Subject: Exclusive Photoshoot Opportunity with Prestige Perle.

Dear Thalia,

We hope this email finds you well.

We're excited to offer you a chance to join our upcoming photoshoot campaign. At Prestige Perle, we pride ourselves on individuality and diversity. We find your presence as a perfect fit for our brand.

The shoot will be held at our downtown studio in Paris, led by our esteemed creative team. You'll get to display our latest collection in various settings, letting your creativity shine.

We're thoroughly impressed by your portfolio and we feel you embody our brands spirit. Your unique aesthetic and captivating presence make you an ideal candidate. Let us know if you're interested, and we'll discuss further details.

Warm regards,

Juliette Lambert
Creative Director
Prestige Perle

"Are you serious?"

Junipers voice emanates from the phone held up to Thalias ears, causing her to startle and switch the call to speaker mode.

"I mean, dude! This is a major brand- it could launch so many more opportunities. I'm so proud of you, Thalia!"

"Thank you, Jun. I'm proud of me as well."

Thalia grins widely, falling back onto the couch and kicking her feet in the air like a giddy teenage girl with a crush, completely unaware of her actions.

"This is so cool," Juniper says, "we have to tell Pierre and A."

"Not yet."

"Why not?"

"I don't wanna jinx it. I finally have something great happening for me, a major opportunity. I can't risk this."

There's a hum of understanding emitted from the other end of the line. "You're right."

A twenty-heartbeat silence hangs between them before Thalia abruptly sits up, tapping away at her phone with a grin.

"Fuck it. Let's tell them."

The pulsating beat of the dreadful club music reverberates, assaulting numerous eardrums.

Juniper suggested the nightclub, deeming it fitting for celebration. In their view, celebration entails getting wasted, loosening up an excessive amount, and abandoning all sense of dignity.

"To Thalia," Pierre raises a glass, "the star of the night!"

As the night wears on and drinks flow without hesitation, Thalias vision begins to blur, and so does her conscience.

Standing amidst the swirling lights on the dance floor, it feels, for a second, like she spots a familiar face. Could it be Camille? Did she come here too, following them? Perhaps it's just the alcohol playing tricks on her mind.

She brushes off the thought, opting to take more shots to silence her overactive brain.

Yet, amidst the throng of leering men and their futile attempts to catch her attention, she can't shake off the unsettling notion that someone else's gaze is fixed on her. Someone that's not a creepy man at all.

In the flashing lights, a shadowy figure pulls her closer. With a "fuck off" accompanied by a scowl, she shoves them away and exits the packed dance floor.

Instead, she rejoins her intoxicated friends seated in a booth for another round of drinks.

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚

As the first rays of morning sunlight filter through the curtains, Thalia slowly emerges from the depths of her slumber, head throbbing with each beat of her heart.

With a groan, she attempts to sit up, yet the room spins in protest, forcing her back down onto the bed.

The mere act of opening her eyes feels like an assault on her senses, as the harsh daylight pierces through her eyelids like needles.

Thalia forces herself to sit, steeling herself against the nauseating sensation threatening to overwhelm her.

Sighing, she allows her head to sink into her hands for a brief moment before reaching out to grab the already-open laptop beside her.

She pulls it onto her lap, the bright screen illuminating her weary face.

Her eyebrows furrow as she notices an unread email sitting in her inbox. With a curious yet uneasy feeling, she clicks on it, only to discover that it arrived earlier this morning.

Her heart drops.

Subject: Regarding Collaboration Opportunity.

Dear Thalia,

We hope this email finds you well.

After careful consideration and reviewing additional information, we regret to inform you that we will not be moving forward with the collaboration opportunity for the upcoming photoshoot campaign.

Recent insights into your character and certain actions that have been brought to our attention are not in line with the values and image we strive to uphold at Prestige Perle. As a brand that values integrity and professionalism, it is important for us to maintain a certain standard when selecting collaborators for our campaigns.

We appreciate your interest in working with us and wish you all the best in your future endeavors.

Sincerely,
Juliette Lambert

What... the fuck?

She's never been involved in anything controversial, especially not something that would lead to a job offer being rescinded.

While she can be critical and distant, she always maintains professionalism in formal situations.

This implies that someone is spreading false information and slander about her, harbouring the sole intent of ruining this opportunity. Someone is trying to sabotage her, and she refuses to let it slide.

Her thoughts immediately turn to the most likely suspect. There's only one who would stoop so low.

Finn

Hey.
This is urgent.

is everything okay?

I literally just said this is urgent.
No, everything is not okay, Finn.

i'm sorry
what happened?
also does this mean you forgive me?

That's not important right now.
Or wait, maybe it is.

?

I was right.
Your girlfriend is not okay.
She's actually unstable, Finn.

relax
what happened?

Let me start off by saying
that she's been following me
and my friends for weeks,
stalking us on a regular basis.

wait what

Shut up.
I'm not done.
We went to a club last night.
And she followed us there.
I vividly remember seeing her there.
And I guess that she had been
eavesdropping on our conversations?
We were celebrating an offer I got from a brand, but this morning, I found out they revoked it because they heard some negative things about me. Coincidence?

but you didn't do anything

Exactly.

so
you're saying camille did this?

Hmm, I'm not sure.
Maybe, just mayyybe the
unstable and obsessive person
who hates my existence and stalks
me is the one who sabotaged me.
But, I mean, it could be anyone!

oh fuck.
okay
i'll have a talk with her
i'm sorry for not listening to you
you can say "i told you so" now

I mean, do I even have to?

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚

The clock strikes midnight, casting eerie shadows across Thalias living room as she sits alone, the dim light from her lamp barely illuminating the space.

She clutches her phone in her hand, rereading the email over and over.

