Never Run From Your Past

Chapter 1: Introduction

••Lisandra's POV••

I didn't know what to expect as I stepped out of the car, walking towards the unfamiliar house. My mother was introducing me to her boyfriend's family. He had two childern, Samantha, who was no older than twelve and then there was Jake, who happened to be the same age as me, seventeen. For some strange reason, I was nervous. I've been an only child for half my life, and now... My mother was engaged to a man she'd known for a year. My mom saw the worry in my eyes and gave me a reasuring smile.

"They're gonna love you, don't stress out about." She came around and grabbed my hand, giving it a small squeeze as we headed to the front door.

My mother knocked on the door, and in a few seconds, Matt opened the door, a huge smile on his face.

"Gloria, Lisandra." He greeted us. "Please come in." He gave me a hug and kissed my mom and we pasted him and entered his home. It wasn't big, just simple, homey.

"Samantha! Jacob!" He yelled down a hallway. Jacob? I haven't heard that name before. Then it hit me. Jake is short for Jacob.

Samantha came out first, skipping into the living room. She had a huge smile on her face. Her light brown hair was pulled back in a red bow, matching her lovely red dress.

"Lis-andra!" She took a quick glace at her father, making sure she said it right. When he nodded, she turned back to me with a big smile on her face, showing she was missing one of her front teeth. I smiled down at her, she was adorable.

"You must be Samantha."

"And you must be my new sister!" She threw her arms around me and I couldn't help but laugh yet flinch away. "C'mon! Lets play in my room!" She grabbed my hand and was about to drag me into her room when her father spoke.

"Samantha.." Her father warned.

"Daddy.." She mimicked him.

My mother and I chuckled.

"It's alright Matt, I don't mind." I said.

Samantha's eyes widen and she exclaimed, "YAY!!!"

"Don't say I didn't warn you." Matt said, smiling.

I glanced around the house. There were boxes lined up against the walls, some emptied, some half full, and others had black sharpie written on it. "Kitchen". "Basement". "Bathroom". I didn't get the chance to ask Matt about them, Samantha didn't waste time reaching her room.

"So what do you want to do?" I asked, taking a sit on the corner of her bed.

"Mmm.." Her face looked puzzled. "I don't know."

I nodded. "Well what were you doing before we got here?"

"Coloring a picture I drew." She pointed to the small table in her room. There was paper all over it, crayons all colors spread around it along with markers and what nots, some were even around the floor.

"I love drawing. It's a hobbie of mine."

"Are you any good?" She wonder, taking a seat on one of the small chairs, continuing coloring, humming to herslef.

"I actually am." I bent down by the table. "Mind if I..."

"Go ahead." She passed me a plain white paper. I reached for a pencil and thought about what I could sketch. I glanced out the window. The sun was setting, calling all the birds to bid their goodbyes and fly into their nest, ready to welcome the night. I looked down at the paper, and started sketching the beautiful scene outside the window.

I didn't notcie Samantha had stopped humming until there was a knock on the door.

"Come in." Samantha called, not looking away from me. I could have guessed what I looked like. Focused. Determined. My face hard as I studied the piece under my hands. The pencil in my hand moved swiftly, getting every detail. I was working on the tree. Getting the branches and leaves to seem as if they were moving. It was an allusion method I learned in art class a couple years back. I was adding the nest, working on the body of the birds, when a vocie broke my concentration.

"Whoa.." A deep voice said, close to my shoulder.

I jumped, taken by surprised. I looked up and there was a boy, or should I say man, standing next to me.

Jake.

He leaned back, his icy blue eyes studying me. I felt my heart skip a beat. His eyes transfixed me, leaving me motionless.

Samantha spoke up, breaking me from my trance. "Jake, this is Lis.." She looked at me for help and I smiled.

"Lisandra." I finished, smiling shyly at him then looked back down at my drawing.

"Can I call you Lizzy?" Samantha asked.

I glanced up at her. "Sure. Lots of people call me that."

"Okay." She glanced up at her brother. "What do you want?"

He cleared his throat, moving his eyes away from my face and to his sisters'. "We're going out for dinner."

"Joe Bob's?" She questioned.

He nodded. "We're about to leave." And with that being said, he exited the room.

Samantha's eyes were huge. "Joe Bob's is the bestest restaurant EVER!" She squealed.

I laughed as she ran out of the room. I didn't want to leave just yet, I wanted to finish the sketch. I glanced back out the window and continued. The sun was gone by now, and I sighed. Looks like I'd be drawing another stary night.

When I was finishing the last touches here and there on the page, my mother called my name.

"Lisandra, vamos!"

I laughed, it was gonna be funny watching their faces when we spoke Spanish. I signed my named at the bottom of the page and placed it on Samantha's bed after writing a short message on the back.

"I hope our first get together will be the first of many <3"

"Ya voy!" I called back, turning the light off in the room and walking out.

The front door was still opened when I walked toward it. The house seemed empty. They were probably all already in the car. But how was I supposed to lock the door?

I was about to call for a key when Jake walked out from behind me. Where'd he come from? The shadows?

I watched him as he locked the door and walked away like I wasn't even there. I took a deep breath. Alright.. He thinks I'm invisible. Great. I signed and walked to the car.