V

His eyes widen as he meets my gaze. Quickly putting out his cigarette, I cover my nose with my arm's sleeve. He looks anxious as if something will instantly fall from the sky.

"Find a way to get the stink from lingering," I say to him before I leave.

I can feel his eyes on me. "Thank you!" he quickly says before I am out of hearing shot. He sounds relieved. He should be.

It's one thing to be smoking. It's another to be the son of the man of the town.

Before the final bells ring, I rush to the lady's room to rinse my mouth from any orange-like smell and to air myself from the cigarette smoke Dylan Jackson laid on me.

Trying my best to be lady-like, I walk out of the restroom and to my seat at the front of the church.

"I hope you were able to enjoy the short break, but let us get back to the service," General Jackson comments as the choir takes their stage for the final hymn.

"Where were you?" my mother asks when I return.

"Ladies'," I reply and her questions ceased. I keep my eyes to the front of the chapel until service is about finished. Before he walks out.

"We have returners that we would like to welcome back into our midst," he says. "The Bellamy family, you may come to the front."

That was what today was about. Our return.

Both my mother and I make our way to the front of the congregation. Introducing ourselves once more, my mother looks to me as if telling me not to mess this up for her.

Especially in front of the man watching.

"My name is Elizabeth Bellamy. I was born and raised here in this town and I look forward to staying with you all," my mother delivers.

"I am Stella-Rose Bellamy," I start and think.

"You shall not speak of your father."

"I am 17 years old and I hope you will treat me well."

The congregation claps and prays for our well-being, whilst the priest anoints us as newcomers and we finally take our seats.

Church ends with the last song and it seems like a boulder has been lifted from my shoulders as what I had to do has been long forgotten in my mind.

"Let's go," my mother nudges me.

I look up at her with a confused expression. "Ma?"

"Let's go meet with General Jackson," she explains.

Of course.

She eyes him down before we get up to greet him once he is free from the midst of others.

"Good afternoon, Lucas" my mother greets and I follow.

"Welcome back," he chuckles. "Hello Anabelle, how have you been."

Their chat runs and I find nothing else to do but stand there awkwardly, forcing a smile once in a while and a small laugh every two minutes.

Until he shows up.

"Dad," the boy calls. "Everything has been loaded."

I look up at the boy, eyeing him from head to toe. The smell of cigarette smoke still lingers in the air, but it seems like I am the only one to notice. The fact that he tries to keep such a secret from his father and the community baffles me.

I smile to myself.

He looks at me, his eyes widening as he recognizes who I am.

I give him a quick glance before he speaks once more.

"Good afternoon Mrs. Bellamy," he greets my mother.

"Just call me Anabelle," my mother smiles. I roll my eyes; ever so slightly.

"Yes, Anabelle--may I borrow your daughter for a short while?"

I look up in exasperation.

Why me?

My mother nods. "Of course, dear. You two have fun."

I look from the boy to my mother and internally sigh. She really just gave me up.

On top of that, in public.

I walk out with the boy and we end up returning to our first meeting location. The back of the church.

"Yes?" I get annoyed once we have created a distance between ourselves and our parents.

"You seemed uncomfortable," he replies to my apparent question.

"Thanks for caring," I say quite sarcastically.

He says nothing. I mutter, "I didn't need saving."

He looks over to me.

I look him in the eyes, seeming unaware of the situation.

He continues to stare at me as if he has something to say. His mouth keeps opening but no words come out until he finally finds them. "I saved you."

"What?"

"I saved you," he starts. "So save me too."

My eyes examine him. Nothing seems wrong. "From what?"

"From earlier today."

I look at him with a blank expression. Until it finally clicks. "From smoking?" I look at this boy in astonishment. "I can't save you from smoking. You put that on yourself."

"No," he states. "Just, don't tell my dad about earlier."

I burst out into laughter. He eyes me suspiciously, looking anxious as his features twist into an undecided expression.

"Look here, 'daddy's boy,'" I start. "I have nothing to do with your little dilemma."

He tries to speak.

"But what I do know, is that I don't care about it."

I begin to walk towards the front entrance of the church and he catches up to me. It's not like I'll walk fast anyways, my feet are already screaming for medical attention.

"Don't tell my dad," he says as he latches onto my arm.

I look at him. "You must be really crazy." I look from my arm to him and he quickly removes his arm from mine. I dust off the dress sleeve.

He continues to follow me before I see a boy in the near distance.

Jeremy.

I call out to him and he looks over at me, blankly. Making my way towards him, I leave the heir to the Jackson family.

"Is there something wrong?" Jeremy asks.

"No, no. Just a small nuisance on my tail." I look back at Dylan Jackson. He has his hand in his hair and turns the other way, walking back into the church.

He chuckles. "Well, that's what he is."

This is the first I have seen him laugh.

"Let's be friends," I offer.

"What?"

"I don't have anyone I know in this town except for you, so it would be nice if we could be friends."

He looks at me. "You're joking, right?"

I shake my head, no.

That's the first plan. I can't be alone in this town.

And when something as big as murder is involved, I really can't be on my own.

"Sure," he says and I smile.

Great. Step one, done.