I wake up to the sun streaming in through the window. It hits my face and I turn away from it.
Wait. Window?
I jolt up in bed and look around. I sigh in relief and rest my head in my hands.
It wasn't a dream. I'm actually free. Although I did have terrible nightmares. I shuddered. The images still running around in my head.
I couldn't help the massive smile taking over my face. I get out of bed, but not before attempting to make it. I head out the room and go in search of Rosalyn. I find her in the kitchen making coffee. When she hears me coming she turns around and gives me one of her warm smiles.
"How'd you sleep?" She asks.
"It was probably one of the best sleeps I've had in awhile." I say and it wasn't even a lie. I may not have slept much but I felt safe, despite the nightmares and I couldn't be more thankful.
"That's good. Anyway, Kendrick has gone to work and I have to go in about an hour. I work as a teacher at the local high school and Kendrick works at a car part store." She tells me. I nod my head in understanding. "Also, there is a new toothbrush in the bathroom and I got up earlier and went to the shops. I got you a few items of clothing although I didn't really know your size, so they may or may not fit. Also you can stay as long as you want."
I walk over to her and wrap my arms around her. She's clearly taken aback but it doesn't take her long to return the hug.
"You don't know how grateful I am, Rosalyn. I will do whatever it takes to repay you back. This absolutely means the world to me." I tell her stepping back, meaning every word.
She waves her hand in a dismissive gesture. "Oh, it was nothing. Anyway go freshen up, I'll have breakfast ready for you." I give her a big smile and head to the bathroom.
-----
Rosalyn has just left for work and I sit on the coach, flipping through the channels.
Rosalyn and Kendrick will start questioning me soon. What will I tell them? I can't tell them I was kidnapped. What if I said I ran away from home? Maybe that will work but then they might ask why. I give an impatient sigh. I just wanted to be with Cameron.
My whole body still hurt and my nose was still broken but was slowly healing. Key word, slowly. The bruises were all still there, albeit slightly better than yesterday. I still had a big headache. In general though, I looked like hell.
Rosalyn had fed me breakfast and left for work. She would be coming back at around 3:30 while Kendrick will be coming earlier, 2:30ish. Right now it was 8:30.
Alone with Kendrick for an hour. I hope he isn't like Melvin. I shuddered at that thought. Hopefully he isn't.
I finally settle on Adventure Time. It has always been one of my favourite cartoons.
-----
I am so bored!
I've been walking around the house doing absolutely nothing. After Adventure Time had finished the shows were just boring! I groan.
What do I do?
I walk over to the front door but hesitate on opening it.
The last time I went out on my own, I had gotten kidnapped.
I retract my hand.
But no one knows me here. Oh screw it. I'm going.
Rosalyn had given me a pair of keys if I had wanted to go out. I make sure to lock the door behind me.
I walk on the streets, just looking around, enjoying the fresh air. It was small town, it was probably was of those towns where everyone knew everyone. I was passing by a small grocery store when someone was coming out. Their plastic bag split open and their items dropped. I quickly rush over and help picking the stuff up and holding it out. That's when I got a clear view of the person. It was woman, maybe around age 25. She had brown hair in a bob cut with light brown eyes. She gives me a grateful smile and puts the items in the other bags which weren't broken.
"Thanks. I'm Ruby, by the way. I would offer you my hand to shake but obviously, they're full." She says while motioning to the multiple bags in her hand.
"I'm Arianna." I say and give her a smile. "Here, let me help you carry them." I offer.
She looks surprised and says, "really?" I nod and she passes me a couple bags. She leads me to a house not far from the store. She opens the door and invites me inside.
It was a beautiful house.
We enter the kitchen and we put the bags on the counter. She turns to me. "Thanks for helping me."
"No problem." We fall into an awkward silence until Ruby breaks it.
"I haven't seen you before and I know practically everyone in this town. So are you new?"
Crap! Think fast, Arianna. Think fast.
"Uh, I am just passing through" I say, trying to act nonchalant.
She nods. "Are you staying at a motel or something?"
"Uh no. Rosalyn let me stay with her." I tell her, not wanting to lie.
"Oh, okay." She says while nodding.
Before we can fall into another awkward silence I say, "I better go. It was nice meeting you, Ruby."
She smiles and says, "it was nice meeting you too. And thanks once again for helping me." I nod in response and she leads me to the front door. "Bye." I say and she gives me a small wave.
I didn't want to go back inside Rosalyn's house so I keep on walking. I come across a park and decide to sit on a bench which was in front of a small lake. There were many small ducks. I watch the little ducks playing around the water and I couldn't help but smile.
Their life is so simple. I just want to go back to Cameron.
I don't know how long I sat there but I had decided to walk back. I thankfully remembered the way and I find Rosalyn's house in no time. I enter the house and lock it behind me.
What do I do now?
I head into the guest bedroom and just stare around the room.
That's it. I'm taking a nap.
-----
I wake up to the sound of the jug boiling.
Someone must be home.
I get up and fix my hair and clothing before exiting the room. I find Kendrick sitting on the dining table with a paper in his hand. He was reading it with a very intense expression.
Must be something important.
