Prologue

Prologue

I wiped the tears from my face as I made my way up to his front door. I could see my refection in the window next to the bright red door. To say the least, I looked horrible.

My thin, brown hair was pulled away from my face, making my hazel, bloodshot eyes stand out even more. My nose was bright red, it almost matched the door.

I took deep breath and brought my hand up to the door.

But I couldn’t do it, I couldn’t knock. What if his sister answered or worse, his mom? What would I do then?

So I slowly walked back down the steps and away from the light up porch, into the pitch black yard.

His house was illuminated by the moon, making it easier to make my way around the side of his house.

I made it to the back and examined the drain pipe that led up to the slanted roof in front of his window. His window was the only one that had light pouring out of it and I was thankful that I had not knocked on his front door.

I placed my hands on either sides of the pipe and pulled my petite body upward, thanking god that I had done gymnastics for my P.E. credit that semester.

As I neared the top of the drain pipe I began to panic all over again. What was I doing here? How could I tell him this? What if they did something to him because of me? What if he didn’t believe me?

Calm down, Everly.

Someone needed to know what I was getting myself into. Someone needed to know that I was going to be okay. I wasn’t planning on tell him everything, that was too much for one person to carry on their shoulders.

So I pushed my worried thoughts to the back of my brain and made my way to the top. I pulled myself onto the roofing as quietly as possible.

I could still feel the tears streaming down my face as I made my way to his window. I couldn’t will myself to stop crying.

I brought my eyes up to the level of his window and peered in.

There he was, laying on his bed, laptop on his toned stomach with is headphones around his neck. He only was wearing baggy sweatpants as he laid there. His light brown hair was wet and tussled from an earlier shower.

I sighed, knowing this was the last time I would see him for a very long time. Finally after having an internal battle with myself once again, I lightly knocked on his window.

He looked up startled, but his eyes lit up as they found mine. He set his computer on his bed and pulled his headphones off before making his way over to the window.

His facial expression changed from happy to confused to sad in a matter of seconds as he spotted the tears that lined my face. Pulling the window up, he held out his hand and helped me inside.

I immediately wrapped my arms around his bare torso as my feet hit his carpeted floor.

“Everly, what’s wrong?” He asked as he lifted his arms to go around me.

“They’re taking me,” I mumbled into his chest.

He pulled me away to examine me, “Who’s taking you?” He was still looking for injuries on me.

“I’m fine, Nick,” I replied trying to get my sobs under control.

“You’re obviously not fine.” Nick grabbed my hand and pulled me too his bed. He sat down, pulling me next to him, “Taking you where? What happened?”

“They said they would kill my family if I didn’t work for them. They said they would kill Lou and you even.” I couldn’t calm myself down at this point, only hope that no one in this house was a light sleeper.

Nick pulled my chin up so that I was looking at him, his gorgeous face was traced with worry as he listened to my confusing words, “Who is they, Everly?”

He would be disgusted with me if I told him what was about to be forced into. I hadn’t had a choice though, maybe he would understand that.

No, I couldn’t tell him, the more he knew the more of a chance he had of getting killed. I was already putting his life in danger by being here.

“I should go,” I whispered, trying to pull away from his grip. Nick’s arms tightened around me.

“I’m not letting you out of this house until you tell me what is going on.”

Why had I come here, I knew it would be a mistake. My own selfish needs overpowered what I knew was best for him. I should have just let him think I was dead.

I sighed and stopped struggling, my body relaxing into his.

It was silent a long time before he spoke softly in my ear, “Who did this Everly?”

I squeezed my eyes shut and slowed my breathing down, giving the illusion that I was sleeping.

I don’t think he was actually fooled, but he pulled his body from mine and moved his computer from his bed. After laying me down onto his pillow, he slowly crawled in next to me.

“I know you’re not sleeping, hazel eyes,” he mumbled against my forehead before giving it a light kiss, “I’m going to find out what happened sooner or later.”

I could soon hear soft snores coming from his body and I took the opportunity to slip out from under his arms. I stood by his bed for a minute, debating. My selfish side wanted to wake him up and tell him everything that had happened in the past couple of hours, but the reasonable side of me knew that was not fair to him. It was not fair that I had even come here.

So I leaned down and pressed my lips to his forehead one last time before sliding back through his open window and onto the roof.

It’s better that he believes in my death along with everyone else, I thought to myself as I shimmed back down the drain pipe.

I glanced back up at his now dark window and sighing stepped backwards into the night.  

Author's Note

Be as brutally honest as possible please!

Reviews

[Amelia Birch]

I know some agents don't like prologues but I have to say I enjoy a good 'what's going to happen' and I ignored the advice and used one in the teen novel I'm writing.

I like the way you've put this together and I'm interested in what happens next. The one thing I would say is that it doesn't need the description of what she looks like so early, it takes away from the action.

[Abbey M.]

Thank you!