RUN

Prologue 3: Maybe too excited

Kristen Dreaming ^ ^

    "Goodnight," Mom whispered as she gently closed my bedroom door behind her.

I waited. One... two... click.

The moment I heard the soft latch of the door, I sat up in bed and reached for my laptop. I'd searched some pretty bizarre things before, but this? This was by far the strangest.

I typed his name slowly, carefully: Jack Lennons.

My father. The man who left me and my mom like we were yesterday's trash. I didn't even know what I was hoping to find—just that I had to know something about him. Who he was. Why he left.

The name sounded... sincere. But also fake. Like someone who could smile while hiding a secret. Maybe my dad was mysterious. Or maybe he was just a coward.

The search loaded.

Jackson "Jack" Lennons, born 1970 in NYC, New York. Known for his breakout film Lovin' You Was..., which he both directed and wrote.
Spouse: Natalia Whitman (2001–2006)
Children: Unknown

Children: Unknown.

I slammed the laptop shut and collapsed under the covers, squeezing my eyes shut like that would help erase what I'd just read. Was he happy now? Was he somewhere living his best life, not even aware that I exist?

Tears burned at the corners of my eyes before I even knew I was crying. I hated that I felt this way. Hated the pressure he'd put on Mom. She still flinches at the sound of his name.

And, apparently, so do I.

Eventually, exhaustion pulled me under.

When I opened my eyes, I was in my room—but something was... off.

I wasn't alone.

I didn't know what it was. A spider? A lion? An alien? Whatever it was, it had glowing green eyes and a slow, heavy breath. My chest tightened. My throat was seconds from a scream when—

I shot upright, heart pounding.

That was only the beginning.

"So it had green eyes? And looked like a spider?" William asked, exaggerating his British accent as we walked to school.

He always did that when he thought I was lying.

"Yes!" I said, a little too loudly.

William giggled.

"It's not funny, and you know it." I shoved his arm. "It was the weirdest dream I've ever had, and it has to mean something."

William stepped in front of me, gently pressing his hands to my arms to calm me down. My breath came out sharp and fast. Maybe it was the steep hill we were climbing. Or maybe it was the memory of those eyes—those inhuman green eyes watching me as I slept.

He pulled me into a hug. The kind of hug that silenced the world. Eventually, my breathing steadied, and I leaned into it.

Then he pulled back slightly.

"Kris," he said softly. I nodded.
"You know I care about you, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then why say something like that?"

I pulled away, too fast, and walked ahead of him, arms crossed. I stayed on the far left side of the sidewalk. So did he.

I refused to look, but I could feel his eyes on me.

"Kristen, you know I'm just as scared as you are. Just because we're best friends doesn't mean I'm always going to believe every single thing."

That hit me.

"But I always believed you," I snapped. "When you told me about the shadow in your backyard. Or the whispering voice in your dreams. I never doubted you. I thought we were a team. I thought we... we—"

"We what?" he interrupted.

"I THOUGHT WE LOVED EACH OTHER!"

My voice echoed. Love each other... each other... other...

I didn't realize he'd stepped so close until I looked up—and jumped slightly.

William's face was unreadable. Curious. Gentle. Maybe even... scared.

"Love each other?" he repeated, voice barely above a whisper. "What do you mean?"

"I mean..." I hesitated. "I love you."

There was a beat. And then he smiled—small, but real.

"But we're only friends."

"So? You can love your friends." I looked him dead in the eyes. "Even when they don't love you back."

He didn't look away.

"You think I don't love you?"

I shook my head slowly.

William stepped closer, placed his hands on my shoulders again. I looked down, but he gently lifted my chin.

"Kristen Elizabeth Lennons," he said. "I love you. As a friend. Of course."

I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding and wrapped my arms around him again. This time, he kept one arm around my shoulder as we walked the last block to school.

For once, I didn't feel afraid.

The building was quiet. Too quiet.

No students. No teachers. Not even the front desk receptionist.

I pulled off my gray beanie, confused.

"Where is everyone?" I turned in circles, scanning empty hallways.

When I looked back, William was gone.

"William?" I called. "William!"

I turned sharply and bumped into something solid. Startled, I looked up—it was William, chatting with a janitor holding a broom and dustpan.

"-Oh okay. Thank you for telling me. Bye... Mister."

William jogged over.

"What did he say?" I asked, practically bouncing on my toes.

He rested his hands on my shoulders again, face serious.

"School's canceled. Apparently, there's a virus going around. Most of the staff and students are out sick. Since it's Thursday, they decided to cancel school for the rest of the week."

My heart did a backflip.

I let out a breathless laugh and threw my arms around him again. No school. Nothing could ruin today.

Nothing.