Relentless

Chapter 8

"Jay? Jay, wake up." Lisa says, shaking my arm slightly. I open my eyes and see that we are in the driveway of a small house. It's not a condo, more like a ranch. I open the car door and get one of my suitcases out of the trunk.

"Lisa... Can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead, sweetheart."

"Are there any men that live here? Are you married?" I ask.

"No, it's just me. You are taking what used to be the guest bedroom. It's rather large so it should work for you. It has a TV and a desk inside."

"What do you do for a living?"

"I am a nurse at the hospital." I nod and we take my suitcases into my room.

Brown walls with hardwood flooring. Flat screen TV mounted on the wall. One large window with a desk and chair in the corner. A walk-in closet. Shelves upon shelves to put my books on. A bed with clean sheets and big pillows. This room is everything I ever wanted.

"I hope it fits your needs." Lisa states as she places the last suitcase into room.

"It exceeds all possible expectations." I say.

"The remote is on the little desk next to your bed. If you need anything, just yell."

"Thank you, Lisa." She smiles at me and walk out of the room. I look in the body length mirror next to my desk and see a girl with a cut next to her right eyebrow with a white, small bandage on. She wears a black hoodie with a dark purple tank top, jeans and a pair of sneakers. The girl in the mirror is broken, afraid and troubled. That girl is no other than Jay Hayden Summers.

I unpack my suitcases, hang up my clothes, put shoes away and stack books. I want my copy of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer back!

I walk out of my room and knock on the door down the hall, assuming it's Lisa's.

"Come in!" She says, welcoming me. I open the door and lean against the frame.

"Is there a book store around here?"

"About ten minutes away. Why, do you want to go?"

"Please?"

"Okay, the car keys are in the kitchen. All you have to do is enter the address in the GPS and then..."

"Actually, I was just going to walk."

"I'd much rather you take the car. It's four-thirty and by the time you start walking home it will be dark. Please take the car. All you have to do is look up the address and enter it in the GPS. Or do you want me to drive you?"

"That's okay. I can drive myself. Thank you."

"Do you have my number in your cell phone?"

"Yes, I do. You gave it to me last night."

"Okay. Be back by seven, okay?"

"Alright." I close her door on the way out and make my way to the kitchen. I take the car keys from the counter while searching for the address of the book store on my phone. Once it appears I walk out the front door to the car and get in, adjusting the seat and mirrors. After entering the address in the GPS, I back up the car and start driving, following the directions.

I park a few blocks away so I can get some air, even if it's filled with pollution, and get out of the car.

I walk down the street and look at the people. They seem lively and... well, lively. California is very different compared to Montana. There are so many people around here and it's so crowded. Montana was deserted. It was...

I feel my shoulder collide with another shoulder and feel myself falling backwards. Before the concrete catches my fall, I feel strong arms secure me. My breathing picks up as the arms pull me up to stand. I open my eyes to see brown ones staring back at me.

"Sorry, I didn't see you there."

"Obviously." I say, trying to start my new life, with a new, strong attitude.

"Easy there, Tiger, no harm no foul." He looks at my eyebrow with a confused daze and I move around him to walk to the store. I don't feel like explaining my injuries to a complete stranger. I open the door to the store and walk in.

"Excuse me?" I say once I reach the customer service desk.

"Yes? How may I assist you?" A young woman answers.

"Do you have a copy of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer in stock?"

"Let me see." She says, typing away on her computer. "Yes we do, would you like me to get it for you?"

"No, thank you, just point me in the direction and I'll get it." She points behind her and I start for the various novels.

I look over the shelves and finally see it. I release a happy sigh and move to grab it when I see a hand moving to grab the same book. I look at who the hand belongs to and see the brown-eyed dude who ran into me.

"Same taste in literature, huh?" He says with a smirk on his face. I grab the book before he can and walk away from him. "I was just making sure you were alright." He says, walking after me.

"I'd be better if you left me alone."

"Fine." I see him walk ahead of me and out the door.

After paying for my copy and securing it in my bag before anyone else can take it from me, I go back and look at the other novels.

At six-thirty, I walk out of the store with Mara Dyer in my purse and walk down the street to my car. Once I get in I drive home, excited to start reading.