You deserve to know the truth.

Larry is hiding something from you… something from his past in Atlanta.

Don’t trust the people closest to him.

Meet me tomorrow at 5 PM behind the old Willow Creek Library.

Come alone.

I will explain everything.

— A.K.”**

Sharra gasped.

Her thoughts began to spin.

A.K.??

Could it be Antwan Knight?

Her ex?

The same man connected to the dangerous secret Larry found out about?

Or was it someone completely different?

Why now?

Why this?

Sharra was scared. She read the warning letter a second time, and her heart pounded hard in her chest. The threat felt very real. The letter mentioned a secret about Larry’s past, which made her panic even more.

Suddenly, her phone vibrated. It was Larry calling.

Sharra looked at the phone screen, unsure what to do.

Should she tell him about the letter?

Should she challenge him about the secret?

Or should she follow the letter’s instructions and learn the truth on her own?

She chose not to answer the phone and let it go to voicemail.

For hours that night, she walked around her house, thinking of all the possibilities:

Did Larry lie about his history?

Was he in danger?

Was someone trying to trick her?

Or was this a prank by people she knew, like Bethany or Natasha?

Sharra worried so much she could barely sleep.

The Meeting

It was the next day, just before 5:00 PM. The sky was gray and windy. The old Willow Creek Library looked spooky and empty. Sharra waited behind the building, holding the mysterious letter.

5:00 PM came and went. No one showed up. At 5:03 PM, Sharra decided to leave.

But just then, a tall person wearing a hoodie stepped out of the dark area.

“Sharra,” the person said. “I didn’t think you would actually show up.”

Sharra froze in place.

The person slowly pulled their hood down. Sharra was completely shocked.

It was Antwan. He was alive and standing right in front of her.

Before Sharra could say anything, Antwan held up his hand:

“Listen to me before you panic. Larry is not the good guy you think he is. He knows secrets about my past that he never told you. Someone is watching all of us. You are in danger, Sharra.”

Sharra’s voice shook as she asked, “Why should I trust you?”

Antwan moved closer and spoke quietly:

“Because the secret Larry is hiding… is about YOU.”

Sharra felt her heart stop for a second.

“What do you mean, about me?”

Antwan reached into his jacket and pulled out another sealed envelope.

“This envelope explains everything. But once you read it, your whole life will change.”

Sharra took the envelope with hands that were shaking.

Suddenly, a loud noise broke the silence, like someone breaking a large stick. Sharra and Antwan both turned quickly to look.

A dark SUV was parked at the end of the alley. A person was watching them from inside the vehicle.

Antwan looked terrified.

“They found us,” he whispered. “RUN!”

Sharra tried to move, but she was too slow. The SUV suddenly drove very fast toward them.

Someone was trying to stop the truth from coming out. That person did not want Sharra to read the second letter.

TO BE CONTINUED.