She really wasn't getting the hint.

Bella had set down our drinks and asked if we needed anything, yeah fine, whatever... but then she didn't leave.

Riley knew she was annoying me, so he had begun flirting relentlessly with her, simply to get a reaction and I don't think she could see past her own lust. I was three-quarters of the way through my drink, which we had to have received at least twenty-minutes ago, and she was still here.

My death-stares weren't doing anything as the ridiculous waitress raved on about some crap that I wasn't even listening to, and neither was Riley, despite what he would have her believe.

Eventually, I got sick of it.

"Don't you have a job to get to, Blondie?" I asked, making sure she understood the silent threat.

Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth as if to gasp. Could you get any more high-school? Seriously.

"Yeah, I said. Get over it, move on, and find your own man to hit on," yep, I went there, but saying Riley was with me was the only way I could think of to get her to back off.

Despite her appalled look, she nodded and walked back to the kitchen. Good riddance.

The only problem with my little plan was the look now plastered on Riley Martin's face. Absolute delight.

"Your own man?" he quoted, "so I'm yours now, huh?"

I scoffed and looked down at my fingernails that had begun to grow longer than I usually kept them, "You wish."

"Sure I do, darlin', sure I do," he was laughing at me and I screwed my face up at him, which only caused him to laugh harder.

I would have growled if I'd had the energy. Instead I looked back at the family who had gotten their meals and were now laughing over one of the little girls trying to pick up the pasta she had gotten.

I turned back to the sophisticated police officer that was still extremely amused by his own joke and looked ridiculous laughing there by himself.

I rolled my eyes and shook my head at him, turning just in time to see the desperate Barbie return with our dishes balanced on either arm.

While I was glad for the food, I certainly wasn't happy with the waitress being back, especially when she leaned across the table to put Riley's pasta in front of him, very clearly giving him a full view of beneath her top. Disgusting.

Before she could even open her mouth, I cut off her flirty remarks, "That's it, were fine. Go."

The dirty look she sent me was well worth the one I got from Riley. I couldn't help but scoff at how obvious she was when her hips swung as she walked away from us. I really despised her.

"Jealous, are we?" Riley asked, raising his eyebrows as he swirled his pasta. The stupid cop was very pleased with himself.

"No, she's just annoying and obvious," I grumbled. To be honest, I was. I was really jealous.

And now I need to steer the conversation away from this, Riley had a habit of getting things out of me that I didn't want to admit.

"Tell me about your brother," I said, it was the first thing that popped into my mind.

Riley liked talking about his brother, he admired him, I could see it when his eyes lit up from a single mention.

"Nathaniel Martin is the most annoyingly faultless person you will ever meet," he laughed to himself and shook his head, I smiled, I like him like this.

" Where does he work?" I asked.

"He's in the army, the poor sucker," his voice was so nonchalant, I could tell he wasn't worried.

"Wait, so you're in the police force and your brothers in the army? What, did you family have a rule about being in law enforcement and dangerous careers?"

He laughs, "no, but dad was in the navy so it's in our blood," he winked at me and I felt like laughing with him.

"No way, your family's crazy."

"You could certainly say that," he joked.

"How much older than you is he?" I asked, wanting to continue seeing the smile he got.

"Two and half years, and he never let me forget it."

I smiled at him as he shook his head, grinning at a memory I couldn't see. Riley was a very emotionally differing person. When I first met him, barely two days ago... Wow only two days, it felt like forever... When I first met him, I was astonished by the amount of ego and rudeness that could be pushed into one person, but then he changed, and I loved it.

"Did you want dessert, kid?" He asked, setting aside his now empty plate. I looked down at my pizza, nearly gone with only one piece left, before I had a chance to think, he grabbed the final slice and bit into it.

"Hey! I wanted that!" I shouted at him, drawing my eyebrows into the most accusatory look I could manage, but it was a little hard when I wanted so bad to laugh along with him.

"Too bad, mine now," he stated, enforcing the comment by looking up at me and winking, then running his tongue along the length of the remaining pizza, claiming it.

"Ewww... What is wrong with you?" I exclaimed, surprised and disgusted by his behaviour. I hadn't seen anyone do that since Fourth Grade.

He laughed at my reaction and bit into the newly saliva-covered slice, "I was doing you a favour, now you're free to have dessert."

"And you call me a child..." I muttered, but still struggled to fight a smile. Gelato did sound good.

Riley finished off the pizza, licking each finger free of any sauce before calling the closest waitress over. I secretly thanked god that it wasn't Bella. He asked if we could get some gelato to take-away and she rushed off to find us the favour menu.

