legs were rubbery and burning.
I stepped back and turned to face my mother’s beach house.
That’s where it was coming from.
Not the house… but somewhere around the house.
I felt watched.
I couldn’t see a thing but I felt… watched…
The horror movie feeling hit me again and hit me hard.
So I put my shoes to use and started to run.
The run to the deck of the beach house could have been ten miles with the way my nerves and heart were racing.
I ran up the steps and ran into the house.
I locked the door but didn’t feel safe at all.
My mother wasn’t coming home tonight, so the beach house was all mine.
I liked it that way… but I didn’t like this feeling.
I went up the steps and into my bedroom, shutting and locking that door too.
After taking a few deep breaths, I told myself to take a shower and relax.
Everything was fine.
I was home.
I was safe at home.
“Safe at home,” I whispered.
Except this wasn’t home.
And being near Noah, Easton, and Xavier… I wasn’t safe.
I took an extra-long hot shower.
It seemed kind of dumb to do, right?
Like if I thought I was being followed, why get into the shower?
Then again, that was just the kind of proof I needed to show myself that I was fine. I was being goofy and paranoid over everything happening.
It was Gia’s fault too.
For making me run.
For talking about my feelings for the guys.
And then taking off on me.
I had no clue how to address any feelings I may or may not have had.
All I needed to do was shut my eyes and remember the feeling of speeding down the road and Tank not being able to turn, or stop. The feeling of trying to get into the backseat, hoping that would save myself.
I didn’t shut my eyes and remember that.
I didn’t want to.
Instead, I shut off the water and climbed out of the shower.
The bathroom was steamed up pretty bad, but it was comforting.
I grabbed a towel and left the bathroom.
I shivered as I walked across the floor to my bed.
I threw on a pair of shorts and a hoodie.
After I dried my hair the best I could with the towel, I threw it into the bathroom and that was that.
I plopped down on my bed and grabbed my phone.
I couldn’t text Gia.
She was busy.
I really had nobody else to text.
It was a bit of a lonely feeling, but it had its purpose.
I stood up and walked outside to the balcony off my bedroom.
I looked out to the ocean.
It was the perfect night for thinking. For being alone and thinking. So I could plan everything else out.
Because I needed…
My eyes moved down.
I leaned against the railing.
I blinked a few times but swore someone was looking up at me.
It was so dark out and I couldn’t tell if my mind was playing tricks on me.
I eased back and took a deep breath.
“Stop it, Winter,” I said.
I moved forward again and looked down.
That’s when I saw movement.
I gasped.
“Hello?” I called out.
The figure moved again.
Whoever it was, they were dressed all in black.
The call of my hello sent them running.
Around to the side of the beach house…
I ran to the end of the balcony and almost fell over the railing as I tried to see.
For a split second, I saw the figure and I swore I saw a vehicle waiting too.
I thought I saw the quick flash of brake lights.
I leaned again but I didn’t have a good view or angle to see anything .
At least not without risking my life by falling off the balcony and probably killing myself.
I pushed back from the railing and ran into my bedroom again.
I ran to the bedroom door and made sure it was locked.
My heart slammed inside my chest.
I backed away from the door.
I needed to do something.
My eyes stopped at my phone on the bed.
I bit my lip.
I knew what I needed to do.
Chapter 8
sweat, fresh, smoke
Where are you?
I stared down at my phone, waiting.
If this didn’t work then I would have to call my mother. If I called her for this, I would never live it down. And if I called the police, what would they do? There was nothing anyone could do. It was my mind messing with me. Maybe.
Or maybe someone was trying to-
I heard the knock at my bedroom door and I let out a yell.
I ran to the door and paused.
“Who is it?”
“Santa Claus,” Talon’s voice said. “Ho-ho-ho…”
I unlocked the door and opened it.
“What are… oh, damn,