Salvation : Book 3

CHAPTER 23 : Don't Give Up On Love

The sun was setting when I pulled up in front of Adrian's house. Touching the horizon in the west were golden hues framed by rosy coloring. The sky was growing darker by the minute, it was a lovely navy blue now, the first stars were beginning to appear. Shadows were cast onto the woods, as the wind blew against the trees. I took a step out of the SUV, my feet hitting the solid pavement with a thud. As I walked up to the front door I noticed how the street was empty and quiet. It was peaceful and calm.

     I swung open the gate of the white picket fence, before making my way past the flower garden in the front yard, there were pansies, lilies, marigolds and daffodils. They filled the air with their aromatic fragrance. I took a good whiff as I tightened my hand around backpack strap. 

     I put my hand to the door, gently rapping against it until someone pulled it open. "Michael," I said as I looked up at the six feet tall man. His dark hair was shorter than the last time I'd seen him, it suited him. It brought more focus to his bright forest green eyes. He looked down at me with his permanent scowl.

     "What are you doing here?" He asked.

     "I here to see Adrian," I told him. "What are you doing here?"

     "I live here," he said matter-of-factly.

     "Since when?"

     "Since you moved back to West Chapel," he explained. "We're still your guardians if you've forgotten, wherever you go we go."

     "I didn't know that," I told him. "What about Kai and Davin? Are there here too?" I asked trying to peer past him, as if I'd catch a glance of them standing behind him. They weren't there.

     Adrian frowned. "They're still in Alon, but we've been keeping an eye on you," he said.

     "You've been watching me?" I asked incredulously. "For how long?"

     "Since you stupidly decided to go back to school," he said. "I don't know what it is about you, kid, but you have a serious death wish. You don't know how to stay put, do you? I—"

      "Marcus," Adrian said as he appeared behind Michael. Michael moved out of the way to let me in.

      "You're early," Adrian commented. I checked my wrist watch.

      "It's five thirty, I'm on time," I corrected him. He chuckled.

      "Okay, I got distracted," he admitted. "You can wait in the living room while I get my books from my room," he suggested. I nodded.

      I moved towards the living room, leaving Michael behind me. I heard him shut the door before he followed me into the living room. I settled down on the couch, setting my backpack on the floor.

      Michael went through the kitchen entrance leaving me alone. I pulled out my bio text book, my notebook and several pens—just in case—placing them on the coffee table. I opened the text book to the page Adrian and I had last gone over.

      Adrian came back padding into the room five minutes later. He settled next to me. "Ready?" I asked and he nodded. We went over the homework Adrian had been give first.

     "How come you didn't tell me that Michael was staying here?" I asked him a moment later.

      He shrugged. "I don't know, must have slipped my mind," he said and I furrowed my brows. "He's hardly ever here anyway."

     "Because he's too busy following me around," I scoffed as I picked up a pen. I brought the text book close to us.

     "He told you that?" I nodded.