Chapter 3

Our road was perched parallel on a slight hill. All the houses were on one side while nothing but descending woods were on the other. Liz mentioned there were hiking trails in there that led to the ocean. Since I didn't have to work, I was finally able to pursue it!

I loved hiking and going for runs, but exploring new ground made it even more exciting. So, clad in my spandex shorts and white tank-top, I eagerly walked down our road. After the sixth house, a trail led me down the gradual slope of trees before about five other trails branched off. Knowing the coast was west of us, I took the trail furthest to the left.

The choice of hiking instead of running today was easy. It was my first time soaking in all the wild beauty! The hills, rocky terrain, the surrounding moss... it was the shit. This was nothing like the side-streets and paved walk-ways back home. The dirt path even took me past a few small trickling waterfalls tucked against the hills!

Honestly, that was a huge draw for me moving here. Back home in my old room (and now in my new room), I hung a collage of pictures showing different places I wanted travel to. For years I had that – and this was the main place I wanted to visit. The Pacific Northwest was just this picture of freedom for me with how beautiful it was. I wanted to come here even before Liz moved here (which yes, made me pretty salty and jealous at the time).

That's why I was excited to move here. That's why my smile refused to leave my face as I hiked. That's why my smile grew when, after 30 minutes... the ocean finally reached my eyes.

The trail led me out of the trees and to open cliff-tops. The rolling waves were ferocious, crashing against the side of the cliff. The blue color, the smell, the endlessness... it was better than I've ever imagined! If it wasn't so beautiful, I probably would have turned around immediately. Despite the cliff being maybe only 20 feet up, my fear of heights was pretty severe.

The massive pines had similar fears; they avoided growing near the cliffs, allowing plenty of space for me to continue walking without nearing the edges. All the while, my eyes absorbed the dazzling sight. There was even a moment where I sat down on the flat rock surface and just took in the waves. Several feet away from the edge of course.

Man, I couldn't wait to go swimming in this limitless pool. Maybe I could get Liz to go with me sometime. For now though, I felt content – and strangely proud. There weren't many things I've done that I can say made me feel accomplished (for myself anyway). This was one of them though. I've always had a fascination, a desire, for the ocean. Now, I can finally say I saw it.

***

By the time I hiked back home, rain began drizzling down. Not like that stopped my adventurous kick. Guys, I was so pathetically hyped up over seeing the ocean, I felt like I could take on the whole world now! I welcomed the rain, the chills it gave me. Ugh, it was my drug! I could snort or shoot this rainy and ocean air into my veins. If I ran into a wild bear or a moose, I probably would tackle them with a hug!

Maybe that was a little over the top. I was just... really happy with today and with myself. And it was still early in the day too! By the time I got home, it was only 2:00. Might as well keep the fun going and go explore the town too. Plus, I did need to go to the store. Liz only had three boxes of pop-tarts to last me the week. Sorry, sis. Three days tops.

After showering, I changed into a black camisole, tucking it into my khaki shorts with my teal leather belt. Yes folks, I tucked in my shirts, but don't insult me by thinking I'm a hipster. I might have a unique style, but you can bet your ass you won't ever catch me shopping at an all-organic store.

If only I did shop at one today. Because if I did, I wouldn't have been at the wrong place at the wrong time. If only I just stayed home.

Wipers on low, clearing the misty rain, I drove my car down the two-lane country road. I passed trees, wheat fields, and sparse houses on my way into town. I was nearly clear of the wooded areas... when a deer jumped into the road. Not in front of my car. But it jumped in front of the SUV ahead of me!

They slammed on the breaks, coming to a stop fast enough before hitting the deer. Fuck! I floored the break peddle too, making my tires screech to a stop – but not in time. My car jolted to a stop... just as I knocked into their bumper with an audible smash.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," I groaned.

The deer sauntered off the road, disappearing into the woods. Bye deer. Have a good day. Thanks for probably costing me and whoever this person was a shit ton of money now! Well... it was a great day up until now.

The SUV pulled onto the shoulder and I parked behind it. It was a gray Jeep Grand Cherokee too. Why wouldn't it look like a brand-new model too, you know? I could already hear my bank account crying. No doubt the driver was livid.

I stepped out onto the gravel shoulder at the same time he stepped out of his jeep. Eyes finding the man, I froze in place. My anxiety quickly doubled. Why? Why him? It was the same damn guy that I spilled beer all over. You know, the asshole of the two brothers I served the other night? Ugh, please let him not remember me.

Like before, I disrupted his day. Like before, he did not look happy. Like before, he also didn't spare me a glance. Through the gloomy mist, he wandered over to his dented bumper. Taking in the damage, he exhaled and turned to me. Yup, he definitely remembered me.

"You sure know how to prove that first impressions are quite accurate," he said flatly.

I smiled uneasily. "Well, if your first impression is that I have bad luck, you would be right," I lightly joked, but that only made the awkward air thicken. "Look, I am really sorry."

"Do you always drive with your head in the clouds?"

I was taken aback. "Um... I don't understand what you mean. You're the one that slammed on the brakes."

