Chapter 2
- Dylan turns to me with a frown... Josh can't turn as he's driving, so he looks at me from the rearview mirror.
- "Are you sure you're ok?" Dylan asked.
- "You can tell us anything" Josh said.
- There's a moment of silence, they both waiting for my reply.
- "I think I saw something in the woods!"
- They both shared a look, Dylan turns back to me.
- "There's nothing in the woods, Stacey...your mind must be playing tricks on you" he said.
- "Really?"
- "Yeah.. maybe you're still thinking about the nightmare"
- Hmm...that makes sense. It must be I'm just paranoid...I need to get that stupid picture off my head.
- I reach for my phone and earbuds in my backpack...and begin to go through my playlists.
- "How about we resume your therapy sessions when we're settled in New Orleans?" Will suggest.
- "No!" I replied.
- "Why?"
- "It won't make any difference"
- "Stacey...."
- I ignore him and put on my earbuds and decide to play *stuck with you* by justin bieber and ariana grande.
- I'm not gonna attend any therapy...I have tried it before it didn't work.
- I just hope moving to New Orleans will help stop my nightmares.
- Stacey's POV
- After a long torturing drive... Josh finally stops in front of a building.
- Josh and Dylan quickly alighted, I also didn't waste any time to follow suit. Dylan throws his arm around my shoulders and inhaled deeply.
- "Stacey, can you feel the peace and quiet this place will bring you?" He asked.
- I raised an eyebrow at him.
- "We just got here... Who knows if we're gonna move tomorrow!"
- He groans and rolls his eyeballs.
- "You're such a killjoy!"
- I chuckled at his failed attempt to cheer me up and make me love this place.
- *Be careful, guys.. don't break anything!* I heard Josh talking to the movers as they move in our stuffs.
- I took the time to study the building... It looks like a portable mansion.
- I nod.
- My legs find their way to the backyard, to confirm if what Josh and Dylan said are true.
- A small smile finds its way to my lips as I saw a small garden of roses and lilies instead.. and a single guava tree with a few guava fruit on it.
- *This is perfect!* I thought mentally.
- Maybe they're right, I might not get any nightmares since there's no woods behind.
- Someone taps my shoulder and I turn... Dylan and Josh stands behind me... Josh's hands tugged in his pocket and Dylan smiling brightly.
- "So.. what do you think?" Dylan asked.
- They both looking at me anxiously.. waiting for my reply.
- I scoffed mentally, they're asking for my opinion now... As if it has ever mattered.
- "Do you like it?" Dylan asked again.
- I nod.
- "Yeah... since there's no woods!"
- Dylan claps his hands together and from my peripheral view, I saw Josh sigh in relief... a small smile tugs at the corner of his lips.
- "Excellent!" Dylan said.
- "The movers are done, let's go in and check the rooms!" Josh said.
- Dylan takes my hand and pulls me along... I hope the inside won't disappoint me!
- *
- *
- "Wow!"
- I couldn't help it but awe at the beauty I'm seeing... Honestly, this house is ten times more beautiful than our previous house.
- It's got high ceilings and high french windows... Let's just say I can't describe the interior in full, cause I'm pretty bad at descriptions!
- Wait... I need to get the room with its window facing the garden.
- I turned to Josh with a smile... He studies my expression and sighed.
- "Fine... It's that one over there!" He points to a room.
- He already knows what I wanna ask... He doesn't need me to tell him.
- I rushed there but not before yelling.. "Dylan! Bring in my luggage!"
- He groans but I hear him pulling my luggage along.
- I enter the room and rushed towards the window... I opened it and smile as I breathe in.
- The garden is right outside my window... I saw two butterflies, flying around a flower.
- "Well, it seems you really like this place now!" Dylan said from behind.
- I rolled my eyes.
- "Dylan I only like the garden!"
- "Oh!"
- "Yeah!"
- Josh clears his throat and calls our attention.
- "Well, Stacey, Dylan and I have something to discuss... we'll leave you to unpack and settle in!"
- I nod.. wanting them to leave. But my stomach growls loudly and I remember we haven't had any food since morning.
- Dylan looks at his wrist watch.
- "Josh, it's already lunchtime... Stacey and I will go for groceries shopping first"
- I slaps his shoulder.
- "Grocery shopping?!"
- He nods.
- "I'm already so hungry and you're talking about grocery shopping?!"
- He nods again.
- "Can you say something other than nodding?"
- He chuckles lightly.
- "We'll go buy groceries and Josh is gonna cook for us!" He said.
- I rolled my eyes for the hundredth time.. what a bunch of caring brothers I have.
- I throw my backpack on my new bed and keep my storybook inside... Seeing my storybook, I suddenly remember something.
- I stands up abruptly.
- "What about school?"
- They both frown.
- "School?" They asked at once.
