***Benjamin***

"See you tomorrow!" Practice is finally over and I'm starving. I jam my gear in the bag and fist bump a few teammates on my way out of the locker room. The outside light blinds my eyes.

"Hey, handsome, want some candy?" asks a girl. Amber pulls a sucker from between her luscious lips, taunting me for a taste.

I grab her instead to throw her over my shoulder. Squealing and kicking, she begs me to put her down as I stroll triumphantly across the school parking lot.

"At least cover my butt, you jerk!" she says, trying to hold her cheerleading skirt in place. That thing shouldn't be called a skirt in my opinion. It's a ruffle attached to a belt. Not that I'm complaining, of course.

I set her down gently next to my truck, pinning her against the door with my arms on either side.

"Yes, thanks. I would love some candy," I say.

She pretends to be mad. Her lips puff outwards in an adorable pout.

"Too bad. You made me drop it back there. What was that all about anyway? Practicing up on your Neanderthal skills after football? Is this a thing now?"

"Come home with me, Amber. My parents are out until eight. We can hide in my man pit downstairs wearing nothing but my mom's fur coats," I say, nuzzling her neck. She smells amazing - all bubblegum and roses.

"Eww, you better be joking. As if I'd put on a fur coat. I didn't think your mom was the sort to have animal skins in the closet."

"She isn't. We'll just have to go naked, I guess."

"Ben!" She smacks my arm in adorable anger.

I stop kissing her neck. We'd only been together for a couple of weeks. Maybe a romp on the basement carpet while my parents were out doesn't sound like her idea of a good time. Too bad. It sounds awesome to me. Only a couple of days ago she was particularly generous with her attention and lips during a friend's party, but I don't want to push my luck.

"Then we'll eat pizza in the kitchen with our clothes on. Come with me," I say. She's too hot for me to let her go without trying to spend time together. It doesn't matter what we do.

Amber huffs, putting her arms around my neck. I love the feel of her chest on mine and her tight stomach coming forward against my torso.

"Wish I could, you're so cute when you beg, but my dad is picking me up any minute now. There's this family thing we have to do with my mom. Oh, shit!"

A Mercedes had turned into the parking lot. Wiggling past me, she waves it down and runs off.

"That's him! Gotta go. Text me?" she yells.

Her dad glares at me the whole time until he can burn rubber getting out of here. Before I can find my keys, Amber is gone. What a wasted opportunity.

The wind stirs up a bunch of leaves, blowing them from the nearby forest all over my truck. I catch the odor of wood smoke in the air, not unusual this time of year. Autumn is well on its way and the maple trees are brilliant in orange and red. A twig snaps and I see what must be the biggest crow in the forest staring back at me from the closest tree.

And right behind the black bird is a girl with hair just as black and pale, wide face. Her eyes are huge, but rubbed raw as though she's been crying. Her lips have red lipstick smeared across them. The sharp, blood red leaves that partly cover her white face stand out like whip lashes. She narrows her eyes, still staring and I have the strongest urge to get the hell out of there as fast as I can. There is something weird about the way she is watching me from the forest.

I swallow back my fear - she's half my weight and apparently not planning any violent moves. It's not like she was hiding under my truck or in the cab. And if she's been crying, maybe she needs help.