04

Heading down the stairs on the Monday morning, I'm led by the trail of my mom's voice that's coming from downstairs. During my morning routine, I had enough time for some pep talk in preparation for the day ahead, and now I come face to face with my mom who's busy on the phone.

Not wanting to interrupt her conversation, I kiss her cheek before making myself a bowl of cereal.

By her tone, I can already tell whom she is speaking to.

"She's fine..." My head picks up at that.

"Yes, I'll say hi. Okay, I have to go, bye." She quickly says before hanging up and turning to me.

" Morning Sweetheart." A smile breaks out on her face.

" You know, you could have just carried on with your conversation, I know how much you enjoy hearing from him," and by him, I mean Josh.

Uncle Josh is like a father to me. He is the one who saved me so many times, the first time we'd met, was during a time I had tried running away, because the foster home I had been at, was somewhere I never wanted to return to. I had sought out refuge behind a tree, not knowing it was at someone else's backyard. A dog named Polly, found me half conscious, cold and hungry. He got his owner to come and from there, Josh has been in my life, trying to help me in anyway he could.

Sometimes I couldn't understand why he didn't just adopt me because I would have loved to be his daughter, while he saw me as the daughter he never had. The words he'd say, that would put some kind of halt at the idea of adoption, was him saying, 'the one meant for you will come' .In the beginning, I didn't quite understand those words until I met Elena. Then, was the time I completely understood that she was the right fit, for her to not only be my guardian, but my mother.

Even then, Josh and I never stopped being close.

With Josh and Elena, they met through me and the two have become close, close to the point that I believe the two should try going out.

" Casey," she says, giving me a playful glare which I return with an innocent smile.

" Let me see what you have on," she says.

" Mom," I groan out, knowing that if she doesn't approve on what I have on, she'll have me doing a little fashion show for her.

I don't know why my choice of outfit on the first day is always important to her. In her words' firsts impressions are always important, from your dressing.'

" No, no, it's a new school and I want you to stand out." She jokes.

" Totally the opposite of what I want," I mumble , standing up.

I watch her come around the counter and take a long look at me, well all of me. A small frown touches her face and then she starts walking around me like I'm some project.

"Mom ------"

" Wouldn't the leather skirt do with the pink shirt?" The thought of that short leather skirt has me scrunching up my nose in disagreement.

It's the shortest thing I own, well apart from all the shorts I have and it would be illegal, in my books, for a first day of school. Giving myself a look over, I find nothing wrong with my high waisted black jeans, white lace loose crop top and flannel shirt over, adding with my sneakers. I gave my hair a three side braid, finishing the look with little make-up.

"Mom, I'm comfortable and happy with my look, so --------"

The sound of a car horn both interrupts and relieves me.

"That must be Ethan , got to go mom," I say, taking my bag from the counter.

" Wait honey, before you go," she says, stopping me in my tracks.

Turning to her, my heart slams in my chest when my eyes connect with a certain object between her fingers. It's my gold locket, a gif from my parents.. It is one of the remaining things from them that I have ad honestly should never stop cherishing. But here I am , not wearing it, like I haven't done for a long time.

With a quick tight smile, I let her put it on around my neck. After a hug, I am out the door and now facing Ethan, who is leaning against his car, looking all types of cool.

Meeting me halfway, I'm taken into his harms, with a small kiss on my temple.

" Hi," he says, leaning in and giving me a lingering kiss before peppering kisses on my cheek and remaining on my neck, earning a giggle from me. Leaning back to look up at him, I smile at him.

The love I have for him is truly bubbling within my chest.

" Hi," I breathe.

" Hi," he says, smiling at me.

" Are you ready for --------- " I'm stopped mid sentence when he moves my hair to the side and traces his fingers on the mark on my neck.

Watching his smiling face turn to a frowning one makes my heart to drop.

" More harm was done, " he states, his intense gaze on the marks.

" Let's just go," I say, pulling at his arm to get going, not wanting the morning to be ruined.

Not moving an inch , his eyes on his feet, more like burning them with the intensity and because I know him, I know he's going deep in his head and may start blaming himself.

Standing in front of him and cradling his face in my hands, I make him look at me. I offer a reassuring smile and close the gap between us, wrapping my arms around his neck and peppering him with kisses under his ear. I murmur that I'm fine each time.

" I'm okay....." I murmur in his ear.

I hear him breathe out carefully, his body finally relaxing in my arms and calming me. Leaning back and looking down at me, he nods, closing his eyes a bit before opening them again.

" Let's go," he leads me to the passenger side of the car, where he opens the door and waits for me to enter, before coming over to the driver's side, giving me a glance before starting the car and driving off.

No further words are said between us as we fall into comfortable silence, with the soft sound of music travelling with us.

The first thought as we reach our destination is that it's a big school in a small town, with dangerous and mysterious surroundings of the forest. Something about the whole view reminds me of all those books I have read. The school does however look a bit old but it holds its own with some undeniable charm to it, but even then, I can't help the sudden cold chills I get by being here. There's something about being here that doesn't really sit right with me, maybe it's just me, I might have still been a little shaken up over what happened in the past weekend.

