The Ways We Become Undone [ON HOLD]

Chapter Five

THE TRAIL truly lived up to its name. Everywhere, I heard the constant buzzing of the flying Cicadas as they whizzed past my ears and right in front of my eyes. I saw the large estate in the clearing and I almost ran towards it because the bugs were starting to creep me out since I wasn’t too fond of them nor did I have the backbone to kill them.

 

The estate could easily be seen as one of the oldest, yet still prestigious, in all of the thirteen square miles of Ember Hills. It was obviously restored at some point of its ancient existence, yet there was still a vintage charm to it with its many arched windows, aged columns that made a circular front porch, and stale blue color that brought one back to simpler times. I walked up the paved driveway that was surrounded by a vast front lawn colored by various flowers that were being handled by the gardeners, which I wasn’t surprised to see. With such a huge house and so called prominence, it wasn’t astonishing that Robert Rivers would have servants to do work for him. The gardeners all greeted me with hellos and good afternoons, while keeping their eyes low. I smiled back at them warmly in return as I walked up the front steps. But before I could even ring the doorbell, the grand front door opened and out came a certain person that made my mouth almost drop to the floor.

 

“Shit. I knew I shouldn’t have come,” I blurted out.

 

It was the boy from the week before. The one who had pestered me in his white Hummer on my way to art school. He looked confused at first when he saw me but when he finally recognized me, he smiled that annoying grin and his hazel eyes gleamed.

 

“Oh, hey. You’re the girl with the Cherry Red 1965 Mustang. Impressive,” he said while twirling the keys to his Hummer on his finger.

 

“You mean the girl you harassed,” I corrected him as I quickly reached forward, trying to snatch the keys from him.

 

He was quicker than me though, pulling his hand back just in time. He grinned wider and pocketed the keys. “Too slow. And I’m truly sorry about that.”

 

“Are you really?” I rolled my eyes.

 

He chuckled, “Nope.”

 

“Exactly. Now move aside, I have to go tutor someone.” I tried to push past him but he blocked my way.

 

“Wait. You’re that tutor for Irene?” His smile faded and his eyebrows raised in surprise for a moment before the smile appeared once again. “Maybe you could teach me a few things.” He stepped toward me, making me automatically step back. And then he winked.

 

I terribly wanted to punch him in the face.

“I’m pretty sure I won’t be able to teach you anything.” I pushed him away a little and he happily obliged, moving away from my path. I started walking away from him, relieved that he didn’t try to do anything stupid—not that I would let him, of course—but just as I stepped into the threshold of the estate, I heard his voice.

 

“My name’s Collin, by the way. Collin Rivers.”

 

I glanced back to see him standing there, his hands stuffed in his jean pockets with a smile that said he was too confident. Oh, how I wanted to wipe that confidence right off his face.