At school whenever Ryder got a chance he would try to convince me to spend the night at his house because he said my screaming during the night was very alarming. Everytime he begged, I said no. I needed to be alone tonight since I was going to sneak into Heather's house and delete the picture from her camera roll.

After I threatened to punch him as hard as I could in the place that it would hurt most, he finally stopped pestering me.

While putting on black tights and a black hoodie, I laughed at the memory of the fear on his face when I threatened him. I'm glad he hasn't bothered me since then even though it's only been a few hours. Hopefully he doesn't see me leaving my house because I know he might try to stop me from doing what I'm about to do.

Grabbing my mini black backpack, I shoved a flashlight, my phone, and house keys into it and hurried out the door.

Opening the front door I stepped out into the cold, dark night. It's 11:30pm so I expect Ryder to be playing video games or doing something that wouldn't involve him to look out the window and see me.

Even though I've only started walking, everything is going to plan.

Well that is until I hear Ryder's front door open and him shout my name.

Frozen in my tracks, Ryder ran across the street to me. "Where are you going?"

Rolling my eyes I continued to walk on, "none of your business."

I didn't even have to look back to know he was trailing behind me. "Can I drive you to where ever you're going? It's not safe to walk alone out here at night — plus you look like a robber wearing all that black so if cops were to drive pass you then good luck behind bars, Princess."

"Hey maybe I should let you get arrested or kidnapped because then this would be like super Mario bros! Get it because you're a princess and–''

I turned around to face him and he crashed into me, causing me to stumble a little backwards. "If I get caught doing what I'm about to do then that means you would also get caught if you drove me. And I can't have that happen." I said sternly but he didn't leave me alone.

"Tell me what you're going to do and I'll leave."

"I just need to get into someone's house. They have a picture of me and I need to get their phone and delete it. If you think of stopping me Ryder I swear to god I will–''

"Count me in." is all he said as he dangled his car keys in my face.

I swatted his hand and car keys away from me like a bee and he laughed in amusement. At this point I realized telling him no was just wasting time and not going to change anything so I agreed and we walked over to his car and got in.

"Address?" he asked me, turning on the ignition.

"Uh..." my attention fell to his hand that rested dangerously close to my thigh. I couldn't focus as we pulled out of his driveway and started driving. He drives a stick shift Porsche which means he has to change settings on the gearstick often as we drive. Everytime he was done maneuvering the gearstick he would rest his hand closer and closer to my thigh, making me feel hot all over.

"Princess I need the address in order to continue driving." he said, making me snap back into reality.

"Oh right right. It's 27 Arch Avenue."

He winked at me, "ok thanks."

"You don't have to wait for me, Ryder. I can walk home–''

"Hell no," he cut me off, "if I'm driving you there then best believe I will drive you back."

I thanked the darkness of the night for covering my blush. "Oh o-ok."

The rest of the car ride was not that important. We sat in silence until rap songs played on the radio, making Ryder rap along with them. I laughed but cringed as he stumbled over some of the lyrics. Yeah, he could never be a rapper.

When we reached the house I unexpectedly gasped at the suprise I felt. Every house on the block was run-down, as if they haven't been lived in for years. This neighboorhood is a ghost town. Ryder turned the radio all the way down as we drove slowly down the road. Every lawn was cut unevenly and the grass was all dead. The paint job on the houses looked like it had been done decades ago. Halloween was tomorrow night but there were absolutely no decorations on any houses. Every house was a one-story and no lights shone in them.

I gulped in fear. "A-are you sure this is the place?" There is no way someone like Heather Valentine could possibly live here.

Ryder picked up his phone and checked google maps. "Yeah it's correct. Is there some reason you look confused?"

"I didn't expect her to live here." I whispered to myself as I looked out the window.

Ryder heard my whisper. "Who's her?"

"Um," there was no point keeping it from him any longer, "Heather. It's Heather."

Now he was the one with a shocked expression. "Wait...Heather?!!?"

"Yup," I replied, popping the 'p'.

As Ryder parked infront of what apperently is Heather's house, I internally thanked Ryder for coming with me because I would be terrified if I came alone.

When my foot hit the tar road and I stepped out of the car, I felt like...

Like a ghost.

Each house was a grave and the neighboorhood was a graveyard. I felt alone like I was trapped in a void of darkness. When I closed the car door, the safe bubble that floated around me before we came into this neighborhood was now popped, making me shiver and feel unsafe.

Trapped in a state of fear, confusion, deadness, and silence made me not notice Ryder step out of the car and walk towards me. My back was pressed against the passenger door as I stared wide-eyed at the house called 27 Arch Avenue.

"Autumn."

My head jerked in Ryder's direction in an instant. "W-where are we?"

He looked around. "I don't know. But if one things sure it's that this place is strangely creepy." I couldn't tell if he was scared like me because he didn't show any emotion. Maybe he was good at hiding it.

Inhaling a deep breath, I pushed myself off his car. "I know you are supposed to stay in the car but p-please come with me. Please."

