A few days after that Sunday lunch, Cindy began to worry because she hadn't heard from me for quite a while. Unable to keep on waiting, she gave me a call. She got no answer and became anxious about my feelings for her. Her mother was concerned about her mood swings. She was no longer the lively girl she used to be and usually locked herself in her room to cry alone.
To cheer her up, her parents thought they should take her away from home. The three of them spent a week in their cottage enjoying the fresh air and the greenness of the countryside. By Sunday evening Cindy seemed to have recovered and was again the cheerful daughter that had always lit up their lives. When they got back home, she was too tired to have dinner. Instead, she had a relaxing bath looking forward to a good night's sleep. She was putting on her nightdress when she found a note lying on her bed. It read: 'I know it all'. Feeling more annoyed than puzzled, she lay down trying to work out who the message was from and what this person might want. She would have liked to ask her mother for help, but it would have made things worse. She preferred to say nothing and wait to see what would happen.
It took me two weeks to get over my confusion and decide what to do. I had already had two dates with Charlotte. It was wrong of me to do that and it was unfair to Cindy, too. I didn't even enjoy it. Charlotte was a very attractive girl, but so self-centred and big-headed. I couldn't stop thinking about Cindy while I was with her: her beautiful blue eyes, her friendly smile. Now it would be too difficult to face her. I felt so guilty and ashamed. Finally, I plucked up the courage to call her and found she was desperate.
'I need your help,' she said. 'I've been getting strange messages.'
'Who do you think they are from?' I asked.
'Obviously, from someone at home,' she said. 'They are just pieces of paper left in my bedroom. The last one tells me to meet this stranger in a park. Can you come with me? I don't want to go there alone. I'm scared.'
I agreed without hesitation. We met at my house the next day. We were happy to see each other again, but really worried. What was about to happen?
'It's getting late. Come on! Let's go,' she told me.
'Wait a moment,' I said. 'This may be dangerous. We shouldn't take risks. We must have a plan.'
To cheer her up, her parents thought they should take her away from home. The three of them spent a week in their cottage enjoying the fresh air and the greenness of the countryside. By Sunday evening Cindy seemed to have recovered and was again the cheerful daughter that had always lit up their lives. When they got back home, she was too tired to have dinner. Instead, she had a relaxing bath looking forward to a good night's sleep. She was putting on her nightdress when she found a note lying on her bed. It read: 'I know it all'. Feeling more annoyed than puzzled, she lay down trying to work out who the message was from and what this person might want. She would have liked to ask her mother for help, but it would have made things worse. She preferred to say nothing and wait to see what would happen.
It took me two weeks to get over my confusion and decide what to do. I had already had two dates with Charlotte. It was wrong of me to do that and it was unfair to Cindy, too. I didn't even enjoy it. Charlotte was a very attractive girl, but so self-centred and big-headed. I couldn't stop thinking about Cindy while I was with her: her beautiful blue eyes, her friendly smile. Now it would be too difficult to face her. I felt so guilty and ashamed. Finally, I plucked up the courage to call her and found she was desperate.
'I need your help,' she said. 'I've been getting strange messages.'
'Who do you think they are from?' I asked.
'Obviously, from someone at home,' she said. 'They are just pieces of paper left in my bedroom. The last one tells me to meet this stranger in a park. Can you come with me? I don't want to go there alone. I'm scared.'
I agreed without hesitation. We met at my house the next day. We were happy to see each other again, but really worried. What was about to happen?
'It's getting late. Come on! Let's go,' she told me.
'Wait a moment,' I said. 'This may be dangerous. We shouldn't take risks. We must have a plan.'
