Blake wasn't exactly fond of my plan at first.

or let's say his plan. Or at least he thought so.

Since I already had a plan in mind after he mentioned that there are plenty of other ways to find someone who changed his name at the party back then, all  I thought about is how I'd be able to push this plan through.

But the truth is: I simply wasn't able to do this alone since I'm kind of new back to town. I needed Blake for what I had in mind. But I couldn't exactly tell him that or the fact that I knew more about illegal stuff than I should.

So I eventually circumscribed my plan till he finally thought about what I had in mind and claimed it as his plan.

Of course I was totally blown away from this smart idea of his.

But he wasn't.

"You could find someone like this. You said "this city is yours", didn't you?"

He rolled his eyes, a little uncomfortable with the situation. "have you ever heard of a metaphor?", he sarcastically asked and I let out an annoyed groan.

"Please. This is one of the best way to find him.", I said in a quiet voice with back pressure. "If you want to find them you have to think like them."

Blake seemed to think about something, then he gave in. "Give me your phone number.", He simply stated.

"how gentle men like of you.", I rolled my eyes and he smirked.

"If you don't want me to kidnap you after school again to tell you anything I'm afraid you'll have to give it to me." Then he smirked even wider. "Unless you really want me to." I'd rather choke on air.

"fine." I told him my phone number and he typed it in his phone. I really can't risk him standing in front of my door again. Not as long as Tatumn and Hazel still live with me. And the little monster ofcourse.

Right in time, my phone gave a deep buzz from it. A sight on my lockscreen told me I got a message from Hazel. I get that she's happy I'm back. But texting me twenty five seven won't make me stay again.

I pressed on the notification bar  and her chat popped up on my screen.

"Henry is at ours. Just wanted to tell you so you don't freak out when you come back from buying school supplies ;)"

I sighed. I did realize how often she said "our house".

"Alright. I'll be back soon :)", I answered and threw a look at the time. The minutes I sat here and talked with Blake really flew by. We weren't here for a long time; but still too long for what you need to buy school supplies.

"As much as I loved talking to you, I'm afraid I need to head back home soon.", I said and looked for the zombie waiter so I could pay my bill.

"Hazel?", he assumed and lifted one of his brows.
He must've seen the way I looked at my phone earlier.

"Yep. She's more protective of me than Tatum is."I joked, but more for myself then for him. But he still smiled.

"What's wrong with that?"

That's officially the dumbest question I've heard today and I heard a guy ask how you add numbers to each other in math class today.

"Nothing it's just... well I don't want her to know about all of this. Obviously." My explanation seemed to be enough for him and he seemed to understand.

It probably was just a question to tease me anyway. So I decided to not dive into it to deep anyways.

"Her boyfriend is over at her house. I told her I'd buy school supplies. I should leave soon."

I was already packing my things back in my back...well I packed just my phone back actually, when blake lifted his hand so the zombie guy could come to our place again. He saw us, but didn't really mind to hurry...instead he rather chose to finish the newspaper article he was reading meanwhile first. Because this obviously seemed to be more important than the costumers.

I'm starting to like this guy.

Blake lowered his hand again. He obviously knew about the speed of the employees already.

"She's still dating that idiot?", he asked in a disparaging tone.

wait... did I hear that right? I stopped looking for the zombie guy and fixed my gaze on his face again.

"Yeah, well she does obviously. Why do you care?", I asked and narrowed my eyes at him.

But before he could say a thing the zombie guy walked towards us and stopped right at our table. I take back what I said about "liking this guy" before.

"are you guys paying together or separate?", he asked in this already typical tone and looked at the both of us with tired eyes. This guy couldn't care less.

"together." "separate.", we both answered at the almost exakt time.

Blakes confused gaze shifted to me. "I'm paying."

"I can pay myself. Thank you very much.", I said and put my bill on the table.

"She knows what she wants.", the guy shrugged and I think I might even saw him smile. I saw blakes obvious lack of understanding. "For god's sake, you already drove me here why would you pay for me too? I can do things myself, believe it or not."

I stood up and put my jacket back on. "And now get up and hurry. I told her I'll be back soon."

I smiled at the zombie guy one last time and walked towards the door, Blake quickly followed after me. We got in the car and left the same direction we came.

Blake still decided to drive in total silence. Which means nothing such as music or even the radio. I'm not sure if he did it because he just wanted to piss me off or because he really is a cold hearted monster who doesn't listen to music.

Whatever it was in the end, it did last the whole ride, till he finally stopped the car right infront of Hazel's house. I threw a look at the house that didn't feel like a home at all. No place ever did.

Just one, and even the one place that felt like home got ripped away from me again.

