Autumn Moon (On hold)

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

        Chase turns the motorcycle down a long winding driveway out in the middle of nowhere. The trees around the enterance almost block it, and you can't even see it until you are practically on top of it. A knot forms in the pit of my stomach and my mind goes to all of the scary movies I have ever seen. I expect to see a creepy little cabin at the end of the driveway, but instead a giant mansion appears when we round the last curve. 

        The bike rolls to a stop in front of the mansion and Chase is quick to hop off and help me off. "Is this your house?" I ask in awe, completely forgetting that he told me his father just passed away. 

        "It is now." He said getting a bit choked up. I immediately regret asking so I try to keep quiet as we walk towards the enormous house. "I just have to take care of a few things and then I will take you home." He assures me.

        "Okay" I say in a small voice. He leads me through the front door and I freeze in my tracks. Dark hardwood floors, a grand enterance, a crystal chandelier, and a grand staircase with a royal blue runner. How could I not freeze in amazement? Chase notices that I stopped following him and takes hold of my hand to pull me along behind him, The warmth of his fingers bring me back to the present and I follow him up the staircase. When we get to the top he brings us down the hallway to the left. Endless doors line the hallway and he stops at one quite different from the rest, It has the same dark wood, but it has pink star stickers all over it and a sign that says "Princess Suite". I raise my eyebrows when he opens the door.

        "Annie, be nice to my guest and keep her company for a bit."  Chase states before ushering me through the door and closing it softly behind me. I take in my surroundings as I tentatively take a step forward. The room ,looks like a unicorn threw up on it. Large pink rug, light pink dresser, and a fluffy pink down comforter covering a full size bed lined with- you guessed it- glittery pink pillows. A canopy covers the bed and its sheer pink fabric is pulled back and tied to the four white posts at each corner of he bed. 

        "Halt!" A feminine voice called from in front of me so I stopped my hesitant steps forward and scanned the room for the source of the voice. A little girl sat, tiny amongst the various throw pillows, in the middle of the bed. She wore a sparkling pink princess dress and clutched a bubble gum colored wand. "Who goes there?" She stood up in the middle of her bed and pointed the wand at me as if it were a sword. Her soft face was twisted into a scowl that looked quite out of place on such a beautiful child. Goldon ringlets fell over her shoulders. 

        "My name is Ava." I gave the girl I presumed to be Annie a small smile. 

        "Are you Chase's girlfriend?" Annie asked, the scowl falling from her face and her blue eyes brightening. 

        "No no no." My eyes widened and I shook my head. Though, I have to admit I liked the sound of it. Not that I am going to be admiting it to anybody anytime soon. "Just friends."  I clarified.

        "Well, he's been talkin bout you all the time." Annie dropped her hand to her side so her wand was no longer pointed at my face. She shrugged and flopped down on her butt. I figured I was safe to move further into the room now, so I plopped down next to her. 

        "Are you his sister?" It didnt seem probable considering the age gap and the fact that she looked like the complete opposite of him but I couldnt come up with anything else. 

        "Yup!" She gave me a toothy grin and revealed two small dimples on her cheeks. She was adorable, truly a little princess. 

        "How old are you Annie?" I asked out of cuirosity. 

        "I'm five! How old are you?" She fiddled with the hem of her dress. As I looked down on the innocent and bright eyed little girl something hit me, If she was Chase's sister, then she was now fatherless. It was apparent nobody had broken the news to her yet, and I dreaded the moment that someone would have to. It would be a tragedy to see anything but a smile on her beautiful face. Her eyes held so much life, that to see any bit of it drained away would break my heart. "Hey! Did ya hear me? How old are you?" She giggled and shook my arm. 

        "I-I'm seventeen." I spoke in a small voice. 

        "You're old, but not as old as my brother." She smiled and her baby blues twinkled. "He's practically an old man!" Annie giggled and despite my earlier thoughts I couldn't help but laugh with her. Her happiness was infectious. Just then the door to Annie's room opened and two people walked in. 

        One was Chase, and the other was the girl I had seen at the diner with him that first night. The girl I had presumed to be his sister. They both had sad smiles on their faces seeing Annie giggle so much. They probably are thinking the exact same thing I was, they don't want to crush her with the inevitable news of her fathers passing. 

        "Ava." Chase turned his attention to me and extended his hand to me. I got up and placed my hand in his, loving the feeling. The other girl took my place next to Annie. Chase led me out of the room but before the door closed I heard the woman say something about needing to tell Annie some news. My spirits fell and I looked down at the floor while Chase led me down the hallway to another room.

        I was still looking down after we entered and Chase turned to face me. He slipped his warm fingers under my chin and gently made me look up at him. His eyes were rimmed red and he looked almost vaunrable. It was a look I never expected to see on him. Still, even rimmed red, his grey eyes sent shivers down my spine when they were pointed towards me. 

        "Are you okay?" He asked, running his thumb along my jaw line. 

        "I'm fine, shouldn't I be asking you if you are okay?" It amazes me how he can possibly be concerned about me while he is the one who just lost a parent. 

        "I will be alright. I knew it was coming, but it's still hard to lose a parent. I was very close to my father." He lead me over to a set of chairs and I took a moment to examine the room. We seemed to be in some sort of study. The walls were lined with ceiling high book cases and a ladder. A desk and a few chairs sat in the center of the room. He sat me in a chair and took a seat in the one next to me. 

        "So, are you going to take me home now? I think you need to be with your family right now. I don't want to intrude." I wiped my sweaty palms on my thighs. I still didn't know what I was doing here. Or why he hadn't brought me home yet. I really didn't know him that well, not that I felt I was in danger trusting him. He makes me feel surprising safe, I am just a bundle of nerves when I am near him. 

        " I actually need to talk to you about a few things first." His face became very grim all of a sudden and he looked almost pained to continue. His skin went a bit paler and he swallowed nervously. 

        "What things?" My brow furrowed in confusion. What on earth would be so important to talk about right now while his family was going through so much?

        " Well. You're going think I'm crazy." He sighed and wiped a hand down his face in frustration. 

        "I won't think you're crazy, what do you need to talk to me about?"  I ask impatiently. 

        "Well..." he hesitated.

        "Promise I won't." 

        "It's just..." he sighed again.

        "Come on, just say it." I stared at his grey eyes expectantly and tried not to get distracted by how beautiful his lips are. 

        "Maybe I shouldn't..."

        "Spit it out!" I snapped. He was starting to piss me off. Patience isn't really my thing, and he is pushing every single button I have. 

        "I'm a werewolf!"