Turns out what they said was true.
He did have a good heart or so it seemed.
I had spent most of my time last night with Jake. Once I let my guard slip and let him in it was like I
couldn't turn off. For me he was so easy to talk to but it didn't help that I was drawn to him. Like a moth
to a flame as they say.
I still found it strange. I had never felt so attached to a person I didn't know before. It was like I had
known him for years. I still believed my new friends were hiding something but I had decided to let it go.
If they were going to tell me then they'll tell me.
It had just gone past 6am and I was planning on going out my first run since I got here. I wasn't a
sporty person, I didn't do much exercise but I did enjoy a run first thing in the morning. I didn't have a
beach but I did have an open forest that was right on my door step.
Clipping my iPod to my arm I placed my empty cup in the sink. My gran was still in bed, all the early
mornings were starting to take toll on her. Pressing play I headed out the back door and began my
journey.
I had given up.
I was officially lost and didn't have any reception. It also didn't help that I didn't know the area or that
there was so many different paths to take. I thought it would have been one big circle, an easy path to
follow but no.
"Why do I always get myself in these situations?" I groaned rubbing the sweat from my forehead. All I
wanted was to go for a run and clear my head. With my back against a tree I slid down bringing my
knees to my chest.
Maybe I should just pick a path and hope for the best? It was still early so I had lots of daylight left. To
busy in my own thoughts I didn't hear them approach.
"Leah?".
Feeling my body relax I got to my feet. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you". Kane was
standing in front of me with 2 of his friends.
"You lost?" He smirked.
"Who knew these woods were so confusing. Can you help me out?" I asked.
"Sure thing we were just heading back anyway. Leah this is Tim and Eric you'll see them around school
when you start". Giving them a small wave I started to follow them back.
"What are you doing out here anyway?".
"Isn't it obvious?" I grinned motioning to my running gear. "I like to run, usually on a beach but seeing
as I don't know where that is I opted for the forest".
"You shouldn't come out here on your own it's not safe". My belly did a flop as the words left his mouth.
How was it not safe?
"Apparently there has been wolf sightings in these woods and I'm not talking about little small ones I'm
talking about wild beasts". I couldn't help it I started to laugh. Wolfs? really? was he trying to scare me?
He didn't find it funny.
"I'm being serious. Tim was out here a few weeks ago and saw 4 but he couldn't get close enough to
get any proof. From what I've heard there is a pack".
Was he listening to himself? He sounded crazy.
"A pack of wild wolfs?" I questioned.
"Don't say I didn't warn you". As we fell into a comfortable silence I began to think more about what he
said. I could have sworn I heard a wolf howl the other night. But surely that wasn't real? I mean wolfs
here in Texas?
Before I knew it I was standing outside my back gate.
"Thank you for helping me out. I'd have probably been stuck out there for hours if you weren't kicking
about".
"Anytime Leah but don't be going back out there on your own. Would hate to see a pretty girl get
eaten". Winking at me he gave me a salute before jogging off to catch up with his friends.
I could smell the brewing of fresh coffee before I got inside. Pulling open the back door I noticed my
gran wasn't alone. Jake, his dad and a few of his friends were sat in my kitchen eating breakfast. Well
this was a surprise.
"Enjoy your run?" My gran asked passing me a cup of coffee. I was glad to see she had got my note.
My gran was a worrier.
"I got lost" I grinned catching Jakes attention.
"Leah you have to be careful out there. There could be anything lurking about they woods. Promise me
if you're going for a run you'll take someone with you next time".
See worrier.
"I'm fine I got back in one piece didn't I?" Sipping on my coffee I knew he was already boring holes in
me. I had come to realise he liked to stare.
"You should listen to your gran". Jakes dad put down his coffee "Anything could have happened out
there".
"I bumped into Kane and he brought me back. No big deal". I shrugged.
"Kane?" Jake hissed his knuckles turning white with how tight he was holding his cup. "Fucking Kane".
Teeth bared he got up knocking over the chair in the process. I wasn't going to lie it frightened me. His
reaction, his stance. He looked ready to kill.
"Jake" His dad warned his tone low but it held some sort of power over him, authority.
And then he started to shake.
"Leah sweetheart can you do me a favour, can you run and get Alanna?". Jake's dad asked but I
couldn't move. It was like I was in a trance. I couldn't stop staring. Grabbing a hold of my shoulders he
shook me gently. "Go and get Alanna".
So I did I ran all the way to their house.
Bursting through the front door my cheeks instantly grew hot. Alanna was a little too distracted with
Kane for me to be disturbing her. Turning my back on them I bit my lip "I'm sorry but you need to come
with me now. Your dad-.." And then I heard it.