" Casey, " Ethan calls me.

" Huh?" I turn to him, seeing him standing by my opened door.

Oh gosh, I was thinking too hard again?

" Let's go," nodding , I get out of the car, taking my bag along with me.

Hand in hand, we enter the school , earning a few eyes from a few onlookers. Carrying on our way, we get our schedules, school maps and sign a few papers from the reception desk. After everything is settled and we are officially welcomed here, a relieved sigh escapes me at knowing that mine and Ethan's lockers aren't too far apart, thus giving us more reason to be close in school.

" Morning new friend!" I almost jump out of my skin at Ingrid's call and hand slamming on the next locker.

Turning to her and giving off a once off at her cute yellow sundress and brown sandles, I offer a welcoming smile before finishing off what I was previously doing.

" So how's your morning so far at Lincoln Pride High?"

Shutting my locker door and turning to her, I shrug in response. " Well the school surely looks to have history, haven't gotten the feel of the people and school hasn't started yet, so I'd say it's okay. Though I'll get back to you when I have got something."

" How are you after?-Um, you know...." She trails off, not really meeting my eyes.

Knowing that she wants to get in on about Saturday, I think of the best possible answer, without revealing too much.

" Um, I'm okay, I guess." I say, leaning against my locker, hoping we get over this topic.

" Well that's good. Um, I wanted to say that I'm sorry about Kayla and how she might have come across, she's just not really easy around new people. " I nod, as if understanding, feeling relieved when I notice Ethan come over, only to be stopped halfway by a very pretty girl.

Noticing where I'm looking, Ingrid glances over her shoulder before turning back to me. " Blonde, blue eyed, hot body and rich. Yep, now that my friend is one of the Walton's."

Oh the good looking ones, got it.

" And which Walton is she? " I ask, curious.

" The mayors niece, treated like the daughter they never had. You see, the mayor and his wife always struggled to have their own, that's why they have adopted..... Now Dana here, lost both her parents long time ago and just fit right in."

" It must have been hard, losing both your parents." I say absentmindedly, feeling sympathy for Dana, knowing exactly how it feels to lose both parents.

" Yeah , anyway she and her adoptive cousins, Matt, Kelly and Ryan practically own this school. You know typical rich clique, " she says, shrugging her shoulders.

" Oh I know that very well," I say.

Looking back at them again, only this time, they get close, more like Dana who wraps her arms around Ethan's neck and he returns the embrace. " Oh I forgot to tell you one thing."

" What?" What could possibly be more interesting than what I see now?

Peaking a glance over her shoulder, she sighs before speaking. '" They are each others first puppy love, you know grade school and all, but that was a long time ago." Oh that makes me feel so much better, note the sarcasm.

At that precise moment, my phone rings and looking at the caller ID, I see it's my mom.

" Excuse me, got to take this." I say, excusing myself to answer the phone and from the whole situation.

Elena Davis has always been worried about the smallest things, especially concerning me. I believe after that incident with the attack and now this, it has woken her deepest concerns. Now she has to hear from me every now and then, for reassurance that I'm okay.

" I'm okay mom." I say, though cut off by the sound of the bell." Mom I have to go, class has started. "

" Oh okay, have fun, I love you."

" Love you too, bye." I say, hanging up.

I love my mom, I do, but she worries way too much.

I rush out of the stall and out of the bathroom, not wanting to be late to class on my first day. I see a couple of students left in the hall, making me nervous that I'll actually be late. A minute's lack of attention causes me to bump into someone, almost falling on my butt yet somehow I don't make it on the floor, because someone's quick reflex save me.

Now I'm in the arms of someone.

Looking up, I'm met with grey intense eyes. My breath hitches when my body becomes hyper aware of the amounts of tingles and sparks, I receive from his touch. Looking into his eyes, all I seem to do is focus on his eyes and everything else around me disappears.

What is it with this stranger that makes it hard to look away?

As if I've burnt him and now he's coming back to reality, he releases me and I almost stagger back in surprise. He moves around me and walks away. I glance over my shoulder at him, feeling a twinge in my chest at watching him walk off. But then he stops in his tracks. His back to me.

" Casey!" I hear someone call me, turning to the person, I realise that it's Ethan calling me.

My mind is all jumbled up and I can't move from where I'm standing, glancing over my shoulder again, I find the stranger no where in sight. Feeling a taste of disappointment that I missed him walk away.

What is the matter with me ?

Ever since I've arrived here, nothing has made sense and this town has done nothing but bring more mystery and confusion.

I don't know if it is just me who feels like there is something strange around me, something that neither my mom and I had in mind when we came here. There is an uncertainty, the kind I left.

Something within me is telling me that I might have ran from the uncertainty only to be met by another. I do hope mom and I didn't make a mistake by moving here.