*WARNING⚠: THIS CHAPTER HAS NOT YET BEEN EDITED, PLEASE HE AWARE THAT THEIR KAY HEBA FEW EDITING MISTAKES*

My eyes flutter open, and I see legs in front of me. My head feels like it's on something rough, like jean material. Groaning, I decide get out of the slightly uncomfortable position. I feel whatever is under me stir, looking up, I see Nathan's face. I shout out, being the easily scared person I am. Nathan pops up, his fists curled and face tight.

"What's wrong Hope!?" He says, scanning the room for any danger.

"Nothing, you just scared me..." I reply, trying to avoid telling him what just happened.

"How? I was asleep." He raises his eyebrow skeptically.

"Uh, because you did." I say slowly, shrugging my shoulders.

"Seriously Hope, what happened?" He asks once more, trying to get a response out of me.

"You'll never know!" I shout running into the bathroom, shutting the door behind me.

"Whatever, and I suggest you take a shower. But see if the water works before trying though." He says, leaving me in peace. Shrugging, I make a mental note not to be so scared easily. Turning to my left, there's a shower with no curtain. Yellow walls and weird pink tiling with black spots on it. I'm about to step into the tiny tub, until I see the mold rowing in all the corners. And spreading.

"That's disgusting!" I squeal, stepping backwards until my back is against the bathroom door. "Forget about taking a shower." I mutter to myself, opening the bathroom door swiftly. Nathan waits on the bed, watching the Morning News on CBN.

"I'm guessing it looked really gross in there." He states. I just nod.

"Can we get out of here? This place is really starting to give me the creeps." I say, grimacing at the decoration and people.

"Sure, I'm hungry anyway. We need to stop by a cafe or something." Nathan gets up out of his seat, unlocking the room door. I grab my polaroid camera, chasing after Nathan. I desperately try to keep up with his long strides.

"So I have two questions. One, where are we going? Two, what time is it?" I ask Nathan, turning into another hallway.

"Well it's around 10:30 am, and we're going to... a friend of mine's house." He replies, not looking at face. A friend of his? Shouldn't he be going home, with his family. I wonder why he would go to a friend house instead of his family's? I should ask more about his 'friend'.

"What's your friends name? And how old is he or she?" I say, already diving into a pool of questions.

"Well you're curious." He states, not answering my question.

"I just want to know more about this mystery person." I only half admit. I don't know if the topic about his family is touchy, like mine.

"Alright, well his name is Sam. And he's 20, happy now?" The end of sentence sounded rude, like he was angry or something. I try catching a glimpse of his face, he's staring at the ground. His eyes narrowing at it. Almost as if he was mad at the carpet. Is he bi-polar?

We continue a short and silent walk to the front desk. Luckily, that other check-in woman isn't there. Instead, a brunette with her hair in a messy bun and gray eyes replaces her. She's wearing a blue and white striped shirt with a jean jacket. Small silver hoop earrings hang from her ears. Dark blue eyeshadow making her eyes pop out. Her thin pink lips not chapped at all.

She is typing on her phone, not taking notice our presence. "Hello." I say, trying to catch the teenage girl's attention. She quickly slides her phone in the desk while looking up at us, smiling.

"Hi my name is Melissa, are you checking in or out?" Her presence beams with gratitude and happiness. But I can tell her smile is a bit strained.

"We'll be heading out." Nathan tells the girl blankly. Her expression falters a bit.

"Alright, how long have you stayed?"

"One night."

"That will be 50 dollars." She almost sounds like a sales store clerk. Nathan hands her the green paper. By now, I've figured out that the green money is used for money. A transaction of some sort. Without a warning, Nathan swiftly walks out the shop.

"Thank you!" I yell while running out the Hotel to catch up with Nathan. I'm practically running to catch up with him. What's his problem? I almost loose him in the crowded streets, trying my best to focus on his hoodie. Even though many other people have the same one. And it doesn't help that the cold is slowing me down.

My feet crunch against the ice and snow, my throat burning. I'm determined to get to him, no matter what. I can't loose my ticket for freedom and exploration!

I try pushing my legs even harder than they were before. Adrenaline pumps through my veins, a new sense of determination in me. I'm driven to make it through. I'm a few feet away from him and I slow my pace down a bit. Nothing's in my way of finally reaching him.

Besides himself.

Nathan abruptly stops and I try to skid to a stop. Unlucky for me, there is no friction because of the ice. So instead I end up slipping face forward on the ice. Extreme pain erupts in my chin. My head sending a panicked response immediately. I shout in agony, something warm streaming from my chin. I look down, and I see my own blood staining the ice.

Something tugs me upwards, just when I start freaking out. My eyes meet with deep green ones, like an abyss of the rainforest. Before I can fantasize anymore, his eyes turn cold. The angry look sends shivers down my spine.

"Stop embarrassing yourself." Is all he says. I just stand there, frozen in place. he doesn't spare me another glance. Calling a taxi, I'm still struck. What happened to his playful attitude? Honestly, I don't understand him. Maybe I just don't understand boys, or people in general.

