The Girl in the Hooded Jacket

Late Night Encounters

Hello!

I'd like to start off by introducing myself: hey, I'm Shana, and if you're reading this book you are absolutely fantastic and I love you with all my heart.

Please be warned: I started this book in the seventh grade. Read at your own risk:)

Xo,
Shana

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"Carter!"

I stirred in my bed, slightly. "Go away." I muttered.

"Carter!"

Eyes still closed, I made an attempt at hitting in the direction of the voice.

"Goddamnit just wake up already!"

I finally managed to open one eye to see Violet Sanders crouching beside my bed, her blue eyes gleaming and a black hoodie pulled over her hair.

"What do you want, Violet?" I whispered.

She grabbed my hand and started tugging me out of bed. "I have plans. Big ones." She looked me up and down disapprovingly and wrinkled her nose at my green boxers before chucking a pair of jeans and a t-shirt at me. I quickly put them on.

"We are going to run away." She whispered, her voice filled with exhilaration.

I groaned. This was not the first time Violet had come to me with an escape plan. "Violet." I said slowly. "I can't. I might get caught."

She raised her eyebrows. "Care to test that theory?"

I close my eyes, slowly breathing in. "Listen, every couple months you come in here with some sort of master plan to run away. I always refuse, you always go on your own, and the whole thing just ends up blowing up in your face. Let's not do this again, shall we?"

Violet curled her fists around the collar of my shirt, pulling me down to her level. "Let me ask you something, Jones. Who put that bruise on your face?"

My right hand automatically reached up to touch my jaw where the skin was beginning to darken. "Gabriel." I muttered, my eyes dropping to my feet. Gabriel was the name of my father, but I only call him Gabriel. I prefer to cut short any connections I have to him.

"Now tell me, what did you do to deserve that?" She questioned.

I sighed. "Nothing."

"You see? Wouldn't it be nice to finally escape this hell that you call home? To finally be somewhere where your dad can no longer hurt you?"

I pried her hands off. "Don't call him my dad." I said. "And I'd love to. But I can't risk what happens if he finds me."

Violet sighed. "Fine. Fine stay here." She turned around to make her way back out the window, then paused.

Violet turned around, her blue eyes wide. "Carter?" She asked, her voice softening. "Could I stay the night? With eight other kids in the house, my foster parents won't even notice I'm gone. And I really just can't imagine going back there."

I offered a half a smile. "Of course you can."

She grinned, kicking her shoes off and jumping onto my bed.

I chuckled, laying down and pulling the warm comforters over myself.

***

It was seven o'clock when I woke up. Crap. "Violet." I whispered.

No response.

"Violet, you need to wake up."

Still no response.

I shifted my body to see her, only to find that she wasn't there.

I sat up quickly, running a hand through my hair. Where is she? Maybe it had been a dream, and Violet Sanders was asleep in her own bed in her own room across the street.

I grudgedly got out of bed and washed my face, then headed downstairs.

Gabriel was seated at our kitchen table, storm clouds behind his dark grey eyes. He motioned for me to sit across from him.

I took a seat, not meeting his eyes. Gabriel turned his phone on, then slid it across the table to me. "Explain this."

I squinted down at the screen. It was a blurry picture of Violet climbing from my window to hers, her facial features barely noticeable beneath the shadow of her hood. "You see, I was outside, watering the plants, when I saw foster here, sneaking out of your bedroom window." He folded his arms across his chest in an accusatory matter.

I bit my lip, drummed my fingers on the table. "Last night, Violet came over to my talk for a little. She was scared to go back to her house, so I let her stay the night. That's it." I explained.

Gabriel's mouth twisted in a disapproving manner. "What were you doing talking to a friend on a school night, when you should've been studying? Not to mention having a girl sleep in your room." He spat out the word like it tasted bitter in his mouth.

"Gab— dad." I said cautiously, the way you would talk to an angered animal. "We didn't do anything. I promise."

He quickly rose from his chair, causing me to stand up quickly, too. "You imbecile!" He spat, advancing towards me. With every step he took forward, I took a step back, until I was firmly pressed up against the wall. "Do you expect me to believe you, after everything you've done?"

His fist collided with my jaw, hitting my bruise. Pain ricocheted through my body.

He threw another punch, then another. A small cry escaped my mouth.

I could no longer feel my face.

Then the ground rushed up to meet me.