"Don't worry Autumn. I'll come with you. Trust me, I'm not scared but I can feel your fear radiating off you."

"I'm s-sorry I'm uh," I could not manage to form a sentence. Why am I so scared? How could I possibly be so scared about–

My eyes visioned in on blood splattered on the front door of 27 Arch Avenue and I covered my mouth with my hand. "Oh my god..."

I pulled out my flashlight and turned it on with shaky hands. "Lets get this over with." I mumbled under my breath as I took cautious steps towards the porch.

Before we entered the house I turned to face Ryder. "I h-hate to sound like a baby or a wimp because that's not m-me. But can you um please h-hold my hand."

His eyes lit up with care and understanding. I held out my violently shaky hand and in an instant, Ryder intertwined out fingers together and all the fear was gone.

All of it was just gone. How is it possible that the softness and warmth of his hand was able to reduce the fear?

His hand in mine. I never wanted to let go.

"Don't be afraid, Autumn. I'm right here with you." he reassured me and I smiled.

In response I nodded and used my other hand to turn the door knob.

The door creaked open with ease which made me frown in response. "Hmm, that's unusual."

"Something wrong?" Ryder asked as he stepped in the house, still holding my hand.

"It just doesn't make sense. Why would her front door be unlocked especially at night?"

"Maybe because the door doesn't lock," Ryder remarked as he pointed the flashlight in the direction of the door knob.

Stepping inside, I looked at it. He was right, there was no lock. How on earth could someone like Heather not pay for something as simple as a door knob?

Taking the light away from the door, Ryder exposed the kitchen with the flashlight. Some of the yellowish white tiles on the kitchen counter were removed or broken. There were dishes in the sink but there was no dishwasher or refrigerator.

My eyes wandered around the kitchen until they noticed papers scattered next to the sink.

"Pull out your phone and search up Roak Neighboorhood," I whispered to Ryder and he took his phone out of his pocket. "Maybe it will tell us a little background about it and why it feels like a ghost town."

Letting go of his hand, I walked towards the papers. When our fingers detangled from one another's I felt a chill in the air and fear crept in, making the hairs on my back stick up. My hand ached when his hand wasn't in mine. But I had to ignore that ache because it wasn't as important as my mission.

My hands uncrumpled the paper and I read the words:

Heather Valentine,

This is a final notice. We are sorry to inform you that you will be asked to leave in a matter of days if you don't pay your rent. Even when you leave the neighboorhood Monroe Park, you will still need to pay all the rent bills that you have missed in the passed two years.

Thank you,

MP Housing Company

Date: 12/05/17

2017? That was last year. Why would Heather hold onto something that's a year old?

The other letters were from other companies saying she owed money. One letter was from a bank that demanded she paid all the money that she was in debt from, which was -$65,000.

Maybe that's why she's living here? Because she can't afford anywhere else??

"I found something," Ryder said, cutting my thoughts short.

He showed me his phone and I read the article he found. In the article, it said that Roak Neighboorhood was in fact abandoned. The last time people lived here was 10 years ago. The neighboorhood has not been demolished because no ones willing to step foot in it, since it claims to be haunted.

"Haunted?" I whispered. "Why would it be haunted?"

"Keep reading," Ryder whispered back while grabbing onto my hand again.

The article said that a massive cult came into this town, slaughtering anyone who were of different religion than the people in the cult. It said also that the ghost of the slaughtered roam through the neighboorhood in the night, seeking comfort in their old homes.

This place really is a ghost town.

My eyes widened in realization and horror. "The b-blood on the door... that's from ten years ago? How is it still there?"

He squeezed my hand in comfort and I sighed in relaxation. "Let's find that phone so we can get the hell out of here." He urged me down the small hallway.

To no suprise the wallpaper on the walls were chipped. The wallpaper was light green with white and light pink lillies.

"Geez. Whoever lived here before Heather has an old lady taste in interior design." Ryder commented as he looked down at the patterned rug that was maroon and purple.

I covered my mouth, trying to hold back a laugh. "Ryder shut up!" I yell-whispered. I didn't want him to offend any old lady spirits.

What? I'm parinoid ok?!!

On the right there was a door to a bedroom and on the left was a door to a bathroom. We walked into the bedroom and I gasped.

Ryder covered my mouth with his free hand, silencing my gasp. "Shhhh! She's sleeping."

"Sorry sorry."

Why do I feel bad for her?

I looked at the state she was in. The bed was old and very squeaky; even when Heather wasn't moving the bed squeaked. Her blonde hair was tangled infront of her face and she laid tightly closed into a ball. She was fast asleep but she shivered tremendously.

"I'm sorry," I whispered as I took a step closer to the sleeping girl. "I'm sorry I thought you were someone that you really aren't. No matter how mean you are, you don't deserve to live in a haunted and abandoned neighborhood all alone."

"Autumn, I found the phone!" Ryder whispered excitedly and I stopped my one-way conversation with Heather.

