Lacy

4 ~ men in town

LACY

The funeral is three days away. I have four more days in this village before Miss Wilson comes to bring me to a more current placement. 

Jessica has grown busy—she spends hours in her nana's cottage—and Hella only leaves her house with spend time with Jessica. 

I walk down the street, breathing in the fresh air. Not many people are out. I turn the corner, and I see an elderly woman walking down the street. 

She stares at me. I paste a smile onto my face and wave. "Good day, ma'am." Her eyes widen slightly when I near her. 

"Dear God," She mutters, "reincarnation must be real." The woman scurries off before I can say another word, leaving me feeling utterly confused. 

Did she think I am a reincarnated person? Do I look like someone she knew? Her daughter, perhaps? Jessica did say I resemble a girl on her grandmother's mantle. 

"Hey, it's Stranger!" A voice calls behind me. I whip around and see James jogging towards me, still wearing classy clothes trying to pretend to be casual. 

James flashes me a crooked smile. I frown and take a subtle step back, yet James seems to notice it and frowns. 

Something about this boy is off. He seems to know me, yet I don't know him. But there is something in his eyes...something that fills me with nostalgia. 

It's silly, I know. There are many people who share the same eye color this strange English boy possesses. But there is a different sparkle I find so comforting. 

"Don't mean to startle you, Stranger. I just think we can be friends. Don't you?" He holds out his hand once again. "Mind telling me your name?" 

By the looks of it, I highly doubt that this James will leave me be. So, I exhale a sigh and clasp my hand around his. My hand is small compared to James'. 

"My name is...Lacy." 

James slightly falters in his cheery persona. He raises an eyebrow at me. "Lacy, is it? Nice name," His grin returns to his face. "I'm sixteen, Lace. How old are you?" 

An interrogation. I'm familiar with them. Throughout my life, I have been brought to the police station on multiple occasions. I seem to be receiving more by the townspeople here, though. 

"I just turned," I bite my lip, "fourteen." 

James smiles widely. "What a coincidence, I had a sister who must be fourteen now, too! Her birthday would've been a few months back." 

Why is he talking about his sister in past tense? Did she die? Disappear? Or perhaps I am reading too much into this. Perhaps his sister is in his home right now. 

I flash a polite smile. "Agreed—what a coincidence." 

A phone begins to ring. James reaches into his pocket and pulls out a gleaming, expensive phone. He glances at the caller ID, then at me. Smiles again. 

"Sorry, Lace. Gotta go!" In a blink, he has vanished from my view. I narrow my eyes at nothing. James can't be as nice as he seems. 

Everyone is always hiding something. Even if they put on a cheery front, deep inside of their soul, darkness churns. Everyone has darkness. 

I can't let that knowledge control me, and I can't let my paranoia dictate everything I do and everyone I interact with during my day. 

The Johnsons are just friendly and hospitable. Jessica is just lively and energetic. James is just charming and kind.