Chereads / Within the Shadows / Chapter 8 - The Encounter

Chapter 8 - The Encounter

Lyza's POV

Okay, so I didn't have to worry about offending Jordan at all. As a matter of fact, she could hold her own AND out shop me. We were in the food court taking a break grabbing a bite to eat. She's sitting there talking about some more shops she wants to go in. This girl is a shopping beast. I know some of the things we got where most definitely not for the trip. She had finished eating first so I told her to go on without me and that I would catch up.

I was sitting at the table, finishing my fries, when I heard a masculine voice say, "Would you like some dessert after that?" The voice was deep and smooth as velvet but when I looked up, I see no one other than Jarrett. Great, right when I was finally enjoying myself here comes someone to spoil my time. Why didn't I notice how sexy his voice sounded earlier? Maybe his rudeness distracted me from it.

"What do you want Jarrett?" I said with irritation clear in my voice.

"I saw you eating alone and thought I would come over and join you."

I'm not alone my…the other person I'm with is still shopping"

"Please, let me buy you dessert as a way of apologizing for earlier."

"Fine, but this doesn't mean I like you." I told him I want a piece of chocolate covered cheesecake. He walked off with a smirk to the sweet stand. I notice his tight butt in his jeans. I had a thing for checking out a guy's ass. When he came back, he sat down in the same place Jordan had been sitting. I thanked him for the cheesecake. I wasn't a bitch, not completely.

"Is Highton High a good school?"

"I don't know," I say before shoving another fork of cake in my mouth. "I just moved here."

"Oh, well I just transferred from across town. Our schools are, well were, rivals. This is going to be a bit awkward for me."

I sympathized with him. Its already hard being the new kid but being from a rival school, ouch. I continued to make polite conversation deciding that Jarrett wasn't a complete dick after all. As soon as I was finishing my cheesecake, I saw Jordan walk up with a handful of bags.

"Hey Lyza, who's your friend?"

"Jordan, Jarrett, Jarrett, Jordan and he's not my friend I just met him today at school."

"Nice, to meet you Jordan."

"Same to you," Jordan replied with her bubbly personality. She cocked her head to the side. "I haven't seen you around before."

"He was just telling me he just transferred here."

"Is that right, where you transferring from?"

Jarrett turned his head and mumbled something. "What was that?" Jordan said.

"Crosswheat Valley."

"Ewww," Jordan responded now understanding his hesitation.

'Well, some things can't be helped," Jordan state as she sat down. She looked towards me, "Soooo, what now?"

"I think this is enough for today." I was mentally exhausted and in need of some O2. Jarrett was an actual gentleman and helped Jordan with her bags. He grabbed as many of mine as he could carry too. Even with his help we still had bags to tote. My goodness I can't believe we got this much stuff. I wonder how much of it Jordan got for the trip.

"You going on the camping trip Jer?"

"You just gave him a nickname like that?"

"Yeah, and yours is Ly-ly," she beamed. Oh my gosh I have been abbreviated. Even people I knew back home didn't do that. I was too tired to argue. Jarrett, confused, just shrugged his shoulders. "I might, I don't know yet."

We put our bags in our cars. Jordan drove off first and I was left there with Jarrett. "Thanks for the assist with the bags."

"No problem."

"I guess I will be seeing you around school."

"Yeah, see you around." He gave me a sultry smile as I got in and drove off. I don't know but it seems as if he was trying to flirt with me but with the stuff I have going on right now and being new here, I don't think I want to add boy drama to the mix. Before I pull out the parking lot, I go to my playlist and started blasting "Savage" by Meghan the Stallion.

When I arrived home, I saw Aunt Val car was still gone. I unloaded my bags. It took me two trips just to get everything. After I took the bags up to my room, I went in the kitchen to get a container of blood. I popped it in the microwave, took it out and poured up a cup. I noticed a note pinned on the fridge from Aunt Val.

[I have found a promising lead on the

conversation we had the other night. Might be

gone for some days, be safe, love you.]

I read the note one more time before tossing it in the trash. Now I was out of school for some days and home alone. It didn't bother me though, it gives me a chance to get ahead on some work for the next few weeks.

~~~~~~~

The next day at school Castion noticed that Lyza wasn't there. What he didn't know was that she didn't have to take classes everyday. Seniors normally get half a day if they have enough credits but Lyza was so advanced that she only went a few days out of the week. Castion had noticed Jordan hanging around Lyza on the first day so he decided to ask Jordan for her number.

"Sorry Cast but can't do. What if she gets mad at me?"

"Please Jordan I really need to talk to her."

"I will ask her first, if she says it okay, then I will give it to you."

Castion continued to hover. "Okay….what are you waiting for?"

"Dang Cast, you don't have to be pushy about it."

Jordan took out her phone and texted Lyza. She was in the middle of watching an action movie when her phone dinged. She saw the message was from Jordan.

"Hey girl, missed you at school today."

Yeah, I didn't have class today."

"Oh, someone else misses you too."

This peeked Lyza interest, "who?"

"Castion, he wants your number, but I wouldn't give it without asking first."

Lyza contemplated if she wanted to give it to him or not but she did need to sort out these feelings. A little conversation wouldn't hurt, right?

"Go head, you can give it to him."

"Ooooo ok, ttyl."

Jordan gave Castion Lyza's number.

He wondered should he text her now or wait. Lyza was looking at her phone waiting for a message. Finally, after ten minutes one came….

New Message Unknown Number