I knock on the wall, not wanting to intrude. His head snaps in my direction and he narrows his eyes at me. "What do you want?" He says in a cold voice. I do my best not to flinch and instead give him a smile.
"Would you like some coffee?" I ask, trying to make some sort of peace offering.
He raises his eyebrows and says, "it's my house. I can make my own coffee."
I shrug my shoulders. "Think of it as a peace offering."
He scrunches his eyebrows but then nods his head.
Thank the lord!
"How do you want your coffee?" I ask.
"Black with no sugar." He says, returning his attention back to the paper in his hand.
Strong coffee for a strong guy. Well at least I think he's strong.
I enter the kitchen and make the coffee. I had always loved the smell of coffee but never really the taste. I return to the dining room and place the coffee on the table. He mutters and quick 'thanks' but doesn't look at me.
"Is there anything else you wanted?" I ask him. Before he can answer, the home phone rings. He gets up to answer it with his back to me. I know I shouldn't of looked but curiosity got the better of me.
I quickly examined the paper and did a quick summary. They couldn't afford the mortgage. A frown instantly took over my face and I stepped back away from the table, before Kendrick catches me looking. He comes back when he finishes with the call and returns to his seat.
"Is there anything else you wanted?" I ask him again.
"No, that's okay." He says, forcing a smile.
At least he's trying to be nice. That's good progress.
I give him a genuine smile with a nod of my head and leave the room. Rosalyn had bought me many different outfits which should last me a couple days.
I just hope I'll be gone before a couple of days.
I go take a long shower, the hot water relaxing my muscles. After I finish, I find Rosalyn and Kendrick on the couch speaking quietly to themselves.
"Hey, your back." I say, interrupting them. I didn't want to hear something I wasn't supposed to. They both turn to me, startled. They quickly recover and Rosalyn gives me a warm smile.
"Yeah. I came back not too long ago." She says. I nod and she looks hesitant in what she wanted to say next. And like a lightbulb, I've figured out what she wants to say. She wants to ask me questions about why I have no where to stay.
I give her a small smile and say, "it's okay. You can ask."
I'm just going to stick with the running away story.
"I hope you don't mind, but I had wanted to ask you about, you know, why you don't have a place to stay." Rosalyn says.
I nod my head and take a seat across from them. "I had run away from home. I didn't take anything with me." I lie. I didn't like lying to people. I hated it. But in this case I had to. I couldn't say that a werewolf kidnapped me.
They both nod and don't ask anything else. "We can help you start your life again if you want. Or even take you back home." Rosalyn offers.
"No, that's okay. I just need a place to stay for a couple days and I understand if I am intruding. I can leave if you want." I say, staring at the floor.
I hope I can stay. I need to stay otherwise I don't know what I'll do.
"Nonsense. Like I said before, you can stay here as long as you want." She says. I look over at Kendrick, wanting to know what he thought. When he catches me looking, he nods his head, indicating that he agrees. My face splits into a hug smile and I rush over to them. Pulling them into a group hug. Rosalyn wraps her arms around me while Kendrick awkwardly pats my back.
Whoops.
I quickly let them go and give them a sheepish smile. "Sorry. I guess I kinda got a little carried away there."
Rosalyn chuckles and waves it off while Kendrick doesn't say anything.
Definitely a man of few words.
"There was one more question. Why is your nose broken?" She asks, not meeting my eyes.
Of course she could only see my broken nose and not the many bruises on my stomach.
Thank god!
I think fast and say, "when I was running away, I had fallen down and broken my nose." The both nod their head in understanding.
Rosalyn clears her throat and stands up. "Anyway, I'm going to make dinner." She announces. "I'll come help." I offer. She nods her head and we leave for the kitchen.
-----
"These kids are a nightmare." Rosalyn complains. I chuckle, agreeing with her.
We were sitting on the dinning table, eating dinner.
"Rosalyn, you say that every night." Kendrick says with a slight chuckle.
Whenever it came down to Rosalyn, Kendrick was a big softie. You could tell he loved her a lot.
As I look back at the two, I couldn't help but feel a little sad. I missed my dad, Marcus. He and my mum would constantly bicker and muck around like Kendrick and Rosalyn. I was definitely a daddy's girl.
"Arianna, what do you think?" Rosalyn asks me.
Confused, I ask, "sorry what are we talking about?"
"What do you think about high school student?" She asks, patiently.
"Oh, well I had recently graduated and I just want to say that I was very happy to be out and away from school." I say with a grin.
Rosalyn laughs and I'm surprised to hear Kendrick slightly laugh too.
-----
I turn on my side in the bed.
I just couldn't fall asleep.
I close my eyes and try to think of nothing so I could fall asleep. But every time I did close my eyes, Melvin's sadistic smile would appear.
Curse you, Melvin.
I turn onto my back and put my forearm over my eyes. After two hours, I had finally managed to fall asleep. My sleep being haunted by Melvin.
~*~*~*~*~
Hey beautiful people!
How you guys going? Let me know what you thought of this chapter and I'm sorry for any mistakes. I regret to inform you that this book is soon coming to an end. Only a couple chapters left. It's sad, I know. 😪
Have a great day/night wherever you are. ❤️☕️
- a_lama