~°~Chapter Thirty-four~°~

I don't protest this time when Dale picks me up again and takes me to the car, because I'm not sure my legs work anymore, I'm even more grateful when he puts me in the back seat.

We're going to be going through town so it was smarter to put me in the back seat because even though Pine Creek was a tiny town, I don't think the police will condone Dale cradling me and driving, that has to be breaking a couple traffic rules.

I look up at the rearview mirror and the sight that greets me makes me hide a gasp, I look ravished… that is it, I'm never touching another paperback novel again.

I just sprawl on the seat, to exhausted to be bothered about my red shiny lips, my wild hair or the big, fat, dark hickey on my neck.

I just want a cool shower and my bed and someone to cuddle, preferably Apple, I can't deal with anything big just yet.

The journey back is quiet too and I lightly doze against the backseat, maybe being tiny also meant that you got tired very easily because I'm exhausted.

Soon my house comes into view and Dale parks in front, since they were going soon there would be no need to put in in the garage.

I'm already out before he can come around, I ignore his pout because if Shana and Virgil were inside I wouldn't get some time alone if he were carrying me.

"Do you think Shana and Virgil are in?" I ask as we go in the front door.

"Yeah, they texted me." Dale says, quick enough to open the door for me. "They got back not long ago."

I blink, why didn't I get texted? Then I reach down to pat my pockets, where's my phone?? "Oh." Is all I can manage to say before hurrying up the stairs.

I can hear the voices of Virgil and Shana hurrying out from the Hangout room to come see us, if there was one thing I didn't want, it's for Virgil to see me, not until at least I've had a long ass bath and slept for a couple hours.

So I dart up the stairs quickly in time to escape them.

"Where's Hayden?" Is the first thing Virgil asks as he gets into the living room.

"Upstairs in his room, he's fine, just tired." I smile fondly at the quickly tacked on reassurance, Virgil and Shana probably look murderous.

"I see." Shana mutters.

"What happened with…"

I'd already gone out of hearing range but I quickly move back, curious. I'd noticed that they actually said a lot of things when I wasn't around or they when thought I couldn't hear.

I remember them talking last night, it's very blurry because I was half asleep and probably the only reason they kept talking was because they all thought I was asleep.

They talked about Elise and her scary mom and seeing Leon, I think?

"Virgil talked back at him…" Shana starts to say.

"Because he was being a dick." Virgil interrupts her.

"Can someone just tell me what exactly went down?" Dale asks in exasperation.

I had unconsciously slipped closer down the stairs to hear better, I've already forgotten about wanting to get in the bath and sleeping, engrossed in whatever they had to say.

"First we want to know about the date." Shana says. "You both spent an awfully long time away."

I wince at this, she had absolutely no idea.

"You promise that after I tell you, you'll tell me what Leon said."

"Yeah, yeah." Shana says quickly, I can imagine Virgil is also curious but would rather chew metal than act interested.

"Fine, we went to Suzy's Pet shop..."

"You took him to a pet shop?" Virgil's disdainful voice interrupts.

"Says the one that took him to the woods." Dale fires back.

"Please, both of you, just shut up. You both have horrible tastes, we already knew this, now let me listen." Shana cuts off their budding argument.

"Was it only the pet shop you both went to?" Shana asks.

I freeze at this, wondering if Dale would tell them in detail, I highly doubt he would though.

"We also went to the park and then we came back, now can I know what Leon said?" Dale asks impatiently.

"Fine!" Shana exclaims before Virgil can get a word out, sounding not too happy about it. "I'll say it."

"We went to see Leon…"

"Where?" Dale interrupts.

A short spell of silence and I can practically feel Shana's glare but she replies tightly."At his house, where else? Now if any of you morons interrupt me again, I'll punch you in the face." She threatens and I smile at this.

There's no telling if it was a bluff or not, it's just better to do as she says. Absently I remember the last time I saw Leon, it was after the weekend that I hadn't been able to reach Virgil or Shana and I went to his house to pick him up for school then Leon and Ian had been staring at me like some strange specimen from Mars.

"We got to Virgil's house and luckily Leon was there so we explained everything to him." Shana says slowly like she was daring them to interrupt her, no one takes the bait though so she goes on. "Leon said that he had the solution to our problem and he'd help us."

"Leon agreed to help you so easily?" Dale inquires in disbelief.

"Actually yes…" Shana starts to say.

"Actually no!" Virgil interrupts loudly.

"Virgil!" Shana exclaims.

"Please finish up the story before you both start arguing." Dale says quickly and I lean even closer, careful to grab onto the railings before I lose my balance and go tumbling down the stairs right into their middle.

Talk about your life ending moments not only would I end up with at least a concussion and a couple choice bruises and at worst a broken neck and a couple broken bones, they would also find out that I had been eavesdropping. I don't know which is worse, breaking my neck or getting found out for eavesdropping.