Street Kid: Book 3 **REWRITING**

(5) Grave Encounters.

"Did you have a nice Christmas?" I ask Piper as we walk down the hall to get to class. She nods her head.

"Mom finally decided to show up and spent the day with me and dad" She says. I smile at her. Piper's mom has been in and out of her life since she was young so I can imagine how nice it would have been for her to spend the day with her.

"That's good. I'm happy for you" I say truthfully. She gives me a small smile.

"Thanks Vic" I return her smile and we head to class.

"Nice of you to finally join us" Our teacher said as we entered the classroom. 

"Sorry, Sir. We got held up" He sighs and nods. We take our seats and begin to listen in to what he was teaching. This class was English. I've never really been very good at English but I still try my best. 

Not much had really happened the past few weeks. Christmas was hectic as always. I spent the day with my parents and some other family members but when night came, I went across the border and spent the night with Sampson and Mandy.

"You really didn't  have to get us anything, Victoria" Mandy says as I hand her my gift. I just shrug.

"I wanted to and you're being hypocritical. You both got me one too" I remark with a grin on my face. Mandy sighs and nods. I watch as they both begin opening their gifts. I see Samspon's face light up when he sees what I got you.

"Where did you get these?" He asks in disbelief as he holds up a pair of authentic boxing gloves personally made so they have his name on them. I smile at him.

"I have my ways" He smirks at me and pulls me into a tight hug, murmuring a thank you against my shoulder which sends shivers down my spine. When he pulls away he kisses me on the cheek and sits back down. My face begins to tingle from where he kissed it. I resist the urge to hold my cheek and start acting like a pure girl. 

"You didn't!" Mandy says dramatically as she handles a delicate choker she had pointed out when we were in town together. She hugs me so tight that I can just about breathe which causes me to laugh. I hug her back and when we pull away she instantly goes and puts on the choker.

"Thank you for my gift" I say to Sampson as I stare at the necklace he got me with has my name on it in cursive writing. He gestures for me to turn around and I do. He gently puts the cool metal against my neck and clasps it shut. When I turn around I begin to breathe heavily when I notice how close Sampson is. 

"It looks beautiful" He says as his finger tips run across the 'V' on the necklace. I feel his breath fan against my lips as an unavoidable ache begins to form as I'm tempted to press our lips together. I watch as he moves closer slightly, almost too close. And just as our lips are about to meet...

"I love it so much thank you!" Mandy's voice exclaims as she runs into the room and tackles me with another hug, totally oblivious to how close me and Sampson were. She finally gets off me and goes back out the room and I see her walk into the kitchen. Sampson gives me a grin which I return before we both follow after Mandy and begin to drink the night away.

"Miss Palmer, are you listening?" Mr Andrews' voice questions, bringing me away from my thoughts. I nod my head. He doesn't look convinced but continues teaching anyway. Piper gives me a questioning look. I lean closer to her ear.

"Me and Sampson almost kissed" I whispered, but Piper being Piper, had to go and yell it.

"You almost kissed Sampson!?" She yells causing the whole classes attention to turn to us, including Mr Andrews. I sink down in my seat, mortified and embarrassed. My face begins to heat up as some students laugh.

"Is there something you would like to share, Miss Canning and Miss Palmer". We both shake our heads but Mr Andrews pesters on. "Well stop talking in my class or I'll have to split you two up...again" I stop myself from giggling and nod, showing I understand.

Me and Piper then exchange a glance and begin laughing to ourselves whilst everyone is oblivious to us laughing.

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Later that day, I made my way to the graveyard. I have never been one to like them, since their filled with corpses, but I come here often to visit my grandmother. She was a very polite and trustful lady whose husband died many years before she did. We were very close, always pulling little pranks on my parents when I was younger and all sorts of fun.

I finally reach her gravestone and smile as I sit down. I begin to recall everything that's happened since I last came which was a few days before I met Sampson. I tell her about how I got a strange phone call, how me and Sampson nearly kissed and the events that happened earlier today.

"I really miss you grammy" I say as I run my fingers over the engraved words.

'Melissa Palmer,

Loving mother, wife, sister and daughter'

"I wish you were here. I'd like to think you'd be proud of me. Finally learning how to defend myself" I smile to myself thinking of the conversations we used to have. "You always used to say that one day, I won't be so weak and I'll be a strong, independent woman. And that's exactly what I plan to be, Grammy"

My words are cut off when I hear footsteps. I instantly freeze. My head begins to frantically looks around for anyone who could be there when I hear the snap of a twig. I stand up, brushing off my skirt, and spin around looking for someone who is around. All of a sudden a black figure comes into my vision but before I can get a good look at who it is, my head is hit with something and I collapse to the ground. The last thing I hear almost sounds like mumbling.

"You're gonna be a good catch. I can feel it" A voice says before my whole vision is covered in black and I'm not longer able to fight the urge to sleep...

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This is sort of a filler chapter but oh well. I hope everyone had an amazing christmas and new year!

I've also been working on the fourth book and some little promos for you all!