Hidden In The Dark (IN EDITING)

In The Mirror

"I'm not kidding, he was literally staring at me the whole time." I rant to Gray as we walk home from school taking the normal route. My hands are shoved into my blue jean jacket while the Legion high heel boots I wore crush the fallen leaves on the ground.

"Maybe he's just a perv, yah never know." My nose crinkles up at Gray's suggestion.

"But it's like he knew me, like we've met before somewhere. I could tell there was something different about him, almost as if I looked into those same eyes yet not him. I don't know I feel kinda crazy." I ramble on as we walk, earlier we had walked through the alley where I met Vali but I held my tongue instead of dumping the contents of my brain out.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, at least I think so."

"Well I'll talk to you later yeah?" I nod and watch him walk up to his front door and disappear into the house. I decide to stop at Mr. Craig's deli on the way home,

"Hey Craig."

"Afternoon Leaigh, what can I get for yah?" His toothy grin never fails to lift my spirits and bring a smile to my face, I hope one day I do something that I love as much as Craig loves his deli.

"I'll take one of those famous grilled cheese sandwiches please."

"You got it." I make my way to the corner booth and sat down with my back pack in the seat beside me.

The sandwich shop has been here since before I was born, even before my parents were married. My dad and Craig use to be close friends so I already had a friendship developed before my dad died. I always see Craig as my uncle now, and it's nice to have family figures other than my mother around.

After everything happened I started visiting almost every day, but as time went on and things changed I started coming every so often. My food arrived so I ate while I sketched on a piece of paper out of my bag.

When I get finished eating I grab my things and go to the counter, "How much?" I asked Craig with my wallet out and ready.

"You ask me that every time and every time I say you don't have to pay." I shrug my shoulders, "suit yourself" but I secretly place a 5 into the tip jar without him noticing.

The bipolar weather clings to me as a rich person clings to their money, the bit of humidity in the air causes moisture to prickle at my brow. I abandoned my jacket which is now draped over my arm and now stand with my ripped skinny jeans and a red and white ditsy floral drawstring crop top. My shoes keeping it from looking to soft and sweet.

This town isn't that big or loud so the walk is mostly peaceful other than the occasional car that passes by. If there's one thing I've learned, it's that when you're outside your mind wonders aimlessly.

You can have a large school project due in 30 minutes, but as soon as you breathe in the fresh air or the natural beauty engulfs you.....you forget.

*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*

"Get your lazy rump out of bed." I groan when Gray rips of my headphones and stands over me with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Get outtt." I mumble before grabbing my headphones and placing them back onto my head, my eyes close and I get back into the zone.

The headphones are ripped off my head and my ankles are grabbed within seconds, making my eyes fly open and my arms flail around me hoping to grab onto something.

"I'm going to this party and so are you!" Gray breathes out, still dragging me off the comfortable bed. My butt slams onto the floor with full force, sending an ache through my tailbone, the face I make must be pretty scary because Gray starts backing away from me slowly.

A feral sound unleashes from my throat and I jump for Gray but he slips out of reach in the last second and storms out of my room.

"Grayson Lee Miller get back here NOW" I yell out and start to run off but something catches my attention from my bathroom. When I walk in everything seems normal but when I look in the mirror and see a dark hooded figure in the reflection I do a double take.

"Vali?" My voice comes out dry as I look at the mirror and back to where the reflection would be in the bathroom.

"Yes?" His voice startles me, making me send a right hook behind me but his hand quickly catches mine before it can reach his face. Somebody also has good reflexes.

My hand disappears in the depths of his huge one while his face holds an empty expression.

"You called for me, why am I here?" My face twists up in confusion before I get the right words to ask.

"Uhh that wasn't you in the mirror?" My gaze goes back to where I saw the figure and back to Vali. Something changes in his eyes before he looks around the room, his head not moving but just his eyes.

"No." My breathing stops and I pull my fist out of his grasp and stalk over to my closet, I pull out a bag and place a change of clothes in it as well as my toothbrush and my backpack.

"What are you doing?"

"Going to stay somewhere else cause I'll lick the toilet seat before I stay here with whatever that was." I say and zip the bag up, feeling a little lightheaded when I look back up to him.

My vision goes blurry but I try to blink it away, I feel the warmth of liquid running out of my nose but don't get a chance to wipe it before I stumble back,

"Vali, what's going on?" I whisper out as I see a blurry figure run to me, I lose my footing but the figure holds me up until the dark specs that cover my vision spreads until I can't hear, see, or feel anything.