"Thanks for the ride.", I said and smiled at him nicely. "Well it isn't like I could've let you walk all the way alone, right?", he jokingly said. I giggled. "Well you could've. You'd just really regret it after."

Blake made a knowing face and chuckled for a brief second.

"You're going to try it, right?", I said, almost made it seem like I begged.

"I'll let you know if I can do anything."

He flashed me a little smile and I repaid. "Thanks for the ride.", I said and got out of the car. I threw a look at the house to make sure Hazel wouldn't see the situation and relaxed a little when I didn't see anyone.

"Seeyou later.", I said and he nodded.

I closed the door and only seconds after, he took off in a roar.

I looked after him as he drove around the corner, leaving the whole street in silence again, almost making it seem like he's never been here at all.

Without a second thought I put my backpack over my shoulder and made my way towards the house, hoping Hazel wouldn't want to see the school supplies I 'just bought'.

Tatumn got me a key the second I stepped into this country. So I opened the white heavy door, leading inside the big house that should've make me feel so many emotions, but it made me feel nothing but homesick.

I walked inside the warm atmosphere of another family and felt their love as soon as my feet touched the carpet on the floor in front of the door. But this love didn't include me.

Hazel's laughter was the first thing I heard as I hung my jacket beside the door. Soon to be followed by another laugh, clearly belonging to a male. Henry I suppose.

"I'm home!", I shouted to let her know I was back and made my way to the living room where I supposed came the voices from. Tatumn was working and gave the kids to a friend of hers, so Henry and Hazel must've been alone.

"Summer! We're in the living room!", she shouted back and confirmed my assumption.

Her voice already gave me a clear vision of her mood: Happy.

I sighed and walked around the corner to the big open living room that Tatumn decorated with many things that just didn't go well together, but for some reasons it still looked like a room fresh out of a Home depot commercial.

"I'm sorry it got late but-", I said, ready feed her an explanation of where I was, but what I saw next as I turned around the corner left me speechless.

"Hey.", Hazel shined, smiling at me with pure happiness. But it wasn't the girl with the grey messy bun I was looking at, it was the blonde boy next to her who- let me tell you -didn't radiate pure happiness when he saw me.

I didn't greet her back, to busy to inspect the tall figure next to her.

"oh, Summer- this is Henry.", She said and secretly winked at me. I'm sure she expected me to have a reaction- any reaction that said more than I did at the moment, but I couldn't help but stare at the boy with the light football trickot on and the gelled blonde waves.

Henry gulped by my reaction. He clearly recognized me, which made him shift on the couch uncomfortably.

"Yeah...", Is all I said, more in a whisper than anything else. It took me a second to get back my senses. "Nice to meet him."

Henry denied specific eye contact but still switched gaze between me and Hazel.

Hazel seemed to notice the awkward tension that laid in the room and first looked at me, then at Henry. She gave him a look that seemed to prompt him to say something, still an awkward smileon her lips.

He cleared his throat. "Yeah... nice to meet you.", He said and tried to force a smile. I didn't respond anything to that- and to be honest I don't even know what anyone would respond to anything like that.

Images of him, drunk at the party crept up in my brain, making me want to puke right into his oh so flawless face. I remember the awful mixture of alcohol and cologne he was wearing that night. And his hands that tried to touch my waist.

I was so deep in my thoughts, I just stood there. Staring at him like he was some kind of monster- which he was.

"I ehm...should go now I guess.", he mumbled and made a gesture to stand up. "What? No! You can stay If you want to. I'm sure Summer wouldn't mind...right?", hazel asked and looked at me, her eyes begging for me to give in and get to know her lovely boyfriend even better.

"No ofcourse I don't. You can stay.", I said, this time talking straight towards him. He looked me in the eye for the first time now, but looked away just as quick when Hazel grabbed his hand to demonstrate him he could stay.

"I wish I could but you know... I have training today.", he stumbled and flashed Hazel a weak smile. But her face tensioned, her eyebrows forming a V. "Didn't you say you were free tonight?", she asked and a surprised facial expression spread across his face.

I couldn't help but hold back a laugh at his lie I'm sure wasn't the first one he fed her during the last weeks.

"Yeah, I know. But I forgot that Josh changed the plans. I'm sorry.", he poorly explained himself, but Hazel seemed to believe him. Ofcourse she did, she trusted her boyfriend. And the thought of that almost made my heart ache. "oh." She let go of his hand and he gave her an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry."

"No, no it's fine.", She assured him and wagged her hand. "You have to practice, I get that. And Summer's here now."

Hazel smiled at me. I weakly smiled back.

