Ghost Flowers

14. Watching and Smoking

"What the fuck?" Savana quickly spun around and smacked the person with her phone. She tried desperately to shine her phone flashlight on their face.

"Really?" The person stumbled back and shielded their eyes from the light.

"God! You scared the hell out of me! What are you doing at my house?" Savana tried not to shout, afraid her dad would hear them. She glared down at him, sitting on the ground. Something caught her eye in the light. There were dozens of cigarette butts all around the tree. Neither she nor her dad smoke. "How long have you been standing there? Can you not just dump your disgusting cigarettes in my yard?" She snapped.

Landon stood up and rubbed his cheek. "What? Those aren't mine. Anyway, I'm sorry. I tried to get your attention. I didn't want your dad to know I was here. I wanted to apologize."

Savana had already forgotten about the cigarettes and walked back to the front door. 'Shit. Shit. Shit!' She thought to herself. Gavin couldn't know he was here. "Apologize for what? And how the hell do you know where I live?" She whispered harshly as she walked in front of him.

He smiled. "I drove past here one day and saw you getting out of your car. Anyway, I wanted to apologize for my apology last night. Or just the last thirty-six hours I guess."

Savana stopped in front of her porch and turned to look at him. She could see him better now, facing the kitchen light. She wondered why the porch light didn't turn on from the motion sensor.

"Alright, I'm listening." Savana put her hands on her hips. She felt exposed, wearing a white tank top and blue pajama shorts. She didn't realize how chilly it was outside until now.

Landon looked at her up and down. "I don't remember much from last night. I got really drunk and felt guilty for what happened at the lake." He studied her face for a second, then put his head down. "I'm really sorry for how I've been acting."

She watched him for a moment and felt sorry for him. "I know you tried and Ezra says you mean well."

Landon looked at her and smiled.

Savana continued. "I mean I appreciate you being nice to me when I talk about my mom. But you can't keep getting all up in my business when I don't want you to. I don't want you to prank me anymore, especially by drowning me. And be nice to my friends, okay? I just want us all to get along."

Landon smiled. "Yeah, I think I can work on that."

Savana noticed how the kitchen light highlighted his face. He had a charming smile. She felt that strange heartbeat again. She wondered why she had felt like this lately.

She noticed another light shining behind Landon. She assumed it was Cully and Faye coming up her driveway. Instead, it was a big black truck.

"Oh fuck." Savana said to herself after realizing who it was. Then she saw Landon's silhouette sprint off into the woods on the side of her house.

"Landon? Where are you going?" She shouted after him.

A familiar voice sent goosebumps up Savana's arms. "Is everything alright Savana?"

She twisted her head around and laughed nervously. "Yeah, everything is fine Mr. Flynn."

Michael walked up to her with his gorgeous smile. "How many times do I have to tell you to call me Michael? But seriously, are you alright? I just saw you talking to that Landon boy and he took off."

"Oh, please don't tell my dad. Nothing happened. He just apologized for something stupid he said yesterday. It's all good." Savana pleaded.

Michael looked her up and down. "Well, I know your dad. He wouldn't be happy to hear Landon sneaking around the house this late. But I won't say anything. He sounded like he was almost three sheets to the wind when he called me."

"Yeah, he and Jesimae started a while ago." Savana felt extremely exposed now. She did not expect Michael to come over too.

Just then, they both saw Cully's car pull up in the driveway too. "I was surprised I didn't see them here already. Well, I'll go in and check how your dad is doing." Michael said.

"Thanks, Michael." She smiled.

"No problem kiddo." He smiled back and patted her shoulder before walking into the house. Her goosebumps wouldn't go away.

Cully and Faye got out of the small red car. "I see you managed to talk to my dad again." Cully laughed. "I didn't know he was coming here too."

"Yeah, my dad invited him." Savana got the girls inside and into her room at the end of the hallway. Cully could finally hear everything that happened at Ezra's house last night.