(Edited)

"What the hell do you mean Ryan was at your house?"

After I almost had a heart attack when I saw Ryan at my house, I immediately called James, and we agreed to meet up. We decided to meet up at the same diner where we previously had celebrated Dustins win. They offered to pick me up, and I declined taking the bus there.

We currently sat at one of the back-corner booths; the guys on one side and me on the other. I would have laughed at the sight in front of me if I weren't so bewildered. Three muscular men sat in one booth-chair, squeezed against each other. They looked absolutely uncomfortable until Shawn decided to be the bigger person- no pun intended- and moved over, so there was more room for them. Now they sat spread-out, two in front of me and one slightly to my left.

"Exactly what I just said, he was at my freaking house!" I snapped at Jamess question.

Shawn looked confused. "I dont get it," he said, looking at me. "Ryan doesnt know where you live. Before a few weeks ago, he didnt even know where you were!" he explained, looking over at the two boys for confirmation.

James ran his hand through his shoulder-length hair, sweeping it out of his eyes. "Maybe you confused him with someone else?" he asked hesitantly.

I looked at him baffled, was he being serious. "I know what I saw!"

"No, it couldnt be him. He said he didnt know where you were!" Dustin exclaimed, not believing me.

"Are you calling me a liar?" I stood up abruptly, almost knocking the tomato sauce bottles over. I leaned forward and placed my hands on the table, fed up with them. "If I knew I was going to be called stupid and a liar, I wouldnt have come!" I yelled, drawing the other customers attention. I turn to leave, but James grabbed onto my wrist, stopping me.

"Sit down Fighter we didnt mean it like that okay?" I yanked my wrist out of his hand and glared at everyone, sitting down. James looked over to the boys with his eyebrows furrowed. "Its just hard to believe. We were under the impression that he only knew of your whereabouts when I told him I saw you at Starbucks." He scrunched his nose, a trademark of his when thinking.

Shawn leaned forward on his elbows. "We didnt tell him that you were at our school either. James only told him about where he saw you not where you live," Shawn explained. So how did he know where I lived and why was he there?

"You know what I dont get?" Dustin asked no one in particular. We all turned to look at him. "Why was he so set on finding Autumn? He sure as hell doesnt love her anymore."

"Dude!" Shawn exclaimed, punching him on the arm. Dustin rubbed the sore spot on his arm and pouted, mumbling an apology. I thought about it and what he said didnt hurt at all, so I shrugged and sent him a smile.

James didnt punch Dustin but send him a glare. He looked at me then sighed. "Im sorry, but its true. He has been with so many girls since you left, Im surprised he hasnt gotten an illness." We chuckled at that. I silently hoped he would, not because I still had feelings for him, but because he was a jerk who deserved it. "But all jokes aside why would he be at your house. Was he looking for you, or was he meeting someone there?" James asked.

He leaned back hanging his arm on the chair behind him. He looked worried yet casual, and that amazed me. His beach-vibes persona was incredibly attractive; it becomes him. The only thing that showed he was worried was the expression on his face the rest of him was laidback.

I shrugged. "I know my foster parents were home, so maybe he was meeting with them," I explained. Maybe I should tell them what I did to him, that's probably the reason he was looking for me. "I think I know why he was looking for me." I looked over at the boys and bit my lip nervously. "I think he wants to take me out."

"Why would he want to take you out? We already established that he doesnt like you anymore." Dustin asked, completely delusional. It must be fun being him sometimes, never thinking of the worst things.

"She means the other taking out, dumb ass!" Shawn said, slapping Dustin over the head. Maybe that was the reason the poor guy wasnt all that smart. People kept hitting him on the head.

"Oh, he wants to kill you." Dus pointed out happily, catching onto our conversation. We stared at him, surprised, his eyes widened. "What the hell? Why would he want to kill you?" he asked, shocked.

I sucked in a breath and decided to tell them. What I did might be considered as betrayal, I ratted Ryan out, but he deserved it. "You guys already know how I got here. What I didnt tell you was that when I got here, I made a phone call to the police back home, telling them that he killed someone."

"You did what?" James exclaimed, shocked.

"You guys have to understand after I found out he was the one that had me sent away, I lost it. I lost everything important to me because of him. He had no reason to do what he did to me." I explained my voice, cracking. They couldnt hate me for what I did. I didnt start a war, he did.

"Well, that explains why he went to jail." Dustin pointed out, casually.

My head snapped to him, my eyes widening. I took my shaking hands and placed them on my lap. "Bags! Now I know he wants me dead!"

I looked out the window, the sun going to rest. They actually found something on him, and he went to jail. He is going to kill me. At first, it was merely speculation, but now I know it was the reason he went to prison. He was coming after me. I started seeing black spots around me, my breath shallow; I was struggling to get oxygen into my lungs. My hands were shaking uncontrollably on my lap; this couldn't be happening.

"Autumn!" I heard someone call me, but their voice sounded far away. "You need to calm down. Deep breath in. Deep breath out." The same voice instructed. I tried listening to what it was saying, following what it told me to do. My vision was starting to focus again, the oxygen filling my lungs. My hands were still shaking but not as much. Everything around me became clear; that was the fastest I've ever come out a panic attack.

"Youre going to be okay Kid, you have us," a voice to my left said, it sounded like Shawn. I looked around me, my cheeks heating up. Why was I such a disaster?

"Well figure everything out together, okay?" James asked, crouching down next to me, rubbing my back.

"Okay," I whispered, feeling drained.

"Oh, my goodness you scared me shitless," Dustin exclaimed, eyes wide. "Ive never been so scared before."

Shawn scoffed and smirked. "Dont lie youre a wuss all the time!"

Dustin punched him and scowled. "Excuse you, Im a wuss most of the time. Get your facts straight." Dustin corrected him with a toothy smile. I chuckled softly appreciating the distraction.

"Girl You were pale!" he exclaimed, snapping his fingers sassily. Shawn rolled his eyes at him and shoved him away. I hugged my body closer to James, who now sat next to me comforting me. I was still a bit shaken up, and no amount of pretending that I was brave could get me through this.

"What am I going to do?"

I trembled against James, and he pulled me closer towards him. Goodness, I missed having him in my life.

"I have an idea, but we have to stop seeing you-" James was saying but got interrupted by the three of us.

"What?" the three of us questioned, simultaneously. I pulled away from James and glared.

He chuckled and pulled me back to him. "Come here." I leaned into him reluctantly. "Only for a little while. You guys seriously need to learn to let me finish my sentences."

"Why, though?" Dustin asked looking at Autumn with a sad look on his face.

"We have to lay low for a while. Ryan is getting suspicious. And if he suspects we are helping Autumn then all hell will break loose." James explained kissing my forehead.

Shawn shrugged. "Well we still get you at school, so James is the only one not getting some Autumn time."

Dustin smiled smugly. "Sorry, Jamy Boy!"

James scowled at him. "Dont call me that asshole!" he glared at him and pulled me even closer. I chuckled at how childish these boys could be.

"So, whats the plan?"

James leaned forward, pulling me along. "Okay, this is what were going to do."

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