Abruptly, loud and relentless knocks at the door shatter the silence, causing Thalias heart to race. With hesitant steps, she approaches the banging door, her pulse pounding in her ears. She swings the door open, preparing herself for what's to come.

There stands Camille, her once glamorous appearance now disheveled and wild-eyed, a manic gleam in her eyes that sends shivers down Thalias spine.

"Thalia, you have to listen to me." Her voice is urgent, almost frantic, as she pushes past Thalia and steps into the foyer.

Thalias stomach churns with unease as she watches Camille pace back and forth, her movements erratic and unsettling.

"Camille, what are you doing here?" She attempts hiding the tremble in her voice.

"I had to see you, Thalia. I had to make you understand," the words are rushed, her eyes darting around the room as if searching for something unseen. "Finn broke up with me today, and I've just been lost. So lost."

Thalias heart aches at the desperation in the girls voice, but she can't shake the feeling of unease that gnaws at her insides.

"Camille, I'm sorry you're hurting, but you can't just show up here like this."

Thalia takes a cautious step back as Camille moves closer, her eyes ablaze with a frenzied intensity.

"I had to do something, Thalia. I had to make you see." Camilles voice rises to a fever pitch, her words tumbling out in a frantic stream of consciousness.

"You stole Finn from me, Thalia. You're trying to ruin everything for me, but I won't let you."

"Listen." Thalia forces a reassuring smile. "We can talk about this. We can figure this out together. You're not alone, okay?"

But Camille eyes are wild, her grip on reality slipping further away with each second. That eerie smile of hers returns.

"Don't be ridiculous. it's too late for that!" She chuckles in amusement. "I've tried to be your friend. You didn't want to be friends, did you?"

With a sudden dash, Camille bolts towards the kitchen. Sensing what's about to occur next, Thalia strides for the living room, snatching her phone from the cushions.

Shes learnt not to underestimate Camille. It's been proven that her instability goes way further than Thalia had been aware for.

Of-course.

Her phone died, leaving her with the same fate.

Thalias heart leaps into her throat as she plugs it into the nearest charger, her mind racing with thoughts of escape.

She makes a beeline for the door, but once she reaches it, she freezes in her tracks. A chilling realisation washes over her, leaving her the most petrified she's been during all of this.

It doesn't take this long to grab a knife and run back with it.

Cursing under her breath, Thalia runs to the kitchen. The lights illuminate the room, a stark contrast to the rest of the house.

Thalia spots Camille standing there, unharmed. A wave of relief hits her at the fact that she's not too late. However, Camille still bears a knife in her hands, shivering as she aims it at herself.

Thalia cautiously approaches Camille, heart practically leaping out of her chest.

She doesn't recall ever being in a situation this extreme before.

"Cam, I'm sorry." Thalia swallows a lump in her throat as she nears the broken girl.

"I never meant for any of this to happen. I'm sorry that Finn broke up with you, but we can move forward and work through this together. Just, please... put down the knife."

Camilles tear-filled eyes meet Thalia's, filled with hopelessness. She opens her mouth to speak, but no words come out. Instead, she shakes her head slowly, breaths coming out in ragged sobs.

"I understand that it's hard. I'm so sorry. I just wish you'd let me help you here. We can still try to be friends, Cam."

Taking a tentative step forward, Thalia reaches out a hand, offering comfort.

"What's the point?" She mumbles in between her sobs. "Why should I trust you? I lost the one good thing in my life, all because of you."

Camilles grip tightens around the handle of the knife as she lowers it, her knuckles turning white with tension. She glances down at the gleaming blade.

"I can't," she chokes out, her voice barely audible over the sound of her own sobs. "I can't do this."

The knife clatters to the ground, its metallic clang reverberating through the room.

Thalias tension ebbs away as she gingerly retrieves the weapon, ensuring it's out of harms reach. Camille remains rooted to her spot, trembling visibly.

Observing Camille closely, Thalia approaches again, cautiously extending her arms out in a comforting embrace.

Camille hesitates for a moment before surrendering, her body relaxing slightly in Thalia's reassuring presence.

The hug provides a safe haven for Camilles tears to flow, staining Thalias shirt with the weight of her sorrow.

Seven days have passed since the incident, yet time seems to drag on endlessly, each day feeling like a month.

Time doesn't care enough to offer Thalia a moment to drag herself out of bed, to gather her thoughts and arrange them in one place.

Later that night, Camille called her mom and admitted herself back to the hospital.

Thalia has been in contact with Camilles family and friends. They were all aware of her struggles - her diagnosis, her prescribed medications that she never took.

Camille adamantly refused to accept that she wasn't of sound mind.

Despite never being too fond of Camille, Thalias heart broke for her in those moments, witnessing her hopeless state.

The thought torments her, lingering in her mind like a haunting wraith- what if she had ran out of those doors, leaving Camille alone in that kitchen?

Beneath Camilles troubled mind lay a kind heart, albeit one obscured by layers of lunacy.

As for Finn, he's been unreachable. While Thalia wants to check on him and offer support, she hesitates, not wanting to intrude or burden him any further.

A knock brings her out of her reoccurring thoughts. "Hey roomie, you okay?"

Having Juniper move in was a significant change. The guest room has been transformed into their room.

"As okay as I can be when I was almost responsible for the death of someone." Thalia feigns a smile and sticks up her thumb.

Junipers lips curl into a thin line and they gaze at the floor before letting out a sigh. "She wasn't stable, Thalia. You can't keep yourself so fixated on this."

Juniper nestles into the embrace of the bed, enfolding Thalia in their arms and tenderly running their fingers through her hair.

"I hope Finn is okay."

AUTHORS NOTE

Freaky Bob will be featured in the next chapter, thank you.