The Shadow

Chapter 5

"June. DID YOU SEE HIS EYES?"

"Yes, Charlie. I saw them very clearly."

"Did you see his smile?"

"Yes, Charlie. I did."

"Did you see his arms?"

"No, Charlie, I'm blind. Of course I did."

"Then why aren't you freaking out over the fact that he is sitting right next to you in Jacobson's class?"

Charlie shot me a pointed look from the driver's seat of her car, and I shook my head, watching houses go by as she drove me to my house from school. 

"He's probably just another egotistical jerk," I muttered, more to myself than her. Vincent - as I learned his name was after he introduced himself to me in class - was undeniably the most attractive new kid to ever come to Casadee Falls, but behind that heart melting smile and bright green eyes was an over-confident egotistic player, no matter how well he hid it. But I could see straight through the act; I had lost all hope in hot guys when I was a freshman and learned how people really were.

Charlie rolled her eyes, turning the car onto my street. "Would you just give the kid a chance?" she pleaded, but I shook my head.

"The last time I gave a kid a chance, it backfired in my face."

The yellow buggy pulled to a stop in front of my house--a basic tan ranch with a yellow lawn--and she turned to face me. 

"June, that was freshman year with Blake, who moved away last year! He's gone; the whole thing's in the past."

"It still happened," I argued, unclipping my seatbelt while Charlie let out an exasperated sigh.

"You have to let it go," she said quietly, knowing she was hitting a sore spot but still daring to go there. 

"Not going to happen." I shut the car door, slinging my turquoise backpack over my shoulder and stalking up to my front door.

I would never forgive Blake Jackson for what he did to me Freshman year, no matter how much time goes by. He was the sole reason I was--

Stop, I warned myself, knowing that it wasn't worth remembering what he had done, not when things were finally looking up again.

The house was completely silent when I entered, setting my keys and school bag on the counter. Maggie was still at preschool, Grandma had left when she drove her there, and Mom was at work. I shrugged out of the light tan jacket had I worn to school, draping it over one of the kitchen stools, and wearily entered the living room.

After being satisfied that the room was empty, except for my cat, I cautiously made my way upstairs, surveying each bedroom when I reached the second floor. The last thing I wanted was to have The Shadow hiding out in my house. Again.

My room was cool when I walked in, my eyes immediately moving to my window to make sure it was still locked. Part of me was expecting another yellow sticky note to be plastered on the glass, but all that was there was a cloudy smudge of reidue left over from last night's message.

Quickly, I changed into a pair of leggings and a loose tee-shirt, slipping my feet into my running sneakers. Between The Shadow and talking about Blake with Charlie I needed to clear my mind, and running seemed like the best idea.

Knowing I was going to regret going for a run in the middle of it when I was dying and gasping for breath, I set out anyways, locking the front door and putting the key under the 'welcome' matt in front of it. I had already taken off down my street and turned a few corners when I realized that I had forgotten my phone.