"so." Henry clapped on his thighs and got up. "I'll see you tomorrow then, baby." *insert gag noise*

Hazel nodded, full of love.

"goodbye, Summer.", he mumbled and tried to walk past me, but I already had the plan to cross his plans. "Oh, you know what? actually-", I started and he stopped, looking at me with a worried look on his face.

"ugh. I forgot my phone in the pocket of my jacket." I facepalmed myself. "Silly me.",I made a face and hazel giggled, then I turned towards Henry again. "I guess I can walk you to the door."

I smiled, but any gesture to smile vanished from his face and he just nod.

He started to walk and I followed him till we turned around the corner and I was sure that Hazel wouldn't see or hear us anymore.

Henry didn't say a word, he obviously still hoped for me to forget anything about that night. But I never forgot.

"Good thing I just have a hole in my heart and not in my pockets, am I right?", I indicated to the sentence he said to me at the party and pointed innocently at my jacket, a smile still covering my lips. He closed his eyes and sighed.

"Even tho that would probably look hot.", I pointed out another thing he's said, which made him run his hand through his hair and look behind him, as if he expected Hazel to magically appear behind him any second.

"Look, can't we... can't we just forget about that?", He suggested and I almost started to laugh. "Forget about what? The fact that you're a traitor who'd cheat on his girlfriend who's high over heels in love with you?"

He gulped and rolled his eyes. "I was drunk."

"but clearly not drunk enough to forget. Because that's an excuse.", I sarcastically stated and his hand wandered in the pocket of his jeans.

"Just don't tell her, okay?", He whispered. He looked behind him again. I nodded excitedly and started to whisper too. "Yeah, sure! If you ask me that nicely, how can I resist?"

He understood my sarcasm and sighed in annoyance.

"Don't act like this is a courtroom. This ain't legally blonde.", He hissed and I surprisingly lifted an eyebrow.

"I'm not sure what's funnier- you seriously thinking I'd just back of like that- or the fact that you seem to know the plot of legally blonde really well." I suppressed a chuckle by the thought of him watching movies about strong blondes. I can picture that actually.

"What are you guys doing over there?!", Hazel shouted, laughing. I glanced at him.

"I'm coming! I'm just talking with your boyfriend really quick!", I shouted back with the same excitement in my voice, then fixed my gaze among Henry again. I couldn't even explain how much men like him disgusted me. And Hazel didn't deserve this.

"Look: you can go tell her, but don't expect me to shut up then.", he suddenly stated, his face suddenly all serious. "I thought this isn't a courtroom?", I asked and he rolled his eyes.

"Yeah sure, but when you tell he you'd have to leave out a few details I guess. For example the ones where you snuck away from the party and told her you went to the bathroom." My head shot up. My heart almost skipping a beat.

He seemed to notice my reaction, by the look of the confidence he suddenly gained.

This time I was the one to gulp. "You have no proof.", I simply said.

But he suddenly started to smirk. "So do you. So who do you think she will believe more? The girl who tells her that her boyfriend tried to cheat on her but went to the bathroom over an hour? Or her boyfriend who she loves and who could give her such a perfect explanation for the lack of timing you have."

I've met this guy for the second time now. And it was already safe to say that he brang up an anger inside of me, that I didn't experience for a long time like that.

"Are you threatening me ?"

He shrugged his shoulders and smiled at me a last time. "Good night, Summer.", he repeated and walked past me, hitting my shoulder with his, then closing the door way louded than he needed to. It took me a second to fully restore from what he just said.

This douche tried to threaten me so I wouldn't reveal the kind of person he was.

And the worst thing about it was that I truly felt threatened. I should've known that somebody saw me... but Hazel couldn't know. And most importantly: Tatumn couldn't know.

"What are you waiting for?" I suddenly heard a familiar voice behind my back, which made me jump around. Hazel smiled at me patiently and I suddenly felt sick.

"I..." I looked at her. She looked...happy. I gulped.

"I talked with Henry about his game." Hazel lifted an eybrow. "you like football?"

"mhm." I nodded and she suddenly started to giggle. "The summer I knew didn't even want to touch the ball.", she giggled. "well... a lot of things have changed."

Hazel shrugged her shoulders and started walking again. I followed her in distance.

We made our way to the kitchen. Hazel sat on the counter and grabbed herself a glass of coke that stood around from earlier that day and drank it. I just stood there uncomfortably.

"Did you get all the stuff you needed?"; she asked and cleaned her mouth with the sleve of her sweater. It was way too big and a Number was written on the back of it. The same number that was written on the back of Henrys trikot...