"I should have hit the deer instead?"

"No, but this is hardly my fault. I said I was sorry, but it's not my fault."

"How is this not your fault?"

"Because a deer jumped in front of you! It's nobody's fault. You slammed on your brakes, so how was I supposed to stop in time?"

His disenchanted gaze narrowed. "By maybe not riding my ass?"

Generally, I was an overly nice person, but guess what? I wasn't at work and the damn costumer wasn't always right! Especially if the customer lived with a pole up his ass and was a being a dick.

"Oh come on, I was not riding your ass! Did you not see how far I was behind you?"

"It's common sense. If you were that far behind me, you should have been able to stop." Scoffing, he then sputtered an annoyed "holy shit" to himself as he resumed inspecting the crumpled bumper

Though I was fuming, my anxiety started to take over. What if my insurance goes up? I wanted to save every penny for school. Now, I had to deal with this pain-in-the-ass. I guess I should be thankful though. It's not like we totaled our cars; it could have been way worse.

As I neared him from my car, I was able to size up his large frame under his mesh blue shirt and black shorts. I also noticed he had some tattoos, a couple going down his arm and at least one on his calf. For some reason that surprised me. Maybe because I couldn't imagine such a jaded man sacrificing his oh-so precious time to get inked. I was also surprised to see a ring on his finger. Who the hell would marry this asshole?

"I guess we should exchange information then. I would rather pay you off, but I have a feeling that would be a mighty high price," I half joked when I reached him.

"I'd prefer your license getting revoked."

All I could do was smile in aggravation and amusement.

Out of everything, that grabbed his attention. "What?"

"Nothing. You're just... a bundle of joy, aren't you?"

That earned me his full gaze, eyebrows cocking and damp from the misty rain. "You're right. I should be in high spirits when someone spills beer on me and then rear-ends me the next day."

"So your telling me you emanate rainbows and sunshine whenever I'm not 'inconveniencing' you?" Highly doubted that.

He sighed. "Are you ready to exchange information so I can get on with my day?"

Fine by me. I tried lightening the air, but I was over his entitled and bitter attitude. So, we walked back to my car, I opened the passenger door, and sat down. Proof of insurance in hand, I offered him my information, my full name, and address. Well, my old address.

"I just moved from Illinois, so I'm still in the process of having everything changed with my insurance. I'll write down my new address for you too in case it's already changed," I said, grabbing a scrap of paper and scribbling it down.

"What brought you all the way here?"

"I'm starting college here. I also moved here to find ways to make it even harder for me to pay for it," I mumbled sarcastically.

"You're already off to a good start."

After he offered me his information, he was quick to be on his way without an ounce of concern. The only thing I was able to absorb through my irritation was his name. Peter Ellison. I had to imagine his middle name was Asshole. Peter Asshole Ellison. Had a nice ring to it, wouldn't you say? It was especially fitting when, before leaving, he offered me the very best of luck in paying for college.

And thanks to Peter Asshole Ellison... sure enough, my insurance went up. Calling them and explaining what happened didn't help either, so I tried to not dwell too much on it. Life happens and I would just have to suck it up and make it work. Could be worse. I could have a totaled car instead of one with just a dent in it. Or I could be allergic to air. That would really suck.

Later that evening, I was in the middle of applying for more scholarships when the doorbell sounded. It was probably all the friends I've made so far wanting to visit me! Yeah right. Obviously, I wasn't expecting it to be for me, but it was. When I opened the door, it was Peter Asshole's brother. The nice one from the restaurant. What the hell was he doing here? Rather how did he know I lived here?

By now, the rain and drizzle stopped. The setting sun behind the gloomy clouds highlighted his tall form, dark hair, and small smile. "Hi, I'm not sure if you remember me—"

"Yeah, um... Jamie, right?"

"Yeah, you remembered," he nodded, running a hand nervously over his stubbly face. "Listen, I know this seems creepy, knowing where you live and all, but I got your address from my brother earlier. And I just had to come by and apologize for his dickish behavior. He told me what happened and I can imagine he gave you a hard time. He doesn't really waver on things and can be an asshole sometimes."

"Sometimes, huh?" I chuckled, stepping onto the long wooden porch with him. "It's alright. He pissed me off, but to be fair, I did his jeep." Even though it was the deer's fault.

"He could have been more understanding at least. I just wanted to express that I'm sorry. Plus, you just moved here and I know how hard of an adjustment that can be. The last thing you deserve is difficult people."

My brows raised. For the difficult people I've met so far, he was doing wonders making up for them. It's not often someone goes out of their way to apologize to a stranger – and for someone else's behavior. "Wow, well... thank you. You didn't have to come all the way here and do that, but that's really nice of you."

"I try my best. I'm just glad I knocked on the right door," he said, glancing to David's front door on the other side of the porch. "I couldn't imagine living in a duplex. The noises coming through the walls wouldn't be worth it."

"Trust me, that was my concern too, but it's not too bad. David is barely home and thankfully I've never heard him and his boyfriend. Not yet anyway."

"Well that's good," he smiled, tucking his hands into his jean pockets.

