The evening breeze rustled through the leaves as Max walked back to his Mustang after an intense workout at the campus gym. His muscles ached, but it was the good kind of pain—a reminder of his training. As he approached his car, he couldn't shake off the feeling that someone was watching him. He glanced around but saw no one. Shrugging it off, he unlocked his car and tossed his gym bag into the back seat.
Just as he was about to get in, a shadow emerged from behind a nearby tree. Max's instincts kicked in, and he straightened, his eyes narrowing. The guy looked about his age, tall and wiry, with a hood pulled over his head.
"You Max?" the stranger asked, his voice low and rough.
"Who's asking?" Max shot back, keeping his tone calm but guarded.
The guy stepped closer, keeping his hands in his pockets. "You need to stay away from Scarlet."
Max clenched his jaw, his fists instinctively curling. "Who the hell are you to tell me that?"
The stranger scoffed. "Someone who's been looking out for her way before you showed up. You don't deserve her."
Max smirked, masking the irritation bubbling inside him. "If you've got a problem, say it to my face. Stop hiding behind notes like a coward."
The guy's eyes flashed with anger, but he didn't move. "I'm just saying, you're not good enough for her. People know who you are—what you've done. You think you can just waltz into her life and ruin it?"
Max took a step forward, keeping his tone low but menacing. "Listen, I don't know what your deal is, but Scarlet's with me. You got a problem with that, take it somewhere else."
The stranger hesitated, then muttered, "She'll see the truth eventually." With that, he turned on his heel and walked off into the shadows.
Max watched him disappear, his pulse pounding. He stayed on alert for a few more moments before finally getting into the Mustang. As he drove back to his place, his thoughts raced. Who was that guy? Was he the one behind the notes, or just another piece of the puzzle?
Back at the apartment, Chris and Evan were lounging on the couch, half-watching a basketball game. Max slammed the door behind him, and they both looked up, startled.
"What's with the attitude?" Chris asked, raising an eyebrow.
Max ran a hand through his hair, trying to calm down. "Some guy just approached me near the gym. Told me to stay away from Scarlet."
Evan straightened. "Wait, what? Who?"
"No idea. He didn't give a name. Just acted like he knew me—said I wasn't good enough for her." Max paced the room, restless. "Said I'd ruin her life."
Chris leaned forward, his expression serious. "Did he say anything else? Like why he thinks that?"
Max shook his head. "Just something about people knowing what I've done. Whatever that means."
Evan scoffed. "Sounds like some jealous ex or some creep who thinks he's her guardian angel."
Max grunted in agreement. "But it didn't feel like just a random warning. It was like he's been watching us for a while."
Chris tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Maybe we should find this guy before he does something stupid. Next time you see him, don't confront him alone."
"Yeah," Evan agreed. "And maybe we should keep an eye on Scarlet. If he's willing to approach you, who knows what else he'll try?"
Max hesitated. "I don't want to freak her out, though. Not until I'm sure what we're dealing with."
Chris gave him a reassuring slap on the shoulder. "We'll figure it out. We just need to be smarter than this guy."
Evan smirked. "And next time, maybe let us do the talking. You tend to get a little... intense."
Max shot him a glare but couldn't help the small smile creeping onto his face. Despite the unsettling encounter, having Chris and Evan around made him feel a little more in control.
One thing was for sure—whoever this guy was, Max wasn't going to let him mess with Scarlet. Not now, not ever.