"Oh, yeah. I should get an A for that project or I'll riot." I tried to joke and Hazel laughed. "Oh trust me If I'd riot every time I get some grade that isn't an A? I'd riot alllll the time." I laughed and she joined with in. Hazel was one of the purest persons I knew.

"Talking about riots- it's too bad the public bus drivers riot today. Where were you anyway?" , she questioned and I snapped back to reality. "Huh? oh...out of town.", I simply said, not really thinking of the consequences. "And you walked all the way here?"

crap.

I looked at her. She suspected something. again.

I gave her a confused look and she just looked at me like the answer was obvious. "I just said the busses riot today.", she explained herself and I acted like I knew. "Yeah... that's why someone dropped me off."

Her eyes grew bigger. "You're not talking about Blake, are you?" yes.

"no, Why would I?", I laughed but changed the subject before she could ask who it was then. "Why are you so sceptical about this dude anyway? you don't know him...right?"

I remembered what Blake said at the cafe earlier about Hazel. She knew her. And not just in a classmate-way.

She sighed and looked at the ground. "Well, you know... actually I do."

I sighed. Ofcourse she had to be one of the girls he'd hit and run.

"but not in the way you think I do.", she explained and I suddenly went all ears. I gave her a questionable look and she brushed it off with an eyeroll. "You know... we were friends a while ago. Really good ones actually."

Well, I wasn't expecting that. "But as soon as I got together with Henry things changed. He wasn't jealous or anything but him and Henry never got along and so he said that he was an 'ass' and that he would 'cheat on me faster than he ran on the field'.", She said and I suddenly remembered what he said earlier about Henry. Said several times actually.

He knew.

Henry was right... Hazel obviously believed her boyfriend.

I swallowed and looked at the ground. "You know, what people say about him is true...partly.", She added which caused my attention to jump right back to her.

"He is a player and he can be an Ass. I didn't want him to be with you because you know, he breaks hearts and stuff...but deep down he would never do anything bad.", Hazel smiled. She meant what she said. "He isn't on the dark side. He's a good guy."

And this sentence hit deeper than planned. For some reasons I didn't know what to say... it almost felt like my mouth ran out of words to speak.

But Hazel didn't notice. She just happily jumped down from the counter again and yawned. "I think I'll be watching my series now.", She said and straightened her bun. I swiftly recovered from my short state of shock and smiled at her.

"Ofcourse.", I smiled. The sun was still up and it wasn't even really noon yet, but Hazel planned to just chill in her bed. And I absolutely celebrated that mood. "I don't think Antony will be coming over anytime soon today.", she explained. I don't think she ever told me that he planned to show up. But now that he told me he wouldn't, this wouldn't mind anyway.

I wanted to say something, but got interrupted by the sound of the typical I phone ring tone, bursting out of my pocket. Hazel seemed to frighten by the sudden sound for a moment, then laughed about it. I just smiled at her and slowly got it out of my pocket, making sure Hazel wouldn't be able to see the caller ID, since I still hoped for any news- just a living sign from my real family. But nothing. Just an unknown number that popped up on my screen.

I frowned my forehead by the unknown caller ID.

"Who's that?", Hazel pressed.

"Kendrick.", I answered almost immediately. She nodded knowingly and made a sad facial expression that was probably supposed to express something like 'I'm so sorry'.

"I'll let you talk to him then.", She whispered as If i was already on the phone. "thanks."

She smiled at me one last time and walked outside the kitchen.

I wasn't exactly sure who was calling me, but whoever it was, that person wouldn't stop ringing. I made sure Hazel was far enough away by looking around the corner before I picked up.

I pressed my thumb on the green symbol on the screen and held it to my hear. I actually planned to stay silent still the other person said something so I wouldn't give away any informations, but whoever it was stood silent.

I rolled my eyes in annoyance. "Hello?", I finally asked.

But the other end stood silent. Until....

"Seven days.", a male voice whispered at the other end of the connection and I immediately recognized it tho hearing it just a few times.

"Blake, what the fuck.", I let out a releaved sigh and Blake started laughing. Ofcourse it had to be him.

"What do you want?", I whispered. Blake swiftly recovered from his little laughing attack and cleared his throat. "Aren't you happy to hear my voice?", his deep voice sounded even deeper on the phone. Like titanic-level deep.

I rolled my eyes. And as if he actually saw me do it he continued talking about the actual reason why he was calling.

"I thought you wanted me to tell you If I had any news?"

My energy came rushing back in euphoria. "You have news?", I asked excitedly. I prayed for him to help me with this, but I didn't know he could do it this fast. A weird feeling crept up my spine. Something I haven't felt in a while now...hope.

"Yep. I found somebody."

It took me all my self-control not to jump and scream in happiness. So I just stood there smiling.

He found someone.