A howl.
"Shit" Alanna hissed. "Kane show yourself out Leah lets go". Grabbing my hand she pulled me in the
direction of my house. By the time we got there it was as if nothing had happened. Jake's dad was
having coffee with my gran and his friends were starting to clear some of the goods in the kitchen.
But Jake was no where to be seen.
"I'll find him". Alanna sighed as her dad gave her a nod.
Was I the only one here that thought this was weird?
"Leah, Jacob here has invited us over for dinner tonight. It's sort of a welcome to the neighbour hood
dinner. How lovely is that?".
"Yeah lovely. Where's Jake?". I was curious as to where he had disappeared too. One minute he was
fine and the next he looked ready to kill anything standing in his way. This family was hiding something
and it was only going to be a matter of time before I figured it out.
Wasn't anyone going to answer me?
"Whatever I'm going for a shower".
Closing the blinds in my bedroom I turned on my iPad connecting it to my speakers. Another thing that
relaxed me as well as a beach did was music. Music was my escape. Turning up the volume I hit play.
Ashanti foolish came blaring through my speakers.
"Baby I don't know why you treating me so bad" I sang as I started to strip out of my clothes. It wasn't
even noon and already weird shit was happening. "Boy you know I really love you I can't deny".
Another thing music did was distract me from what I was suppose to be doing. Stripped to my bra and
panties I entered my bathroom turning the shower on. "Baby why you hurt me, leave me and desert
me". I couldn't sing but it didn't stop me from belting it out.
As the song finished Rack City by Tyga came on and I let the beat take over. Dancing like no one was
watching. How wrong was I. It wasn't until the hand on my shoulder had me jumping a foot in the air.
"Alanna" I yelled turning it down slightly. "Why are you creeping about?". I asked my heart still
hammering in my chest.
"I'm sorry". She grinned "I didn't mean to scare you. You got some moves though".
"Shut up". Only then realising I was still only in my underwear I grabbed my housecoat and slipped it
on.
"You don't need to hide your body Leah it's smoking". She whistled just as my phone started to ring.
Weird considering the only person that would phone me was my gran and she was down stairs.
Looking at the caller ID my heart sank. Tommy's name was flashing. I hadn't spoken to him since the
day before I left. I still missed him. Taking a seat on my bed I continued to stare at the screen until it
stopped ringing.
"Hey what's wrong?". Alanna asked taking a seat beside me.
"Nothing I'm good". Sitting my phone on my nightstand I got to my feet.
"You went from dancing about your room to sulking within seconds. Who was calling you? and why
didn't you answer?".
"Just someone from my past". I said trying my hardest to give her a smile. Him calling me only made
me realise how homesick I really was. It was no mistake I missed my old life. I missed my friends.
Everything back home was simple. Here not so much.
"Boyfriend" She stated.
Shaking my head yes I rubbed a hand over my face. "I didn't expect him to call me. We ended on a
good note, agreed we'd leave what we had back in Florida but now I'm worried something is wrong".
"How long were you together?" She asked.
"Just shy of 2 years. He's good Alanna, he treated me good and I left him". I had no idea why I was
getting upset. I knew I had to end things with him. Long distance relationship's didn't work, well I didn't
think they did. I couldn't hold him back from finding someone else.
"Everything happens for a reason Leah and I'm sure you'll find someone else. I know how hard it is
even if I'm still sneaking about with him". It was her turn to sigh. "If Jake or my dad find out I'm still
seeing Kane I'll be as good as dead. So if you could keep what you saw today to yourself I'd be
grateful".
"Lips are sealed". I smiled as my phone vibrated telling me I had a text.
"If he's your past Leah then maybe it's better he stays there. Do you want to go out later? Maybe catch
a movie or sneak into a club?" She smirked.
I had already decided I wasn't going to respond to Tommy. It wouldn't do me any favours and I had to
move on.
"Sneak into a club with no ID?". I questioned.
"Don't need ID when you're Jake Taylor's sister" She laughed "So how about it? Looks like you could
be doing with blowing off some steam".
She was right. If I was leaving my past behind me then it was time I started to have some fun and
switch it up a little bit. I had to build a new life here and I was going to start with a bang.
"Your dad has invited us for dinner tonight. How do we do this without getting caught?".
"Don't worry about that. Just wear something smoking and let me worry about the rest. I'll text Lacey
and tell her to meet us there. You come to mine around 7 with your gran. Got it?".
"Got it". I smiled. "Now go so I can shower". Turning my music back up I headed to my bathroom.
Tonight was going to be a good night. I could already feel it.
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