In Plain Sight (A Hunted Rose)

Chapter Thirty-One

Firstly, I want to apologize for not posting anything in such a long time.  Thank you all for sticking with me!  I cannot promise that I will have another part for a while, as I could barely force this one out, but I really will try.  If you haven't, check out my other novel, Not Falling Fast Enough, which, so far, is being updated pretty well, I think.  I also have a short story that is complete as well called Never Once More.  Again, thank you all so much for being patient. 

We trained.  We met after school at my house as often as we could and practiced in the backyard, contaminating our clothes with grass stains and rips.  Soon enough, the days passed and we had only a few days until Thanksgiving.

I was home after school with Liam, ready for the guys to come over, when he came in holding the mail.  A plain manila envelope was held up for me to see, and I went over to him to see what it was.

Another note.  I just nodded at Liam, letting him know that he could open it.  I didn't want to read it. 

"They're giving us a place to meet," he said.  "No clue why they want to arrange a whole organized fight.  You?"

"So they can enjoy watching us flounder for a way to survive?" I asked him sarcastically, taking the flimsy paper from his grip.  It had typed instructions this time, along with a picture of a large open field where we were supposed to meet.  I guess that they wanted to get it over with sooner rather than later.  I knew that they had been watching me.  They had to know about the guys and how they were going to help me, along with Liam. 

"When they get over here we need to let them know," Liam said as he took the paper from me.  I didn't realize how hard I had been clutching the paper until he tried to pry it out of my grip.

"Sorry," I mumbled as I gave it to him.  Liam didn't say anything, instead choosing to run a quick hand through my hair and give me a soft smile. 

"No problem Rosie-girl," Liam said to me.  "Just tell the guys."

"Will do, Captain Dunne, Sir," I said, saluting him with two fingers off my forehead.  I giggled as I did it, unable to resist my snarky side. 

"Well then hop to it Private Rosie."

My laughter sounded through my small house as I went to answer the door.  I had heard the footsteps as the guys walked up my front path.  I opened the door right as River had his hand posed to knock on it.

"How'd you know?" he asked with a small grin, entering the house as I held the door open for him.

"You're getting predictable," I said teasingly.  At his slightly put out look, I said, "Liam heard you walking up."

"Makes sense," Seth said as he put his jacked on the arm of my couch.  The others did the same type of thing, putting jackets somewhere on my furniture.  We headed outside, each of us grabbing a bottle of water as we went out the back door.  Sitting on the ground, stretching, I told them about the note.

"So basically," Ryder said, "we're meeting them to fight at the time and place they set up?"

"Seems like it," I said to him.  "There isn't really much other choice."

"There's always a choice," Ryder told me, his eyes serious before they turned light.  "Even if it seems like there isn't one.  Sometimes the choices are just really, really sucky."

"Truer words have never been spoken," I laughed out.

For a change, instead of immediately going into practicing — we probably should have, after all the deadline was looming — we talked and joked around for a few minutes.  We all fought, long and hard, making sure we were prepared for what was coming.  The boys had been training all their lives to fight, and I had been with Liam for a few months, so we were pretty much equal.