Conspicuous Secrets

chapter two__REWRITTEN VERSION

I pulled the last blanket out of the cardboard box and folded it neatly over the couch. Jaxon walked by the open living room and kitchen space with his car keys in hand. "Where are you going?" I asked him, deconstructing and flattening the empty box.

"I'm going to go see what kind of places are hiring in town," he answered as I set the cardboard aside and grabbed another sealed box. "I'll be back later."

"We are supposed to go to Aria's house in a couple of hours," I reminded him. He'd talked me into joining him by the time we'd gotten home from school. I considered myself manipulated by him reminding me that I'd wanted to avoid splitting up as much as possible.

He nodded, opening the front door. "I'll be back to get you by then."

I could only open my mouth to speak before he slammed the door. "You were supposed to help me finish unpacking!" His loud laugh sounded on the other side of the door before I watched him run to the car parked in the driveway through the window. I had a feeling his timing with this wasn't coincidental.

In his defense, I guess there wasn't much to unpack. We hadn't had much we were able to bring with us.

Not long later, my phone rang and I answered it after seeing that it was from Detective Matthews. "Hey," I started, first thing. "Sorry I haven't checked in yet today, I'm getting everything settled in and lost track of time."

"I understand but please create a routine of doing it," he spoke like a fatherly figure. "If you don't check in, that'll be our first sign that something went wrong."

Sighing, I leaned back against the counter. "Understood."

"Where's Jaxon?"

"Out looking for a job," I spoke barely above a mumble.

"See? He's got the spirits. Find something to do that will keep your worrying mind busy," he suggested.

"My mind is already too busy worrying."

"There's no need. You're safe."

Every time someone spoke those words to me was a stab in the gut.

I kept quiet because I wasn't. I knew I wasn't.

"How about I look around for some babysitting jobs for you?" Matthews offered. "You used to love babysitting."

"Only because it got me out of the house and with a better family."

"You enjoyed it," he said, ignoring my comment.

"I didn't mind it," I admitted.

"I'll ask around," he promised me. "I'll see if anyone I know could use the help. Being around someone I trust will help you settle in nicely," he said, already knowing my constant case of paranoia. If I already knew the family was trustworthy then I guess I wouldn't mind babysitting again. But I wouldn't let myself use it as a distraction.

"Okay...any news?"

"No more than yesterday," he said. It was an answer I heard too often.

"Okay. I'll talk to you soon."

"Be safe."

"Always." I hung up the phone and the silence of the empty house settled in.

Silence always intimidated me. Jump scares were just waiting to happen. I hated it.

So when my phone started ringing again not five or ten seconds later, I about jumped out of my skin. Aria. "...Hello?"

"Hey!" her voice chirped. "Come over early. Marla and I are hanging out before the boys come over."