“  well  i  guess  you  can’t  say  that  there  aren’t  people  who

           “  well  i  guess  you  can’t  say  that  there  aren’t  people  who  don’t  care  about  you  if  they’re  texting  you  ‘  stay  safe  ’  .  no  matter  how  fake  it  sounds  ,  ”  nalini  lightly  jests  ,  in  an  attempt  to  at  least  lighten  the  mood  .  is  she  scared  about  vigilante  striking  again  ?  yes  .  but  what  are  the  chances  that  she’s  high  up  on  the  killer’s  list  ?  that’s  something  nalini  doesn’t  want  to  take  a  gamble  on  .  but  she  supposes  that  she’s  not  that  high  up  on  his  list  .  call  it  a  coping  mechanism  .  “  i  wouldn’t  put  it  past  vigilante  to  start  bugging  our  homes  .  at  the  very  least  ,  he’s  hiding  in  someone’s  bushes  .  maybe  he  rotates  every  night  .  ”  it  comes  off  as  if  she’s  joking  but  again  …  coping  mechanism  !  “  i  think  i  might  bail  before  midnight  .  haven’t  decided  yet  .  what  about  you  ?  ”

𝑻𝑨𝑮𝑮𝑰𝑵𝑮   ﹕           open   .

               eyes   flick   to   her   phone   ,     another   sigh   slipping   past   lips   .     the   screen   barely   dims   before   she   stuffs   it   back   into   her   pocket   .               “         i   swear   ,     if   one   more   person   texts   me   to   ‘   stay   safe   ’    tonight   ,     i’m   gonna    throw   this   thing   at   whoever   looks   at   me   funny   next   .     i   mean   ,   come   on    —   they’re   acting   like   the   psycho   has   been   crouched   in   the   bushes   all   night   just   waiting   for   me   to   step   outside   .     sure   ,     okay   .          ”               shrugs   ,     like   it’s   all   a   joke   .     (   call   it   selective   ignorance   ,     but   noah   simply   doesn’t   expect   to   be   that   high   on   the   vigilante’s   hit   list   .     sure   ,     there’s   always   a   risk   ,     but   that’s   half   the   point   of   showing   up   ,     right   ?     prove   that   she’s   as   unfazed   as   she   looks   —   keep   up   appearances   )   .               “       guess   that’s   the   whole   plan   ,     have   us   all   living   in   panic   mode   ,     having   us   each   thinking   we’re   next   .     anyway   ,     you   sticking   around   to   tempt   fate   ,     or   bailing   before   midnight   like   one   of   the   smart   ones   ?       ”