall hard against the stairs, my side taking the first impact before I tumble the rest of the way down and hit the landing with a scream.

Pain shoots through my ankle and along my ribs, but for a second, I barely register it.

Because when I look up, there's a shadow at the top of the stairs.

Someone is standing there.

My breath catches.

The figure moves closer to the stairwell, and terror locks every muscle in my body.

Oh God.

Is it him?

I try to push myself backward, but the moment I move my foot, a sharp jolt tears through my ankle and I cry out.

Then hurried footsteps come from below.

"Oh my God! Are you okay?"

A girl comes running up the stairs toward me, and when I look back toward the floor above, the shadow is gone.

I stare at the empty stairwell, my heart still racing.

Was someone really there?

Or did I imagine it?

"Hey." The girl crouches beside me. "Can you hear me? Are you okay?"

Her voice finally pulls my attention away from the stairs.

"Yeah. I think so."