The first that Sophie did after waking up in the morning was to see if the car was still there but it wasn't, so she decided not to tell her parents about it. And the first thing her sister did in the morning was to check her phone, for any message or call from Steven, but none was there. Both the sister with disappointed looks started to get ready as it was going to be their first day at school.
It was August 8 and as Rain was in 10th grade that means she is going to attend her sophomore year in phoenix city or maybe she will spend all her life here. As for Sophie, she was about to start her 7th grade of middle school in September but because of Rain's high school arrangements, Kat and Oliver didn't inrolled Sophie's name in the school so they were going to do it today.
Both the girls were happy as they will soon start school life and meet new friends, parties, and whatnot. As both of them got ready while chatting and laughing, Kat knocked on the door, and Rain yelled come in. While opening the door Kat noticed how the bed was filled with Sophie's as well as Rain's clothes and sighed.
Sophie was wearing blue jeans and a plain yellow t-shirt while Rain was wearing black jeans with withe t-shirt and a black jacket over it. Kat knew that Rain loved to wear black and white but still wasn't used to the dull colors on such a pretty child. Sophie was sitting on the chair that was beside the dressing table in the corner near the window while Rain was sitting in front of the dressing table, looking into the mirror and brushing her hair.
Kat decided it was not a good time to scold the girls for the mess and started picking and folding cloths and putting them in two different piles, one of Rain and one of Sophie. Sophie too walked towards Kat and started helping her while still telling Kat about how they both had a concert while Rain was in the shower and Sophie was brushing her teeth, while Kat smiled and nod with her.
When it was time to get in the car, which was not parked but was on the road with Oliver in the driver's seat who honked twice as soon as the kids and Kat came out, Sophie yelled, "shotgun" and ran for the front seat and Rain huffed, "she didn't even inform me." and Kat while locking the front door smiled, "What's so special about the front seat?"
"The competition for it is special not the seat." Rain shrugged and turned to walk for the car and Kat followed her smiling.
They now were looking like a perfect family, two daughters and their parents, it was an awesome feeling for Kaitlin to wake up with a mission of checking on her daughters and making breakfast for them. She knew that Oliver was as happy as her.
While the ride was fun for Sophie, entering the school's parking and getting out of the car wasn't. she was used to small schools with a bunch of students, but this school was big with its parking and big building, she was nervous, she always felt like after being shifted from one to another school her brain hasn't even got any chance of learning and she was as dumb as a rock. She was scared that the people her will bully her and not like her.
Rain decided to visit the school's library while Kat, Oliver, and Sophie get Sophie enrolled in the upcoming school year. They all agreed to the idea and Rain left in search of her favorite spot. Her previous high school didn't have a big study area or even a library, and she was excited for her high school and its library.
After a bit of talk with the principal and head of teachers, Sophie was okay to join the school, they enrolled her name and in about 20 minutes were out and roaming, while Oliver decided to call Rain, Sophie and Kat went to check out the cafeteria that was just little bit away from the staff area.
"Yeah, coming." Rain replied and cut the call while still with 2 books in her hand, as she turns and walked towards the history section to put the books in their places, she caught a glimpse of a shadow figure in the section she just moved in front of and took some back step to relook and saw no one. I must be imagining things, she thought and started walking again.
After putting the books in their fixed place she started to move towards the front door, and bid goodbye, and have a great day to the old man at the desk and left for the cafeteria.
The cafeteria was huge and Sophie was in love with the place, it was like a dream come true, she remembered she once saw the movie mean girls with the other kids in the foster home and this cafeteria made her remember the scene of the cafeteria in mean girls, where each bench was divided into some specific group of people, she thought, maybe this was just like the school in mean girls.
Rain arrived just in five minutes and was happy to hear that Sophie was enrolled in this good school, "This calls for a party!" she cheered and Kat joined in with her. They both started cheering, "Sow got in, we need party… Sow got in, we need party" through the empty hallway while Sophie was walking quite fast in front with head down in embarrassment, can they stop now, she thought.
After the whooping and cheering were done and kat and Rain fell silent they all started discussing the supplies for the new school year, while Rain told Kat about the huge library and Sophie was telling Oliver how scary the principal was.
In mids of the talk and laugh, Rain gets a text saying, " Don't move away from your family, stay with them."
She was confused, and then she gets it, this was Steven maybe, he is following her, she thought and turned around to see any car or bike or guy following them, "What happened?" Kat asked watching her to which she just replied, "Oh no nothing, I thought a bird was on the ground." Kat nodded while Sophie looked at her sister suspiciously which Rain didn't notice.
"Who are you?" Rain replied to the text, she was still looking at her phone when a text pops up, "Steven. Can you please just say yes?"
"NO. Why would I?"
"Because it is hard to protect 4 people as we are only 2"
"We don't need your protection!"
"Oh please. You are the same girl who instead of running away from the shadow in the library, goes back in search of it."
Rain was terrified. The shadow was not her imagination, it was real, oh my god. As Rain was typing in the reply, the car stopped at the drive-through restaurant and Oliver asked for her order. She told him what she wants and noticed Sophie looking at her, "Are you okay?" she questioned with a frown on her face.
"Yeah! You got in the school I am more than okay." Rain replied. Kat again started to talk to Sophie about the supplies she would need for the school and Sophie was distracted once again, her idea worked and with a sigh, she looked at her phone. Two more messages were flashing on the screen.
"Don't ask me how I know, you should already get this that I am following you for your safety, and please now can you just stay with your family and not run in the opposite direction." the first message read.
"If only I would have been a second or 2 late you would be in great danger." the second message made Rain frightened but masking the fright she thought, she can't let her family see it.
"Who/What was the shadow? Why would I be in great danger? What did I do?" she replied.
"Meet me in the backyard today at 1 am."
Her heart was beating fast with terror as well as anxiety. She wanted to know many things from him but also she was aware of all the things he could do and she was terrified at what would she discover.
"Okay!" she replied and took the po'boy sandwich Oliver was offering her and smiled, just forget this till night she told herself.
"Did she agree?" Ace asked.
Steven's cell flashed with an okay! Message and he nodded.
"Good. What are you going to tell her."
"I know, not more than the fact that someone is trying to kill her and its reason."
"okay cool… And please…"
"No impulsive decisions, and no spilling more information. I know? Steven stated.
"Okay."
Both of them went silent.
"Do you think this is correct?" Steven asked breaking the silence.
"No, but we now have the order to tell the sisters this much of information as they might need to protect themself." Ace replied while still looking at the family sitting on the bench.
Steven followed his gaze and looked at the girl in black jeans removing her jacket to reveal a white t-shirt underneath and giving it to her little sister. They were sitting in the car in front of the small park that was near the drive-through they went in.
Ace was enjoying his big veggie sandwich and Steven was still in his thoughts with po'boy half-wrapped sandwich in his hand and looking at the Finn's in front of him.
" What will happen now?" he asked distractingly.
"I am not sure myself." Ace replied taking a bite.