Devil

-42-

-Goddess-

I went by the house I bought a few days later to see what it even looked like. I was pulling up in my truck when suddenly a basketball hit my hood. I glared around, trying to find the culprit.

A younger looking stud with sweat glistening over her body quickly ran towards my vehicle and retrieved the ball. "Sorry," she sounded muffled from the outside of my car. I only nodded at her cordially and parked in front of the address Nicotine sent me.

I got out and nodded at her again before I started towards the house. It looked different than I had expected and also a bit...damaged, but I'm sure Nico could help me find someone to repair things. Or Legend, she seemed to know a lot of people.

"Hey!"

I turned around and it was the girl with the basketball. She jogged across the street towards me and held out a wet hand. "I'm Kiersten. Are you my new neighbor?"

I glanced at the basketball goal stationed in front of the house across the street and shrugged, also ignoring her hand. "I suppose we are neighbors then. I'm," I quickly struggled to figure out which name I should give her, "I'm Goddess."

"That's a pretty name," she smirked at me, checking me out on the low. She had a nice body, cute lighter colored eyes, and seemed to have a good enough personality, but she looked too young and I wasn't really looking for anyone since I had my own Nico situation going on. The other day Legend had just suggested to come clean to my best friend, but she obviously didn't know how hard that was. I was a natural born liar and I didn't like being vulnerable.

"Did you know the neighbor here before?" I asked the girl curiously. Nicotine had mentioned that the Ms. Orange lady seemed nice but it looked like a lot had gone on with the exterior of the apartment-home.

"Yeah," a sad look crossed the girl's face. She tried to cheer herself up, putting the ball underneath her other arm. "You look young. You goin to PISSH?"

"Nahh, I'm getting my GED," although I had mixed feelings about whether I'd continue to struggle underneath pounds and pounds of homework. "How old are you?" she peered at me, biting her bottom lip slowly. I tried to keep the look of surprise off of my face. Should I say an age much older to get her to back off or should I toy with her emotions? No, I'm already doing enough of playing with Nicotine.

"19," I finally answered honestly.

"I'm 18," she gave me a sly smirk.

"Chill kid," I laughed. I turned towards the house and she called my name. I took in a deep breath and prepared myself to be cordial. "Yes?"

"If you ever need anything, we're the Jade family. Just knock," she told me, turning back around and bouncing her basketball on the pavement.

The Jade family?

Kiersten Jade.

I smirked to myself. What a lovely coincidence that I'd be living across the street from Esla Lavigne's best friend? Perhaps I shouldn't move here with so much going on with the Lavigne case and me being attacked. I might put myself further on my enemy's radar, and I also would be up and personal with the case.

But it was a good deal on a place to stay and I only have a few days, I argued back in my head.

I wonder if Nicotine knew who lived in this vicinity, or if this had all been a coincidence. I vaguely remembered her offering to check out who lived in the area but I had already gotten the place now.

I unlocked the door and stepped inside. It was empty, the vague scent of packing tape in the air. I saw a broken window and a few other things that hinted at a break in. I had done quite a few myself after all. I peered down closely at some glass stuck into the couch. So that yellow tape outside hasn't been because of a power line near the driveway?