Nicole's head whipped around at Maddy's words and she stared at her friend, wide-eyed.

"W-what did you say?" Nicole stammered.

"I told you to tell me what you are hiding, because I know that you are hiding something and I'm sure that this," Maddy waved her hand at the mirror with the words written in blood, "is somehow related to those mysterious letters you get. I want you to tell me what this is all about. You've been acting strange and weird ever since the new session began and you're always jumpy and tensed most of the time and you refuse to tell anyone what's bothering you. You didn't even tell me! Your best friend! I've had enough of this, I want you to tell me exactly who sends you those letters and why he sends them," Maddy finished with a severe glare. She may be weak and drunk, but this incident sobered her up pretty fast.

Nicole sighed and sat down on her bed, fisting the sheets. Maddy stood before her, with her arms folded.

"Maddy, I'm sorry, but I can't tell you who is sending me those notes and why all of this is happening. I just can't. He threatened me that if I told anyone or go the police, He will do something to Sarah, and I don't doubt it. He's become a lunatic, although this is mostly my fault. I did something unforgivable. I committed a sin and now, because of me, three people are dead, including my mother, and the fourth has become a madman, and He is after me. I'm so sorry I got you wrapped up into all of this. I'm sure He was the one who poisoned your drink." Nicole looked up at Maddy, pleading with her eyes to understand, to forgive her, but Maddy was unmoving. This apology wasn't good enough.

"What do you mean He poisoned my drink? You mean this "madman" is here, right now, and he was the one who did all of this and sent you those letters?" Maddy asked, bewildered. Her friend had just said that three people died because of her.  What in the world is happening?! Maddy thought to herself. Nicole is so sweet and kind, what could she possibly do that resulted in people dying? This is crazy!

"Yes," Nicole replied softly. She could see the trust that Maddy had shatter in her eyes. She knew Maddy was angry and confused and extremely mad at her, and she had every right to be.

"So this means that He has a key to our room and He can just come and go whenever he likes?!" Maddy asked, shocked.

"Yes".

Maddy gasped and covered her mouth with her hand and took a few steps backward, trying to breathe. This was too much to take in at once.

"Nikki, what did you mean when you said that three people died because of you?" Maddy asked. Her voice was eerily calm.

Nicole sighed and looked down. She could still imagine that night perfectly. The party, the lights, the laughter, the kissing, and then death.

"Maddy, I can't, please try to understand. You'll hate me forever and maybe you'll say that what happened wasn't my fault, like Sarah, but I still blame myself. And I don't want to go to the police. They won't be able to do anything, He's too sly and honestly, I just want this to end. Even if it ends with my death, I deserve it."

Nicole choked on the words. Tears flooded her eyes and rolled down her cheeks as she imagined his face getting impaled by the iron rod. The rod protruding out from right in between his eyes. And oh god, his eyes. White and lifeless and dead. She had pushed him too hard, and maybe it was an accident, but it resulted in death.

Nicole buried her head in her hands and started sobbing violently. She hated herself. She caused his death. If only she had trusted him then he wouldn't have died.

Maddy stood there and watched her friend cry her eyes out. She was shocked at what Nicole had said. Nicole literally just admitted that she wanted her life to end. Maddy hugged herself and chafed her arms up and down. All this time, Nicole had been hiding such a big secret from her, and she did an amazing job at keeping it hidden. Maddy would have gone over to her friend and comfort her, but she was beyond angry at her. Until Nicole told her everything, she wouldn't be able to help her.

"Maddy, please just stay away from me. I don't want you to get hurt. What happened today, He poisoned the drink because He knew that if He hurt you, I would be ruined," Nicole said.

"Yeah, I plan to do exactly that. Don't worry, I won't be around you much anymore. God, I feel like I don't even know you! You're responsible for the death of three people and you have this massive secret that I never even knew! I don't even know if I can trust you anymore. You're not really sweet and innocent are you Nicole Winters? I'm gonna keep my distance. Don't ever come near me again".

Nicole cringed at Maddy's words. They hurt so bad, they were like knives to her heart. But it was for the best. Maddy wouldn't get hurt if she wasn't around her. And anyway, Nicole knew that Maddy wouldn't die, He was after her, not Maddy.

Maddy turned around and climbed into her bed. She was exhausted and had nothing else to say. She couldn't believe that Nicole kept this from her. They were supposed to be best friends, and that means sharing everything, every last detail with each other. Maddy was amazed at how little she knew about her "best friend" who had been her roommate for almost three years now.

Nicole got up and wiped her tears. She took a towel from the bathroom to wipe the blood on the mirror. It was sticky and took quite some amount of scrubbing until it went away. Nicole looked at her reflection in the mirror as she scrubbed it. Her eyes were red and puffy from the crying and she looked thin and pale. She wanted this to end as fast as possible. She wanted this life of hers to end that had become unbearable. She missed her parents so much right at that moment. She didn't have anything to live for anymore, so why live at all?