Shay Warner ran away from her adopted family as soon as she found out what they truly were: criminals. They lied, they killed, they betrayed her in a way that scarred her forever. It isn't until the police catch up to her that she's forced to go bac...
Marching downstairs to where the group was gathered, he approached Val in the great room after setting his duffel bag on the carpeted floor. "We should bring Shay."
Val's thin eyebrows raised in surprise at his unusual request. Shay never went on missions. Ever. "No."
"We can stay at a beach house for a couple days and I'll stay with her while you guys do your thing. It's a three man job anyway, you don't need me." Noah reasoned.
"I don't want her anywhere near us when-"
"She won't be. She'll be at the house while you guys are out, and I'll be with her the entire time." Noah said quickly. "Val, she's miserable. She feels left out and she needs to be included, just once."
"You're really gonna sit this one out?"
"Yeah."
Val considered this for a minute, glancing at Eli and seemingly conveying her thoughts to him with just her eyes. Then she looked at Summer, who looked less than enthused at the idea but didn't argue, which was saying a lot. Finally, after a tense moment that lasted far longer than Noah would have liked, Val nodded.
"Fine. She can come with us."
*******
It was a house with brown siding, blue shutters, and a white front door situated between two windows. Azalea bushes sat against the walls while green bushes were planted next to the white picket fence. The grass was as green as fresh basil, making for a manicured and lush front lawn. Shay took it all with wide eyes and a smile, walking into the front door with her backpack strapped to her shoulders and a book in hand.
"What do you think, Shay?" Val asked when they stepped inside. The decor was very patriotic with lots of reds, whites, and blues, the rug underneath the kitchen table sporting large white stars with two thick navy stripes.
"I love it." Shay breathed when she finally took it all in. Finally, almost two and a half years after moving into Val's, she was able to see somewhere new. And apparently, she had Noah to thank for that. When Val had walked into her room five minutes before they were ready to leave, she explained that he had practically begged her to let Shay come, an idea which sent a fluttering sensation into Shay's stomach. She had tossed her book into a bag along with random articles of clothing in no time, rushing downstairs to join them with a grin that still hadn't gone away.
"There's only three bedrooms so you and Noah will have to share." Val explained. "There's one with two twins according to the website."
That was fine with her. As long as she here and not cooped up in that house alone like every other time they had a mission, she'd sleep on the floor if she had to.
Sprinting up the stairs that split the kitchen from the living room, she peeked into the various bedrooms before finding hers. Like every other room, it seemed to take the patriotic theme a little too far. The carpet was blue and white with a fancy design in the middle while the ivory wall held a red tapestry. The comforters had all three colors in stripes of various sizes and shades while the pillows had stars on them.
The most striking thing though, was the fact that it was a bunk bed.
"I call the bottom bunk." Noah called from behind her. Shay had been stuck staring at the room full of America vomit so intensely that she didn't hear his approach.
"That's fine with me."
Shay threw her backpack on the mattress and walked back out of the room. Noah followed her as they stepped down the wooden staircase before joining everyone else in the living room. They were standing around the white ottoman in the center of two aqua couches, their conversation stopping as soon as Shay approached.
It didn't phase her. She could hold out till she was eighteen to find out the truth.
"Noah and I are going to the beach." Shay stated. Then she glanced back at him and saw that he had raised an eyebrow at her decision that he was not apart of.
"Ok. You know where it is?" Val asked.
"That way." Shay pointed to the right, where she had seen it as they had driven in.
Val nodded, her expression tight as usual when she was in business mode. "Have fun."
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I know this is a weird place to cut it but I forgot how long this chapter was and wanted to break it up. Next chapter is the last one of Part 1!