"Hope!? Come on already, I want to get there before the streets are too crowded." Nathan's voice snaps me out ofy thoughts. I focus my attention to the real world. He's right, it seems crowded now but by 12:00 pm it'll be crazed. I squeeze myself into the small seat, the roof of the car inches above my head. Poor Nathan, he's a head taller than me, probably more. Nathan signals the chunky old looking taxi driver to go.

His eyes look down towards me stomach, I hug it protectively. He removes my arms easily and connects these two rope things. "Don't forget your seatbelt, Hope." I immediately feel embarrassed, I thought he was... never mind. The rest of the ride was short and silent. Well until my stomach roared like a beast.

My haunting hunger creeps up in me again. "Can you stop the car real quick. My friend here needs food. But we'll be back." Nathan says, practically reading my mind. The old guy just nods, parking on the side of the road. We rush into the cozy cafe, well Nathan rushes. The smell of coffee and cheese bagels fill my nose. I waft the smell towards me. Sometimes I can taste smells, its weird, I know. But hey, it'll help staisfy my hunger more. The shop is nice, simple but kind of retro, really red too.

I take a picture with my camera, them tucking it in my hoodie pockets. Nathan is at the register, ordering without me. "I'd like a cheese bagel and she'll have-" I cut him off abruptly. "A chocolate chip muffin." I don't need him ordering something I don't want.

"Coming right up." The young boy walks to the back.

"Don't ever interuppt me like that again." Nathan snaps when the register is out of earshot. My eyes widened, did he really just say that?

"Well I'm not the one acting like a jerk all of a sudden!" I defend, crossing my arms. I hear him growl, but the register comes in with our order.

"To-Go please." Nathan mutters. I take the bags and walk out the door, leaving Nathan behind. If he's going to act like a jerk, I will. Stomping into the car, I try my best to seem angry. I look my side of the door, so Nathan has to go through the other side. I know that really isn't mean, and he probably would've had to do that anyway, bit I'm trying my best here!

"Hope, where is the food?" Nathan asks flatly. Ignoring his question, I giving him the cold shoulder. I press his bag under my arm, but I getines out and chew it slowly. I hear him sigh, and he goes back to facing out his own window. Seriously? That's the only reaction I'm going to get out of him?

Giving up on the act, I toss Nathan his bagel. He catches it, as if he was expecting me to do that. I turn to my window, watching the city fly past me. Every couple of minutes I check the time. Boredom takes over, and I doze off.

~*~

I awaken slowly, my eyes taking in my surroundings. Why aren't I in the attic? Looking around, all the memories from the past day flood in. I sit up, noticing Nathan. He's still staring out the window, probably deep in thought.

I look at myself in the small mirror up front. My light brown hair is frizzed up, going all over the place. Dark brown eyes looking tired, but alert. I comb my fingers through my hair, trying to bring it down. "No use." I mutter, turning to the window. Instead of the big city, we're at a suburban area. Small homes start apoearings, very few kids skateboarding. The car suddenly and abruptly stops, throwing me forwards. My face smashing the seat in front of me.

"Your stop." The driver say, taking his hands from off the wheel. I rub my nose, pain stinging it. I hope it doesn't swell.

"You OK Hope?" Nathan ask sweetly. My face brightens and I nod happily. His face goes back to a cold expression, and all that happiness drained out. Getting out of the car, I almost slip on the ice. Luckily I'm able to catch myself without busting my chin, again.

This time I walk slowly, bit quick enough to keep up with Nathan's long strides. Soon, we arrive at a small, brown brick house. A small navy blue car is parked in the thin driveway. Dead grass and weeds are the final decorations to top off the house's ugliness. Nathan opens the door, not even knocking or ringing the doorbell. If they even have one.

Feeling guilty, I follow behind Nathan. Seeming almost invisible behind him. "Nathan, you're back!" A masculine voice yells happily. I can smell his acholic breath, I scrunch up my nose in disgust.

"Collllleeee, Nate Nate is baaaaack!" The man slurrs, obviously drunk. I hear feet pounding into the hallway. A girl with jet black hair and gray eyes enters, more li ke slides into the hallway. She has on a striped red and white sweater with black tights.

"Nathan, Long time no see!" She exclaims, engulfing him with a hug. He hugs her back, which makes my blood boil, its like steam is coning form my ears. What am I? A teacup ready to explode?

He pulls away from her, and I mentally sigh with relief.

"Hey bro, who's the tiny person behind you?" The guy says waddling over to me. Pointing his finger directly in my face. My eyes widen and my mouth forms into a small frown. My eyebrows showing I'm confused and weirded out. Nathan shoves the man's finger out of my face.

"Sam stop you're scaring her." Nathan intervened with his face poking.

"What's your name little one?" Cole asks me politely.

"U-uhm... I'm...-"

"Hope." Nathan answers for me, saving me from embarrassmemt. I gulp, and nod my head.

"Well Hope, what are you doing with a guy like Nathan?" Cole asks me again

"Nicole, stop interrogating her. Can't you see she's scared?" Nathan stands in front of me protectively. I like the feeling of him protecting me like this, but I don't want to give the impression of a weakling.

Since I know I'm not strong enough to push Nathan out of the way. I move to the side and match forward. "Actually, I'm fine Nathan. I can talk myself." I say, actually mustering up enough courage to talk. Nicole smiles, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.

"Well then Hope, welcome!"

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