Turning to him, I did a golf clap by clapping with only my two pointer and middle fingers, in order to be silent. "Bravo. Now let me see it please."

He handed it to me and without hesitation I grabbed it, unlocked it (thank god she had no password), and deleted the photo of my arms and the photo of me and Derek.

Turning off her phone and resting it on a wobbly wooden desk table, I sighed in relief. The burden was now off my shoulders and I could finally be worry free.

Before I knew what was happening next, Ryder conjoined our hands together once again and rushed us out of the house and into his car.

As we drove, I looked at him and took in all his details: his perfect jawline, his long eyelashes that batted elegantly everytime he blinked, his closed sly smile, and his dark chocolate hair that looked so soft that I just wanted to run my fingers through it.

What really got my attention was his left hand that rested on the steering wheel. His left hand was the one I held on to when we were in Heather's house. His fingers were tapping quickly on the steering wheel. It would be understandable if they were tapping to the sound of music but the only sound we heard was the engine of his Porsche. Ryder never taps his fingers against the steering wheel, never.

Could he be anxious and wants to hold my hand?

Just the thought of him wanting to hold my hand just as much as I wanted to hold his was enough to make my palm ache in longing of touching his.

Dammit, it's annoying when it aches because then all I think about is his hand.

"I can't believe we just went into a haunted neighboorhood," I said, trying to distract myself from holding his hand.

"Yeah me too. It was pretty sick if you ask me."

My mouth parted, "sick? Sick?!!?" How on earth was that sick? It was so scary."

"Well who else besides me and you do you know that has been into a haunted neighboorhood where people got slaughtered?"

I rested my pointer finger on my chin. "Does a haunted house count?"

He turned his head to face me and narrowed his eyes in a 'are you for real' type of way.

"Yeah...don't answer that." I laughed and looked out the window. Dark trees passed by us in a flash as he drove probably above the speed limit. The crescent moon lighted the earth with a silver hue. There were no stars out as far as I could tell, just the moon.

It was just the moon hanging in the sky tonight and it reminded me of Heather: all alone. Heather is all alone in that ghost town and the moon is all alone in the empty universe.

Maybe the scorching sun wouldn't forgive Heather for being a bitch but when night struck and the forgiving moon came out, it would forgive her for it knows that there will be a next day. Another day to start over.

So that's what I'm going to do. I will not challenge or test Heather and just leave her to whatever she wants to do. What I learned is to not be mean to others because I don't know what battle they are struggling to fight. Heather is just another one of us; a soilder fighting against their own mind.

Without me noticing that we arrived home, Ryder opened up my door and held out his hand. Eagerly, I took it and he helped me out of the passengers seat.

"Are you sure you will be fine home alone?" Ryder asked me while closing my door but still holding onto my hand.

"Yes I'm sure." I told him and he nodded in response.

We stood in place, letting our eyes get tangled in each other's soul. His brown eyes stared intensely in mine and vise versa.

"Ryder?"

He pulled me a little closer by our held hands. "Mm?"

He was so close to me. The butterflies fluttered in my stomach and I forgot what I was going to say. "Um I uhh..."

I looked down at our hands and remembered what I was going to say but in a second, his free hand held my chin and made me look at him.

"I just wanted to say thank you."

He smiled. "You're welcome, Autumn."

Letting go of my chin, he opened the car door and pulled something out of the back seat. When he came back to standing positing, he put the item behind his back with his free hand.

"I know it's late and we should try to get some rest but I was playing basketball with my friends in the park today and when we were done, we walked home and as we were walking I saw this," he handed me the thing that was secretively held behind him. "I saw this and it reminded me of your eyes. Look I know that shits cheesy and whatever by saying it reminded me of your eyes. I don't know why I kept it the whole day but I just thought you would like it or something. There was a bunch of them but this was the only one that was blue."

I couldn't stop smiling. God I really couldn't. It was a light blue rose that matched the color of my eyes perfectly. All the blue petals sparkled under the moon. Bringing the flower to my nose, I sniffed it and closed my eyes in pleasure. The rose smelled like sugar, rose water, and cotton candy.

My heart beat magnified in my chest. I can't believe he would even think of keeping it all day just to show me. It was so nice of him that it made me want to cry in happiness.

Ah let me tell you, this boy is something else.

"You don't understand how much this means to me, Ryder. Thank you so much it's so beautiful."

He waved it off like no big deal, "ah really it's not that special."

"To me it is," I said quietly and his smile grew to the point that he had dimples.

At that moment, something inside me said that it was okay to do what I wanted to do at that moment. I was afraid of risking it though.

But what's life without risk?

Before my mind could comprehend my actions, I leaned in and kissed his cheek. My lips felt his cheek get hot and I had a feeling he started to blush at my unexpected action.

When I moved back to look him in the eyes, I noticed he really was blushing — actually, he was turning into a tomatoe!

I whispered in his ear, "have a goodnight Ryder," and walked into my house.

Tonight was filled with scares but yet it was so...

magical.