Searching his kind blue eyes, I couldn't help but awkwardly chuckle. "I can't believe you came all the way here just to apologize for your brother. Nobody's that nice." The guy seemed genuine, but I wasn't naive. I was half expecting him to ask me on a date.

"I promise not all men are thirsty ass-wipes. My intention was just to apologize. Admittedly, I was going to offer to show you around town, but that was purely out of pity," he joked.

"I should feel so honored," I scoffed.

He spoke more seriously. "I would just like to make up for what happened today and you seem like a fun person. Really though, there is no pressure."

I wasn't one of those girls that you could fool. 'Let's hang out' could easily mean something else. But truly, it felt like he just wanted to hang out. First impressions can fool anyone, but I already felt comfortable around him. Not to mention I was desperate to have a fun summer and meet some friends. Or, at the very least, I would prefer to finally check out town without getting into a car accident.

"That would be great actually," I nodded, crossing my arms.

"Really?"

"Sure. Having a personal tour guide will make it better. I'm free most evenings too."

I know, I know. Many of you are probably thinking 'only dumb bitches trust complete strangers.' First of all, I never claimed I wasn't a dumb bitch. However, I wasn't dumb enough to just allow this guy to pick me up. So, I offered to meet him in town – in public – where we could walk around.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited. Jamie seemed like such a sweet and fun guy, the perfect company to have in a new place like this. I had a feeling I just found my first real friend here too.

***

It was like the last dream. Too much like the last dream....

I was sitting up from under the covers of my bed. My window was open, but the curtains weren't blowing all over. Moonlight partially filled my room, but there was one sliver of light that drew my attention. Two bent legs with two boots protruded from the shadows.

Squinting into the dark corner, I could see a man. The same man. He was sitting in a chair, his upper half still covered in shadows. It invited the same ominous fear as before. I didn't have to see his eyes to feel them crawling over me.

"Good evening again," his velvet voice slithered.

"Who are you?" I breathed with fear.

He didn't answer for a long moment. Each second of silence... pumped more dread into my veins. I felt powerless, like I was his prey, especially when the dark shape stood up. He stepped towards my bed. Each echoing heavy boot-step added weight to my terrified heart.

His haunting eyes captured mine. "You should know who I am. Just like I should know who you are, but for whatever reason, I don't. So doll, we need to start with the basics. What is your name?"

I processed his question, but it wasn't as relevant as my fear or the shock of a man in my room. I could only stare at him. Why was he here and what the hell did he want with me? The ominous and heavy air that surrounded him made it difficult to not freak out.

"I'm not asking for your social security number. Just your name," he said more flatly.

I swallowed. "If I tell you... will you leave me alone?"

"I'm anything but a liar. It will all depend."

"Josephine. M-My name's Josephine Hale."

His eyes never wavered from mine. They seemed to even dive deeper. "What a lovely name...."

The sound of crickets and my labored breathing filled the air. He didn't move any closer. He just... stared at me. It was difficult seeing his face; it was like there were purposeful shadows blinding me from the details of his tall form. Except for those eyes. They were seductive, gorgeous, and dangerous brown eyes. I wanted to move closer and run away at the same time.

Finally, he spoke again. "Do you know who I am? Do you recognize me, doll?"

"Um, no, I don't think so. But I can't see your face fully."

"You'd remember me without seeing my entire face."

"Why would I remember you if you don't even know who I am?"

He didn't answer my question. Then, the heavy steps continued. One... slow step... at a time... until he reached the side of my bed. His eyes grew lively. Then, he presented his open palm to me. "Please do us a favor and take my hand."

"W-why? What will that do?"

"Hopefully answer a couple of my questions. It won't hurt. I just need your hand."

It was a simple request. Almost as simple as him asking for my name. What seemed like such an innocent gesture though was just... not at all innocent when presented by him. Warning bells rang loudly through my head. I can't explain why, but in my gut... I knew I should absolutely not take his hand.

Instead, I got a grip of my fear and demanded, "Who the fuck are you?"

He dropped his hand with a sigh. "Believe it or not, I'm here to protect you."

"I don't believe you."

"It doesn't matter if you believe me. You'll realize soon enough that you need answers as badly as I do."

What did that mean?

"Don't worry," he continued, stepping away. "I will find you, doll. One way or another."

Then I was awake, eyes flying open with a massive gasp. It was a dream... but a creepy and unsettling one that scared the shit out me.

Sitting up in bed, looking around, looking to the same corner of my room, my blinking eyes were alert. What the fuck was that? What in the fuck was that? It was just like my other dream, just like the one before! It was so real – so real – and like a continuation of the one before! That's what made it so scary! I've never in my life had reoccurring vivid dreams.

It took a long moment for me to calm down and be logical. It was just a dream. And it had to be just a coincidence that it was similar to the other dream. What would cause those nightmares though? Maybe it was my anxiety from moving to a new place?

I didn't know, but I finally was able to fall back asleep.

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Any theories anyone? 

Hopefully you are enjoying the story this far! Let me know what you think and any predictions you may have! Thank you so much for taking the time to read and check this out.