devotion →chandler riggs←

ch. 1

autumn's pov:

i woke up with the most painful headache. i felt lost inside my own mind, but it was really just from being so hungover.

the night before my best friend elena and i had decided the best thing to take my mind off my parent's behavior would be to party. getting drunk seemed to be elena's remedy for anything and everything. not like we were horrible kids or anything, we just knew how to have fun. we blended in with the crowd and got decent enough grades to not be labeled as trouble.

that night elena and i had left the party earlier than we usually would have when my parents come home from their "work". i had this creepy, almost terrifying feeling, that someone was watching me.

when i had gotten home, elena offered to spend the night. seeing as my parent's weren't home, i was tempted to say yes. the feeling as though someone was watching me wasn't necessarily uncommon, but tonight it seemed to burn in the back of my skull.

i declined elena's offered to spend the night, since her brother was acting up again, and got into bed, feeling relieved. when my parent's were at "work" i wouldn't have to deal with their bipolar attitude or their consistency of bringing their work home.

they love me, they really do, but they're just a little too much to handle. they just don't accept the fact i'm not into doing drugs or going to clubs as often as they are, and they definitely are not strung up on the idea of me taking a liking to both boys and girls. that usually earns me an extra two smacks and a deeply worded apology the next morning when they had sobered up.

putting the thought of my parents to the back of my brain, i stumbled out of bed and walked downstairs to make some coffee.

i guess getting drunk can't be elena's cure to hangovers, so she told me to just make myself coffee and a couple advils as well.

after i had finished everything to minimize the pounding in my head, i went into the bathroom to take a shower. still, the feeling of being watched remained.

of course i was starting to feel uneasy. how can i shower while feeling to unsettled? looking out the window couldn't help, there was no one out there. i figured it was just the fact i was home alone. "i'm home alone," i told myself, "that's it."

after changing and getting ready for a normal day, i decided to skip breakfast. i wasn't in the mood to throw my breakfast up during lunch, especially not when i feel this weird.

i met elena at the park later that night while she went on and on about her parents new promotion which led to her getting the car of her dreams.

"at least one of us gets everything they want," i mumbled, maybe a little too loud.

"what?" elena questioned, her face dropping. she was always on the sensitive side, but i never really meant to hurt her feelings. sometimes it just gets to me.

"nothing. you were saying?" i answered, shoving my hands in my pockets. they were quite warm and sweaty, due to the fact it was summer and the feeling of being watched had not gone away.

elena continued telling me every part of her parents promotion, not missing a breath. i pretended to listen, but i was really looking around to see if anyone was following us.

"oh, shit. my parents want me home. something happened with ashton again." elena quickly skipped off, most likely getting into her new car.

i breathed heavily, knowing her older brother was always doing some stupid fucked up shit and getting himself kicked out of schools, even summer school. classy, right?

i picked up my pace and headed towards my car, not nearly as nice as elena had described her new one. it wasn't a piece of junk, exactly, but it was good enough.

while looking behind me to see if anyone was there, i bumped into a tall boy with shaggy dark brown hair. he looked about the same age as me, which is 18. i know, the summer after i've graduated highschool and my whole life doesn't revolve around college, shocker. i got into a school in New York and was already completely prepared to leave once this summer ended. i don't need to dwell.

"i'm so sorry, i was just trying to get to my car, um.." i paused, not knowing the strangers name.

it's sort of uncommon that i didn't know his name, seeing as though most kids who hang out at this park go to the same school district. but, hey, he could be visiting for the summer. or maybe he was cyber schooled, he did look pretty fimiliar.

"chandler," the now not so much stranger suggested, opening his hand towards mine.

something about his eyes were dark, yet somewhat welcoming and disturbing at the same time.

the fact chandler looked so fimiliar got to me a little, making my hand tremble when we made contact to shake hands.

"you look nervous, are you alright?" chandler asked, his eyes not leaving mine.

"i- uh, yeah, i just had a strange feeling, it's nothing." i replied, trying to shake these thoughts out of my mind.

"that's good, i can't have you get upset under my care, autumn." he joked, which seemed like a joke at the same.

"i'll walk you to your car, yeah?" he suggested, which seemed more like a demand. i wanted to say no, but that would be rude. i nodded and started walking with him.

it hadn't occured to me i had never given chandler my name until i was screaming and kicking in the trunk of his car, praying for help.