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There were trees all around
the path; I noticed a sign at the start of it that warned you to
stay on it for safety reasons, and to watch for mud slides. They
had a water fountain and bathrooms off to the right in the
distance. Sand Run Park was nice, they had outlets and was equipped
for family picnics, so people had them here all the time. They had
several choice spots to choose from.

I was bundled up, hat down
over my ears, a warm winter coat, my winter boots, mittens and a
scarf. I started walking down the path and noticed some movement in
the wooded area to the left, probably a raccoon or something. Up
and to the right I saw a steep little hill that went down to a
bridge then up around a curve. It was the same bridge I know I saw
in my dream. So I took it. In the distance, I saw two people
walking to my left, one in a red coat the other in a blue coat. I
sucked in a deep breath. I was about to turn around to follow
them....

* * * * * * *

I woke up and sat up
quickly, but felt woozy; Nic grabbed my arm and Storm the other. My
head was pounding, when I looked at Nic it was like I was watching
an old TV turning off, the edges getting black first and circled to
the middle until it was almost all black. I laid back down. When I
looked up Storm was looking at me funny, so I gave him a look
back.

I held my head “It's
pounding.” I announced...then remembered "Did you see him? Did you
see Cale? Did you get him?" I asked.

Storm looked at Nic and said
"I think she hit her head harder than we thought." Storm moved so
my head was on his lap and I could feel heat radiating from him, it
made my head and neck feel warm.

Nic said “Do you have ice in
your bag.”

“Just get snow, I have
baggies in my pack.” I said and Nic replied, “Well she didn't hit
it that hard. I'll be right back.”

I looked at the surroundings
around us and there was a bridge with a cubby hole looking type of
cave under it - just like in my dream. I told Storm “I just don't
remember… how did I get over here?”

He looked down at me “Nic
and I dragged you over here, more tree coverage and we're off the
path. We found you over there, passed out,” He pointed to the open
area. “What do you have your period again?” He looked down at me
and half smiled. I tried laughing but stopped because it hurt my
head.

“You know, you have a really
nice smile.” I said to Storm. As soon as I said it, he stopped
smiling.

”We need to take you to the
hospital, you obviously shook your brain.” Storm said jokingly.
“No, but we should get you back to the pavilion. Can you stand
yet?”

I tried pulling the letter
from my front jean pocket but a searing pain went through my right
shoulder and I was shivering so much I couldn't quite get it
out.

I told Storm, "Get it would
ya" and I put my glove back on. I glanced up at Storm, he just
stared back at me with those green eyes...."It has information on
it." When Storm put his fingertips on my hip I could feel the heat
radiating from his hand. He slid his hand into my pocket real slow,
it was a tight fit. I felt him slide one finger under the note and
the others on top, pulling his hand out slowly. When he handed it
to me I noticed he was holding his breath.

Nic came back, "Good thing
you packed a blanket,” she said pulling it from the bag. “Body heat
will help you too. Can you sit up? Storm can sit on one side of you
and I on the other. My mom will be here in about thirty
minutes.”

I started to scoot up and
felt Storm put his hand on my back to support me. “Storm you’re
hot, just like my electric blanket.” Of course I had to mention it;
but I think Storm took it the wrong way because he started
to
blush.

I pulled my glove off and
took Storm's hand. “Nic, feel how warm he is.” Nic took his other
hand and said "Wow, you are hot!” and gave him a wink. “The only
thing that would make someone this warm in this kind of weather
would be someone who’s part werewolf.” She looked at me and smiled
with her eyebrows flexed and put her hand over both Storm's and
mine. “Addie your hands are ice cold, you know vampires are cold…"
We all chuckled, but I gave her sort of a warning look not to say
anymore. I didn’t want her telling Storm about my dreams especially
the one I kept having about a wolf.

I put the note between my
teeth, pulled my other mitten off, held his one hand with both of
mine and sat really close to him trying to get warm. He let go of
Nic's hand and took both of mine and sandwiched them between his
and rubbed my hands quickly to make them warm, it was working. Nic
pulled the note out of my teeth. “If we are vampires and werewolves
what does that make you?” I asked.

Nic replied, “Well, I am of
course normal, everyone has to have their sidekicks.” Storm
remarked that we were crazy…

She unfolded the note and
read it, "So you came out here to meet Cale?" she said very slowly
not giving out a clue in front of Storm that it could have been one
of my hair brain dreams. "Soooo did you meet him?" she
asked.

Thank goodness I had written
a note and called Nic to meet me here so I wasn't alone. “I didn't
expect to see Cale. When I got here Cale and his friend must have
already been here, getting ready to attack a girl or something. I
saw the girl in the red coat. I hadn't even spotted Cale when he
came at me full force, knocking me into a tree and then I woke up
here with you guys.” I explained.

Nic asked “Following up on a
dream?”

“Ah, yeah.”

“What?” Storm asked in
confusion.

The picnic area was just a
few yards away. Storm helped me up, I was a little wobbly and fell
into him a bit so he readjusted his grip and put his arm around my
waist, his face was close to mine. He had a different scent than
his brother. He still smelled good - just not the same. As we
headed back to the pavilion Nic explained my dream to Storm and
then handed him my note. We made it to the picnic table, they sat
me on the bench and I leaned on the table so I could rest. Storm
straddled the bench next to me, continuing to warm my hands, I
thought it felt very personal and I felt bad that I was still
shivering.

"How come you can't move
your arm?" Storm asked.

“He tackled me; he came so
fast, I didn't know what hit me."