The waitress returned as quickly as she had left and handed over the gelato options. I chose one that had ferrero rociers and Riley opted for a toffee and caramel sort. We got them in waffle cones and asked for the bill.

-

"Glad I ate your pizza now?" Riley teased, taking a lick of his ice-cream. It was dark and I could only just make out his face, but I knew if it was lit, he would have his 'I'm-so-awesome' face on.

Instead of answering, I licked the gelato and kept walking. After Riley had paid the bill and we'd gotten our gelatos, he had suggested a quick walk around Remington before heading back to the cabin. It was at least 10 o'clock at night, and no one was out. The streets were empty and dark, with almost no street-lights.

Riley wasn't worried, but I was, all my nightmares and 'dangerous-situation' knowledge causing me to stick closer to the cop than I would normally.

"Are you sure we're safe?" I asked, turning to Riley as he began biting into the cone.

He stopped and looked at me in mock-shock, before staggering back and placing a hand to his chest as if he had been shot.

"You- You doubt my skills, Sabine?" He stuttered like a wounded child and I lent forward to punch him in the chest, well, tried to, anyway. He grabbed my wrist before it could make contact and laughed, shattering his pained facade.

I growled at him and he smiled wickedly before releasing my wrist and stepping back onto the path to continue our night-time walk.

"Don't worry, kiddo," he said, a little more serious this time, "I'd like to see anyone try to hurt you with me near."

I smiled at his persistence and was calmed. I believed him.

We rounded a corner and walked past the small town cinema, I was relived for the locals that they at least had a small form of entertainment, despite how dated it may be.

The doors were closed, but from the outside it looked older than my grandmother, and the movies being advertised in the windows had been out on DVD for months back home.

"I'll take you there if you like," Riley said, nodding toward the closed doors of the cinema as if I might not know what he meant.

I was going to reply with a snarky comment but decided he was being kind and I'd better not ruin it.

'"It would have to be better than hanging around the cabin, I suppose."

He smiled and I was glad I hadn't gone for nastier words.

I saw the fresh-food market up ahead and new behind that was Riley's car. We had walked a whole circle, I realised. Despite my unease, I had actually had fun. It had been a long while since I could say that truthfully.

As we got closer I noticed something that made my heart race and my mind not believe it was true... a pay-phone. A pay-phone. Something I could use to call Bliss. And I really needed to, I needed my best friend.

Riley didn't notice my internal excitement at something most would scoff at. Immediately, my mind began coming up with plans and ways that I could talk to Bliss, if only for a few minutes.

But eventually reality caught up and I realised that Riley was right beside me and not stupid enough to go anywhere, plus, I didn't have any coins.

Defeated, I slumped beside Riley and continued toward his car, staring longingly at the phone as we passed and left it behind.

Two days since I had last seen Bliss, only two days, so why did it feel like I'd been gone a life-time?

There was so much I needed to tell her, and so much she would like to hear. Like, how Riley had caught me in only jeans and a bra, and how we were now living in an abandoned mansion and how... well, really, all she would want to hear about was Riley, but I would still tell her the other things.

We got closer and closer to the car and I mentally recorded the exact spot of my new favourite thing about Remington.

Riley remained quiet, completely unaware of my internal battle. We came to stand at the police car and he unlocked it, stepping inside himself.

As I turned to follow the guard in, I saw him. A boy, just older than me, staring dead toward me. He stood in the spotlight of one of very few streetlights around Remington, not bothering to hide his appearance, but creepy nonetheless.

I couldn't see the colour of his eyes from here, but they were locked on me, not wavering even when it was clear I had seen him staring.

I was paralysed, until Riley spoke and the boy moved out of sight.

"Sabine, you okay?" Riley asked, leaning over so he could see me where I still stood just outside the door. I looked toward him and nodded. He hadn't seen the boy. And maybe I hadn't either.

I nodded again as I sat down into the passenger seat, pulling my door closed and tugging my seat belt on. "Yeah, I'm fine."

He chewed on his lip before clicking the key and starting the engine, "Okay," he said, skeptical but accepting the lie.

-

Riley had the radio playing softly and I was surprised that we even had a station so far in the middle-of-nowhere. But it was there and Riley was quietly singing along.

It was dark except for the third-quarter moonlight and the lights of the dashboard in front of Riley. I was tired, so very tired, but I didn't want to fall asleep. I had new fuel for my nightmares tonight and I wouldn't, couldn't handle that...

A new song came onto the radio and I wasn't surprised when Riley knew each lyric to this one as well, despite my never having heard it before.

I concentrated on the soft tune of his voice and the quiet hum of guitar playing through the speakers. He had a very pretty voice, beautiful even.

And eventually that beautiful voice lulled me to sleep in the passenger seat of his car.