RUN!

47

*Reyna*

"I don't get why you had to drop me off but thank you," I tell Landon, reaching for the handle of the door. We bumped into each other after school and he'd had the bright idea of dropping me home. I'm eager to go inside and call Lee so he can explain more about that cryptic text Adonis sent me(since, conveniently, his phone has been switched off since) but Landon steps out with me.

"What?" I dare to ask him.

"Walking you to the door— hey you've got visitors," he points at the SUV parked in front of his car. I hadn't even noticed that.

"That's odd, maybe it's for the other apartment?" I say to him but when I step forward I realize there are voices coming from my apartment that don't belong to either of my brothers. Silently I crouch and grab a stick lying on the floor while advancing slowly. Landon doesn't do slowly though, he grabs my hand and pulls me behind him in one swift motion then opens the door before I can even object.

"REYNA!" My brothers both scream. They jump off from the couch and make a beeline towards me, grabbing on to me so that it doesn't even qualify as a hug.

"Boys what's going on—"

"Miss Reyna Diaz?" A tall blond lady appears in front of the door of my house and a different kind of chill runs through my bones. Appearing next is a plump and much shorter brown skinned woman who appeared older and more calmer. That did nothing to ease my worries though. Landon takes two steps back so he's standing a bit in front of me and a bit beside me.

"Who are you people?" I ask, holding on to my brothers.

"My name is Emily Hart and this is Becca Williams. We're from child support," the tall blonde replies. Her voice is quipped and dry like she hasn't used her voice box in a million years but that's really not the issue here.

What are social workers doing in my house?

"How, if I may, did you get in?" Landon asks for me when it's obvious I can't form any coherent words.

"They opened up for us. When we showed them our badges and answered several questions they let us in," Becca replies. I look down at the twins instantly and they're already looking up at me with guilty eyes.

"Miss Diaz, could we go inside to talk?"

"No." My answer shocks everyone, including myself. "I don't know what you think but entering into someone's house when only kids are inside is not a nice way of starting any conversation neither is it professional. I want to tell you to leave but I have a feeling you won't."

The tall blond steps down so she's on the same level as me. She smiles at me and tries to come off as helpful but all I can see is a witch.

"We received a report from one of the neighbors about how you and your brothers have been living for the past 4 or 5 years now."

"And how is that?" I fold my arms.

"Alone. With no adult around. Your father is late and your mother is under the constant influence of drugs," she gives me a look that says: should I go on?

"So? What's your point?" I fire. From my peripheral I see Landon texting someone on his phone but I focus on the blond.

"Reyna, you left two twelve year olds unsupervised. Anyone could have walked in and harmed them."