Nic exclaimed, "He tackled
you? Take your jacket off, let's take a look." Storm was just
taking all this in sitting next to me on the picnic bench warming
my hands and sitting close. He took my hand, put both hands around
mine, and then Nic covered them and me in the blanket. Nic was good
at taking care of people, especially me, Storm wasn’t bad at it
either. I tried pulling my sleeve up to see my shoulder but it
didn’t push up far enough without removing layers. So she pulled my
collar over to take a peek “Holy crap Addie.”

"Just leave it" I
mumbled.

Storm asked “Should we take
her to the hospital?"

"No” I snapped. “I'm not
going, it's just a bruise. He hit me two seconds ago, give me a
minute, would ya?"

Nic replied “Ahhh, what do
you mean two seconds ago? You were knocked out when we got
here!"

Storm started getting protective all of a
sudden and said, “Addie you had to be knocked out for at least five
minutes. If Cale did this, you should call the police on him, he
had to hit you hard to knock you out. I'm sorry, but I hate that
guy and he needs to be put in his place.”

Nic had made more snow ice
packs, Storm felt the back of my head, found the knot and put the
ice on it. “My head is pounding.” I said.

"I hope you don't have a
concussion.”

He took out his pocket knife
and said "Can I cut your shirt?"

I started to whine "Do you
have to? It's one of my favorite sweatshirts."

“It's either that or you're
going to the hospital!" he got a little sharp with me. I held the
ice pack to my head with my other hand and he cut, “I don’t know
what the big deal is.” He just gave me a look.

"Fine" I said sardonically.
He cut a slit on either side of the neck, it allowed him to pull
the shirt down over my shoulder.

"Ow, ow, ow, STOP!" I
squealed.

He stopped "Do you see
anything?" I asked Storm. Both Storm and Nic's eyes were
wide.

"Addie you are.... I was
going to say black and blue, but there is no blue, just
black."

Storm said "We need to ice
this up and get you warm. Are you sure you don't want to call the
police or go to the hospital?” I nodded. “Nic, can we go to your
house?"

“Wow. A man who takes
charge, glad you brought him Nic."

He helped me put my coat
back on my arm, I still bumped it on the table and I let out
another little yelp.

It occurred to me that I had
no idea why Storm and Nic were here together. “So why are you guys
together, are you together?” I said as my teeth chattered. Nic
looked up quickly at Storm. Storm just gave me a squeeze around the
waist helping me up as Nic's mom pulled up in the lot. I told them
not to help me so Mrs. Newland wouldn’t know but couldn’t help but
limp. Nic told her I slipped and fell on the ice, I told her Nic
pushed me and laughed. Nic denied it and we were bantering like
normal all the way home.

When we got to Nic's house,
she started telling me that Storm was worried about Jett and he
needed someone to talk to; Storm finished her story and told us
“Jett's been really sick again. I think he's having a relapse,
because I can see all the symptoms happening again. If he loses his
temper he gets sick even quicker, so my mom is trying to keep him
happy all the time now – he gets whatever he wants. We used to
fight a lot, now I just keep my distance.” Storm explained his
symptoms, “he gets sick with a fever, then his temperature drops,
he gets real pale looking and shakes a lot, says he’s in a lot of
pain that it feels like all his bones are breaking. Each time he
gets sick it gets a little worse. He even lost a couple of teeth
but the doctors think it's unrelated to the rest of whatever he
has. They don’t know what's wrong with him either. However, within
24 hours after receiving a blood transfusion last time he seemed to
be fine. Quickest recovery they have ever seen.” I didn’t know what
to say to him.

I
t's freezing cold outside and going back to school was a drag.
I never did hear from Jett, but maybe he was still sick or just
busy with the holidays. People with big families always have lots
of plans, and I got the impression his family was big. I guess I'm
trying to make excuses, maybe I just have to get over Jett and move
on. Besides, it's not like I was having the best of luck; I still
have the issue of Cale possibly stalking me but it’s been quite
lately, maybe he’s over it. In any case, I'm glad I have all new
classes so I can avoid Cale altogether.

Third quarter gave me a new
start. Too bad my arm was still really sore, and I still had a
small knot on my head; at least neither were visible.

After lunch, Nic and I got
to chatting so much I was almost late for my architecture class. I
ran in the room just as the bell rang. I glanced around quickly and
all the seats were taken but two. At least they were at the back of
the class. Then I noticed Declan was in the row in front of the
open seats. He's the one who suggested I sign up for the class.
Plus, I thought it sounded like fun so I did. I noticed someone's
stuff on one of the chairs so I took the desk next to it. The
teacher announced “Take your seats.” I plunked my books down on the
desk and I noticed Jett walking toward me, he smiled moved his
items from the chair to the desk and sat down. My eyes were about
to pop out of my head

It figures! I had to arrive
late to the only class that I have with Jett and the
only empty seat was right next to him. I'll just have to
get here early tomorrow and grab a seat elsewhere. I betcha he
never sits in front. The teacher started talking “Where ever you
are sitting today is where you will sit for the rest of this
class!”

“Pffff” I let escape from my
mouth. The teacher and our wrestling coach started walking down the
aisle between the architecture tables. “Do not raise your hand and
ask if you can move. You can't. I don't care if you are dating the
person next to you,” he touched my desk and looked at me. “And then
you break up, I don't care.” All hands went down. “I repeat, do not
ask me to move you because I do not care,” Mr. Landry announced.
He's why Declan picked the class, I bet all the wrestlers took this
class; I looked around and noticed quite a few.

“The only nice thing I will
do all year is give away this packet of architecture tools to
whomever comes closest to the number I am thinking in my head.” He
held up a package of rulers, T-squares, specialty pencils, led and
other supplies. He continued “The number is between 1 and 100!” He
said as he headed back to the front of the room. I immediately
thought of the number 27, because it was my favorite number but it
was also Jett's football number, but I'll be darned if I pick it.
So I decided on the number 54, 27 doubled, as long as no one else
chooses it first.