Leave Yourself Behind.

A Chapter by Mickey Hyde

After the kiss...

(Jamie's P.O.V.)

Sometimes, I think of myself as a very calm, and easy going person. I think I can handle just about any situation and look at it from both sides of the story. I usually bounce back from any throw down, even if it is emotionally struggling. I'm never the type to care about what others think of me, or say about me.

However, all of those things about me, have been thrown out the window right now.

Me and Seth were, silently, driving back to his place. It was awful.

Even after the moment and the kiss from earlier, it didn't make me feel any better. No matter how sweet, and soft the kiss was... how hot it was.... it did nothing. It was a good moment, for me at least... It was my first real kiss. I looked at the sky for a moment before turning my eyes back to the empty road.

Okay, the kiss was amazing. Absolutely amazing. And right now, I really hated the tension between us. I wish we we could just go back in time about thirty minutes ago, just to relive it.

Without moving my head, I tossed a small glance at Seth, who sat quietly in the passenger seat, staring out the window.

The longing to hear his voice hit me hard. I just wanted to know if we were okay, if we were still friends, if anything changed. I wanted to know what he was thinking.

I wanted him to be thinking of me....

(End of Jamie's P.O.V.)

(Seth's P.O.V.)

Thousands of trees here. So much shade everywhere, even with the sun burning hot outside. It was a little bit windy I noticed, and I almost wished I were walking outside instead of being in this car right now.

The air outside looked to clear and peaceful. And I'm almost sure it smelled of rain.

Inside the car right now though, was extremely tense. And who was to blame for it? Me.

I shouldn't have kissed her. Maybe she had someone else? Maybe she has a boyfriend that I don't know about...

With that thought in mind, memories of the times me and her spent together flooded my head. Did she feel the same connection I thought we had? Or possibly, was it just me longing for a friend, for someone to talk to?

No. Jamie was not that. She was a near miracle to me. I'm sure without her, I would've still been the loner.

That almost made me smile. Almost.

I was still the loner. But I had someone. I had her.

I tried to glance over at her, just to see how she looked, to maybe get a hint of how she fet right now, but the position I was in wouldn't allow me. So, I tried to move to my left, just a little bit to get a ood look at her facial expression.

But of course, being so cramped up in this goddamn car, I couldn't move an inch. I sighed, feeling aggrivated and a bit annoyed. I wanted to talk to her. I wanted her to talk to me. I just wanted this silence to go away. Usually, if there were silence between us, it was comfortable. It was peaceful.

Right now, it's tense and I hated it. I wonder if she noticed.

Lost in my own thoughts, I failed to notice that we were almost at the treehouse, and that if I wanted to say anything to her, it would have to be now. But what would I say?

I had no idea.

I looked over at her, and I felt my stomach turning, and my face go warm from the sudden nervousness.

"Jamie, look, I'm-"

"Oh, my God." she interrupted, and I saw her color go pale at the sight of what was in front of her. I looked at her, confused, and then followed her gaze.

She was staring at the treehouse, that I had left in a very clean and kept up place, but it was now torn up and completely trashed. She stopped the car right at the entry way of the dirt road, and I quickly got out, looking at the sight in front of us.

The treehouse that I myself had re-built, looked even worse than it did before I fixed it up. Everything was a mess. And worst of all, it was burned down. All that was left of the treehosue were a few boards that had somehow kept up, and off to the side beneath the half burnt tree, were all of my clothes, books, and my mattress, still burning in a pile of ash.

So many thoughts were running through my mind. I know nothing I had could've started a fire. And for my things to be in a seperate pile was obviously done by someone.

A horrible twist in my stomach pulled down on me.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Jamie slowly walk over to my burnt clothes and grab something that layed ontop of it all. I looked away, hating to see all of this stuff, knowing that if I would have been here, maybe this wouldn't have happened.

Everything I worked for so ar had now been destroyed. My home, my first home in years, was now gone, alon with the very few things I had left.

"Seth,"

I barely heard Jamie whisper to me. Everything was drowning out to me right now.

Jamie placed a hand on my arm, and she came to stand closer to me. "Seth, this was on the ground over there."

She handed me a small, white piece of paper. I looked down at it, and took it from her offering hand. I slowly read it. Read it once, twice, and many more after that. I read it so many times that I felt absolutely numb to it now, and so I let ti fall to the ground.

I looked up once more, and watched as the last of the flames died down.

The tree was dead. The leaves were gone. My things were destroyed.

I couldn't help but feel incredibly angry. And partly scared at the same time. Every emotion was bubbling up inside of me. I couldn't help but remember that this was the exact way I had felt when I lived with Mark. Each and every day.

I slowly walked over to the site, knowing that the fire was all out. The smell of the smoke was giving me a headache, but I felt numb to it now.

Nothing could have prepared me for this. Especially from what happened today, this was the last thing I had ever expected to see. The only people that knew about this place, were both me and Jamie, and we were together the whole day. Someone must have followed us here before. Someone obviously knew this is where I stay.

I knew Jamie wouldn't have ever told anyone. And I never trusted anyone else to say where I lived now.

I looked to the ground, see the once green grass now turned to black.

I tried to calm myself. But nothing helped. Nothing at all. My teether were clenched so tight that they began to hurt, and my hands were balled up so much that my forearm was starting to become sore.

Yes. Nothing, nothing at all, could have prepared me for this.

(End of Seth's P.O.V.)

(Jamie's P.O.V.)

I watched as Seth walked off, and I thought of maybe following him to try to comfort him. But I knew that nothing could work, and that maybe it would be best to give him some time.

Who could do this? And why?

Maybe Seth had left a candle lit? Maybe that started the fire?

I looked back at everything, glancing from the treehouse, to the pile of Seth's belongings. Everything was set up, so it was no accident at all. I looked around behind us, to see if someone was behind us, maybe watching us.

I once felt safe here, and now, I've never felt so uneasy before, not even in my lifetime.

I glanced back at Seth, and watched as he looked down at everything.

What was there to say to comfort him? To let him know that everything was going to be alright?

...Was everything going to be alright?

I looked up towards the sky, and noticed the clouds grew darker, and the wind was picking up.

It was going to rain soon, and I didn't want us to be caught up in it.

I tried to think of a plan, to maybe try to convince my father to let him stay the night. But, of course, my mother would never allow it. Maybe he could rent him a hotel?

Would dad do that?

I tried to think of something, and remembered that we had a small loft that he used for storage. Maybe if we cleared a few things, Seth could stay there.

The wind grew stronger, and the clouds covered up any sign of light it gave off. I crossed my arms, and tried to warm myself up.

Things will be okay. I know they will... We can help Seth. I'm sure of it. Everything was going to be okay....

I looked back down to the ground, and noticed that small paper that I had given Seth.

I never bothered to read it, knowing that it was Seth's business.

I glanced at him. His back was still turned to me, still staring at the ground.

I picked up the small paper, and opened it.

"Come Home."

I flipped it over, trying to find something else that continued the message, but nothing. Just those two little words, and the vibe it gave off was completely threatening.

The feeling of things possibly getting better, quickly vanished.

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