The Shadow

Dakota Swan

One of the perks of traveling with my brother, I get to ride his motorcycle that I love. I just don't get him at times, he rides a bike, looks pretty descent and plays for the college football team, he's crossed all possible limits of coolness, and he still says that he has a problem fitting in and making friends. 

We reached within half an hour. I got off and said,"Okay so, you can just show me where i can find her and be on your way to class or whatever.."

He said, "Shut up, I'm not about to leave my sister alone in this hell hole."

I couldn't help but say "awwwww."

"shut uuuup.." He said leading me somewhere.

"okay..."

While we were walking, every girl passed by him with a flirty style saying "Hey Leo.."

Then a few football jocks came up saying, "hey man, first class is off today.." "ow is it? great, i'll drop you off to school myself" he said to me. 

One of them asked, "who's your little friend?"

I really got offended by the word little, then another one said before he could answer, "you know you're welcome to hang with us when you're done hanging out with school kids.." 

"Shut up Ryan, she's my sister.." he said annoyingly. 

"Sorry man, just kidding.. well hey... there's a party at my place tonight would be great if you came.." he replied. 

"yeah i'll try.." saying this he dragged me away. 

"So hard for you to fit in here, right Mr. Popular?" I said in a sarcastic tone. 

He grinned saying,"You have no idea." 

Then my eyes locked on Dakota sitting with her cheerleader girlfriends. "Isn't that her?" I asked Leo. 

"Yeah that's her" he replied. 

"well then call her!" I exclaimed.

"Wait.. don't talk until i tell you to... come with me," he instructed.

I could see how nervous he was, walking to their table, Couldn't blame him, they were all pretty, especially Dakota.

As soon as he walked up to them, before he could talk, all the other cheerleaders started babbling nervously,"Oh hey Leo" "nice jacket where'd you get it?" "Is that your sister?" "black really suits you" "hey you got a date to the college dance?" "hey did you know 1st period's off..."

He broke off their babbling by saying,"uh hey girls.. this is my sister Leanne.. actually she wanted to talk to Dakota... she's a fan.. Dakota have you got a minute?" 

"uh yeah sure.." she said and came up to us. "Hey Leanne nice meeting you.." she was really sweet. 

I said,"nice meeting you too.. i needed to talk to you about some of your work.." 

"not here" Leo interrupted and led us to a secluded area and soon after I bombed on her everything I had found out about the house and her paintings and showed her the diary.

"Leanne.. the diary i don't really remember, but the paintings in the basement.. i made them when i was about 9 or 10 when I.... when I used to have these nightmares about a girl being murdered. almost every night. even when i took the paintbrush, for some time those were the only scenes that came to me. so i drew them, mom and dad never knew about them. Right before we left that house I had the basement door planked over with some broken floorboards.. that is pretty much all i remember" and that is where it struck me, she said that she had had the basement door planked but when i came across it, the door was not even locked. It might have been some caretaker's work, or maybe not, but i chose not to think of it as a paranormal activity.

"Did you ever think that these could be memories, stuck in your subconscious?" I asked, she looked away blankly for a moment and then returning her eyes to me, just shrugged. I could not work with that, i needed something concrete, for my peace of mind and a careless night's sleep. I reached into my bag and took out the album. "Dakota do you remember her?" i asked pointing at that girl from the paintings. 

"That is Suzzane. She was our maid. We were pretty close, my parents were not really, around that much, i hung out with her almost all the time. She was practically like family. Then one day......" she paused "sh... she disappeared.." The way she stammered obviously struck me. It was like, she was holding back some of it. 

Before i could enquire some more, "i'm sorry Leanne i've got to get going, i'm late for class, it was really nice meeting you" saying this she dashed away from the table.

I had to stay in contact with her somehow, so i made a quick plan in my head and called out to her as she was leaving,"Hey DAKOTA wait" I ran over to her and said,"don't worry its nothingg to do with the paintings, I was wondering did you have a date to the college dance that your friend was talking about?"

"uh.. no.. why do you ask?" she asked curiously.

"Well Leo wanted to ask you out, he was just too scared to ask.. since he's helped me so much, I thought of helping him out a little"

Her face seemed to light up when she said, "really?"

By this time Leo was beside me and had luckily missed the part of the conversation when i asked her out on behalf of him. "Leo you could have just asked me, i would love to go with you," she blushed. 

"Where?" he asked, confused.

"to the college dance.. Leanne said that you wanted to ask me," she clarified.

"no thanks necessary..." i said, awaiting the thunder that was about to blow on me.

"It.. would.. be.. great.... i'll pick you up at 7.... this saturday right?" asked Leo.

"uh yeah.." she said shyly.

"cool.." he replied.

Just as soon as she left Leo punched me so hard on the shoulder that i almost lost my balance. "ouch... Is this what i get for getting you a cute date?"

"Why did you have to do that?" he yelled.

"I was just returning the favour.. why did you want to go with someone else?" I asked.

"No.... ugh you're impossible" he winced.

"oops i'm getting late for school." was my only escape.

"come on i'll drop you off," he said.

While we were walking something struck me and i said,"your first period's off right?"
"yes." he replied, "why did Dakota say that she was getting late for class?" she was obviously hiding something.