YOURS

Chapter 32

We entered the city I was suppose to be protected in. I feel anything but protected here.

"I'll wait for you." Cole said before pulling into the driveway of Mark and Helen's house and letting me out of his car so I could go get my backpack and change.

I nodded and unlocked the front door with the spare key that was hidden under a plant. Mark and Helen were at work. No one would be home.

I sighed upon walking in the house. I remembered feeling hopeful when I first arrived here. I thought maybe I'd only be here for a little while while the FBI and police worked hard to catch Zac and Alec.

But no. I've been here for a months. School ended in a couple of days. What will happen during the summer? Will I be relocated because of Helen having a baby on the way?

I walked up the stairs to my bedroom and grabbed my backpack. I assumed Cole wouldn't go back to his apartment so he'd be sneaking in to stay here with me.

I rushed back downstairs. We had made it back to Texas just in time to not miss school today. It was Thursday. Cole could come with me to help finish my project and tomorrow we would present it after hours to anyone who wanted to come and see what most of my grade went towards. We also had a special meeting tomorrow...with Emma.

"Ready?" Cole asked as I shut the car door.

I nodded and he pulled off.

Neither of us slept on the drive back. We stopped every few hours to get food. I think it was mainly to have something to do with our mouths other than talk because after a few conversations we'd start to argue.

"Wait for me." Cole said as I started to get out of the car.

I watched as Cole pulled spray from a bag he had in his car. He spritzed himself a couple times to make up for not having a shower in a few days. Cole popped a couple pills from the bag too. I'm hoping they were mints and not some sort of drugs. I didn't ask.

Cole grabbed his phone from the bag and put it in his pocket. He grabbed his wallet with his fake I.D and also put it in his pocket. He grabbed a gun...the same one he had when the alarm was triggered at my house. He placed it behind him in his pants and covered it with his shirt.

I also didn't ask about that. I knew he needed it..that we needed it.

We both got out of the car and proceeded to walk through the schools doors slowly making sure to keep an eye out for Alec, Zac, or even Emma.

As we made it to our first class and sat down everyone began right away to put the finishing touches on their projects. The teacher walked over to my table.

"Madison. Glad to see you're feeling better." I looked up to him. He was smiling.

I nodded and smiled back.

"I hope you can finish your protect by tomorrow. Everyone seems to be ahead."

My smiled faded. "Yes, sir. I just have a couple of finishing outlines and everything will be done. I'll have it here tomorrow."

He left me alone after tipping his head to let me know he understood.

"Emma's not here." I whispered to Cole.

He was looking around the room. "Where do you think she is?"

"Something tells me she probably hasn't been here all week."

Cole agreed.

We spent the rest of the day looking over our shoulders and silently praying nothing would come of the pit in our stomachs.