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Chapter One

Chapter One:

Hope

It was midnight when the storm fell silent. I couldn’t walk these streets at night without seeing home; the rain glistening on the concrete underneath the pale light of the moon. But I knew this wasn’t my home. At home, fear was a stranger.

            “Meet me on the car park behind the roadhouse,” I said, a mixture of air and words. San Francisco was lost in the shadows of its own grey winter, a stretch of dark concrete surrounding me beneath the twinkling light of Frosty John’s ‘Free Drinks at Happy Hour’ sign. Haven’s pause on the end of the phone call was unbearable.

            “Tell me you haven’t messed this up already,” his tone was condescending. Arrogant. I couldn’t decide if his staying in the city for tonight before going home was a blessing or a curse. I didn’t need an excuse to rely on him, of all people.

            “Just meet me,” a small pause “Now.”

            “You’re lucky I don’t trust you.”

            “What are you talking about?”

            “Turn around.”

He was almost invisible in the shadows. Haven’s black clothing wrapped around his limbs with the weight of the rain, like a new layer of skin. The piercings biting into either side of his lower lip made his smug smile appear cruel.

            “Did you follow me here?” I demanded, eyeing the raindrops sliding down his pale skin; the black tangle of hair splaying across his grey eyes. I didn’t need to hear him say it to know the answer.

            “I wanted to make sure you weren’t doing anything that could get you into trouble.” The corners of his lips curled higher. Judging by the amusement on his face, my expression was stunned. This was a new level of ridiculous, even for him.

            “I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself. You should know that by now.”

            “Whatever,” Haven lit up a cigarette, and the smoke blew into my face; his favourite form of intimidation. I refused to take a step away. “Why did you want me to meet you so bad? And at a roadhouse?”

            “He works here,” I answered simply, throwing my gaze over my shoulder to the building. I inhaled the smoky air before giving him his answer. “I called you here to tell you that I’m not going to go through with this. I can’t. I’m going back on the plane with you. This whole situation is just too twisted this time.” I felt a pang of desperation in my chest, wrapping around my throat. Haven dropped his cigarette to the ground and crushed it with his boot. His face was lost in the shadows again.

            “Did you mishear the rules? You know what the consequences will be if you go home, Hope. And not just for you,” I almost saw fear flash over his face for the first time, his voice dropping low, like he was telling me a secret. “You’re going to do this, and when it’s all over, you can come home and nobody will get hurt. Do I make myself clear?”

            My lungs suddenly felt tight. I did know the consequences, and I had to do everything I could to stop them from happening. “Yes,” I breathed, nodding once. “But if you continue to exist around me with that chip on your shoulder,” I stepped closer to him, diminishing the space between us - “I’ll make sure you don’t last another month. You know I can do that.” 

            Haven stepped forward before I could stop him, securing me to the cool metal of the car by both arms, his breath hot below my earlobe. “Don’t test me,” he growled.