Bloody Ties//g.d~completed

Chapter 25

What I didn't tell Grayson was that my mom died that same day in a car crash. She was drunk, and tumbled into a ditch. I assumed I'd end up telling Grayson later anyways.

I texted Billy that I was getting a ride home so that he wouldn't come to the school to pick me up. Grayson dropped me off at my house without a word. He said goodbye with a small smile and a ripped piece of notebook paper he handed to me. I tilted my head to the side and knit by eyebrows.

"It's my number," he said, "incase you ever want to hangout."

I nodded and smiled. I closed the passengers side door and walked to my front porch. Digging the key out of my front backpack pocket, I unlocked the door.

Inside the house was a mess. Picture frames were scattered across the living room, pieces of glass littered the wood floors. I ran up to Billy's room and looked around. His stuff was thrown everywhere. Even his bathroom had been ransacked by the intruder. Then I remembered, the person who broke in could still be in the house! My first instinct was to run outside and see if Grayson still happened to be within yelling distance. He wasn't, so I pulled out my phone and dialed 911.

********

The police arrived shortly there after, each flashing a display of blue lights. Billy had been called as well, but he was in the middle of shuttling some kids across the river so I told him not to worry about coming home and that everything was fine. He was hesitant, but ultimately decided to finish his ship before picking me up.

The deputy asked me questions, each more general then the last.

"Do you know of anyone who would be considered as an enemy?"

"No."

"How long have you been living in Pines?"

"Since mid June."

The police woman nodded and joined the rest of her squad who were currently searching the house. After about ten minutes of routine investigation, I received the all clear from the women police who had been questioning me earlier.

"Someone will be here shortly to clean up the mess."

I thanked the women and the rest of her squad before going back into the house and heading straight up to my bedroom. It was the only room that hadn't been damaged. Maybe my room didn't have anything of value in it. Or maybe the burglar just had no interest in searching a teenage girls room. Plus, the heaps of clothes on the floor would've tripped the intruder up and he'd be lost in a messy teenage girls bedroom. I laughed at the thought.

The opening and closing of a door sounded from door stairs. Immediately, I put myself in high alert.

"Em I'm home!" Dad called. I exhaled in relief.

"I'm up here Dad!" I exclaimed as I raced down the staircase careful to avoid broken pieces of glass.

"What are we going to do about this mess." Billy asked with a laugh while pulling me into a hug.

"The police lady said that there would be someone here to clean it up soon."

He nodded as he pulled my out of the embrace.

There was a knock on the front door.

"I'll be up in my room." I said to Billy.

"Doesn't it need cleaning too."

I shook my head.

"Alright, go up there and text your boyfriend."

I rolled my eyes.

*********

The cleaning crew was done in no time. At the moment, Dad had left the house to head back to his work realizing that he had forgotten wallet. It was about 9:00, and I was exhausted. I showered, dried my hair, then went to bed. I reached into to my nightstand's drawer to retrieve my phone charger. In its place was something terrifying.

A white piece of computer paper was folded in half. Written on it in almost eligible handwriting were the words.

We're watching you

With an unreal sense of fear I picked up the note. However something heavy fell out of the fold in the paper and hit the floor with a loud thunk. I reached down to pick up whatever item had fallen. I screamed when I saw what it was.

The necklace from the antique shop, the one I hadn't had enough money to buy. The necklace I hadn't told anyone I wanted was sitting on the floor now in my house.

I grabbed my phone and texted Grayson in a panic.

**********

After a matter of minutes, I heard a tap on my bedside window. Grayson was on the other side of the glass with a concerned look on his face. I unmatched the window and swung it open. He climbed through.

"What's wrong?"

I pointed a shaky finger over to my nightstand where the necklace and note sat. He walked over to them and picked up the note and read it over quickly. He placed it back on the table. Gray's gaze then anchored itself on the necklace. His eyes widened.

"Where did that come from?" He asked picking up the artifact.

"It was with the note. I had seen it the other day at an antique shop and wanted to buy it, but I didn't have enough money."

"Did you tell anyone you wanted it?"

I shook my head.

"Was there anyone else in the store?"

"Just Margot, Scarlette, the owner and me. And they were on the other side of the store most of the time anyways."

Grayson took the necklace into his fist and crushed it spraying an emerald dust that sparkled then disappeared.

I looked to him with shock.

"What's going on here?"

He said nothing but instead wrapped me up in his arms while resting his chin on my shoulder.

"I'll protect you. No matter what it takes, I'm going to be the one to save the day. There's no need to be scared of anything anymore. I'm here for you. And I'm not going to let it or them touch you."