- "Yeah.. when am I resuming school? This is my senior year, I can't slack off"
- Dylan laughs.
- "Relax.. Josh didn't forget you're a nerd..."
- "I'm not a nerd!" I cut him off.
- He nods frantically.
- "Right, right....!"
- "I found you your new school and talked with the principal last night... You're resuming tomorrow!" Josh said.
- I nod... At least they're not gonna delay my studies. I turned to Dylan.
- "Dylan, you'll go the grocery shopping alone...I wanna unpack and get my things ready for tomorrow"
- "No!" Dylan and Josh said at once.
- I furrow my brows together.
- "Ok... You're both acting weird!" They both have a scared expression on.
- "Weird? We just don't want to leave you alone in the house" Dylan said.
- "I'm not alone, Josh is gonna be here"
- "Josh... he...."
- "I'm visiting one of my friends" Josh cuts him off.
- "Your friends?"
- He and Dylan nods.
- "You have friends here?"
- They nods again.
- "Since when?"
- They both exchange looks and Dylan nods at Josh... Like they just had a conversation telepathically.
- "Remember I came here sometime ago for business?" Josh asked.
- "Yeah?" I replied.
- "Well, I made a few friends then... Now that I'm here, I must check on them!"
- Hmm... It's confirmed... Their acting strange.
- Could it be my nightmares are taking a toll on them and they've gone.... Loco?!
- "Come on, Stacey... I'm starving, let's get moving!" Dylan said and grabbed my hand.
- He turns to Josh.
- "Extend my greetings to your friends!"
- Josh nods.... While Dylan pulls me out.
- *
- *
- Walking down the streets with Dylan is a crime now! I mean, all the girls are glaring daggers at me... I guess they're thinking I'm his girlfriend.
- I shake my head mentally... If only they knew I'm his younger sister!
- Ok, enough of the girls talk... I noticed something else.
- The people in general... Elderly ones... Men and women.. they all seem to be giving me a disgusting look... like I'm carrying some kind of disease.
- They're murmuring among themselves as we walk past them... I pulled Dylan closer and whisper in his ear.
- "What's going on? Why are they staring at me like that?"
- He look around and throw his arm around my shoulders.
- "They can hear you!"
- "Huh?" They can hear me? How?!
- "Just ignore them... I bet they're just surprised to see new faces in their town"
- Great! Just great! This is one of the reasons I hate moving!
- Dylan stops walking and I raised my head with a frown.
- "Let's check out this supermarket!" He said and pulls me inside.
- *
- *
- Writer's pov
- "Stop there!" A guard stops Joshua as he's about to walk through a gate.
- The guard access him and sniffs the air.
- "You're not a rogue.. who are you?" The guard asked.
- "I'm Joshua Rivera!"
- "That's not what I mean!" The guard retort harshly.
- Joshua smiles... He studies the guard and shakes his head.
- *He must be a new guard!* He thought.
- "Which pack are you from? And what's your rank? And why did you come to the Alpha King's mansion?!"
- Joshua rolled up his sleeve and shows the guard a small faded wolf's head tattoo on his arm.... The guard's eyes grows wide as recognition flash across his eyes.
- "I'm Joshua Rivera... from crescent moonstone pack... from the royal spy's family!"
- The guard bows his head immediately he realizes Joshua's rank is far higher than his.
- "I'm so..sorry, Mr spy.. how may I help you?" He stutters a little.
- "I want to see the alpha King!"
- The guard nods..."I'll inform him!"
- The guard rushes in and came out after a few minutes.
- "Mr spy, this way, please!" Joshua nods and follows him. After a few minutes of walking down a very long corridor, they stopped at a big door...made of oak wood.
- Alpha King's office boldly written above it.
- The guard knocks a few times and hears a faint "come in!"
- He opens the door and they both steps in... Joshua and the guard quickly bows their heads as they saw the people inside the office.
- The alpha King sits on his big chair... with his beta by his left hand side...and a few elders.
- "Alpha King, Joshua Rivera is here!" The guard reports.
- The Alpha King waves the guard off... the guard rushes out as if his pants is on fire.
- Joshua quickly falls on his knees with his head still bowed.
- "Joshua Rivera... Why are you just coming back?!" The Alpha King asked.
- Joshua didn't utter a word.. talking back at the an Alpha is a death wish.
- "After the death of your parents, we were expecting you and your brother to come back to the pack!" The Alpha King paused.
- The silence in the office is very thick.
- "Why didn't you and your brother come back! Speak!"
- "We're sorry, alpha King... We thought we could catch him..."
- "Nonsense!" The Alpha King interrupts him. "I sent word to you, asking you to come back but you disobeyed me just because you thought you could catch him?"
- Joshua opens his mouth to speak but the alpha King shuts him up with a glare.
- "Where's he now?!"
- "He's in hiding, but...."