I wake up the next morning with my head buzzing. I had been up most of the night trying to figure all of this out. None of it made sense. It's not fair, on the crime shows and on the mystery books all of the pieces fit together perfectly if you really think about it, why doesn't this? Stupid life, it's time to be more like a book.

I get out of bed grumbling, feeling like I'm having a hangover, not that I ever have, I've never had a sip of alcohol in my life, but this is how I imagine it feels...oh well I guess I have at that party, when Mathew handed me that cup. Dang, a guilty feeling washes over me as I remember. I shake off the feeling and continue getting up. I can't believe I have to go to school now. I feel sick and dizzy and light headed, maybe I could stay home, but then I can't further investigate and at this rate I can't just stay home and sit around with all of this junk on my mind. So I get in the shower and let the cold water run down me, it actually feels pretty amazing. When I get out I'm so not in the mood to dress up so I pull on a Never Shout Never sweatshirt over my head, a pair of dark skinny jeans, and high top converse, then I grab my keys and head outside.

As I'm about to get in my car I hear a door shut and look up to see Jake walking to his motorcycle. My blood starts boiling and my adrenaline rushes through my body. I feel an intense urge to stomp over there and demand an explanation, but two things stomp me. One, now that I know he's Slyder, I need to be more careful, If he knew I know, he'd probably kill me on the spot. And two, I need to be secretive, if I want to further investigate, I can't let Jake know that I'm suspicious. So I use every ounce of my self control and force myself into the car, start the engine and pull out of the driveway, driving myself to school.

As I'm driving to school my mind goes over everything I know. The more I think about it, the more it makes sense that Jake is Slyder. I mean first all of the stuff I said last night, plus he's always there when I encounter Slyder. Like at my house, that night I passed out, Slyder was there beating me up one second, and the next Slyder is gone and Jake is there instead. And just yesterday at my dance practice, in the locker rooms Slyder (or at least I assume that person that was in there was Slyder) was in there scaring me and then all of a sudden, Jake just happened to be there. No, I'm sure of it, Jake has to be Slyder.

I pull into the school parking lot and get out. Oh crap I forgot about Abigail! I'm about to get back in my car, when Slyder-A.K.A Blue Eyes A.K.A Jake-(gosh I have way too many nicknames for this guy, or shapeshifter thingy) Pulls into the school parking lot. But something's different today, there's a petite figure riding on the back of his motorcycle. I watch curiously as Jake pulls off his helmet, then reaches behind him and pulls the helmet off the petite figure behind him, to reveal Abigail smiling up at him. She combs a hand through her hair in a sexy, casual way, then grabs Jake's offering hand and jumps off the bike. Practically the whole school is watching as Abigail takes a step closer to Jake and presses her body up against his, leaning her head closer and whispering something in his ear. Jake and her laugh, neither of them paying attention to the audience around them. Abigail blows him a kiss and then strides away, swaying her butt purposefully. I can't help the ping I feel in my stomach at them two flirting.

Abigail's in flirt mode, I've seen her do it many times. It's part of her get a guy routine. First she casually flirts and presses up against the guy, then she randomly kisses him, then she ignores him for four days as he tries to talk to her, then she walks up to him and simply says "hey (guy's name)" and bites her lip seductively before swaying off, that somehow gets them every time. They end up running to catch up with her and asking her out. Which she accepts. And bam! There you have the Abigail boy plan/trick.

So she was on the first step of catching Jake. Jake as in Slyder. Slyder as in a powerful shape shifter that's currently planning to torture and then kill me. What am I going to do?

Abigail walks up to me with a victorious smile on her face "thanks for forgetting me hon" she says. She isn't saying it sarcastically, or angrily, she's being serious. She's glad I forgot her because that somehow led to her getting a ride from Jake. "I gotta tell you, that guy is ho-ot" she says.

I roll my eyes "no, not Jake Abi, anybody but Jake" I beg her grabbing her hand and leading her into an empty janitor closet. "No! No fair. You don't get to like Jake now Beth. You totally had a chance to get him so many times but you always ignored the chances, and now you're dating Brandon. You're not allowed to say you have feelings for Jake, that's not fair. I like Jake, I liked Jake from the very start. You said he was annoying and cocky and 'pretty cute', but every time you deny liking him so that's not fair that you like him now that I do" Abigail says talking to fast I can barely keep up.

"Woah! Calm down. I don't like Jake okay? I don't. You're right, I'm dating Brandon and I like him." I tell her and instantly her face relaxes and a smile appears on her lips "well then why can't I date Jake?" She asks. Hm why can't she date Jake? This was going to be harder than I expected. I obviously can't tell her about everything I found out, Abigail would blow my cover and end up saying something to Jake and then he would kill both of us.

"Because...he...he's not a good guy" I tell her. She stares at me for a moment before laughing "Beth, silly girl. You don't honestly think I care about him being a bad boy right? Bad boys are hot, they don't scare me. It's not like I'm going to get serious with him anyways, it's just fun" she says before opening the door of the janitors closet and striding away. I sigh deeply. Seriously, what am I going to do?

Me and Brandon walk around the school holding hands, completely back to normal. Now it's time for my-now-least favorite class of the day, Grammar.

Brandon walks next to me hold my hand In his until we get to the door.

How did I get so lucky to have a girl this beautiful? Brandon thinks and I can't help but blush.

We stop at the door, I wait for Brandon to give me a small peck on the lips like usual before he leaves me for class, but just as Jake is walking by, Brandon notices him and pushes his lips hard against mine. He's kissing me like his life depends on it, suddenly his hand is groping my butt. Okay this is ridiculous, he was only doing this to show Jake that we were back together. What he didn't know was that Jake doesn't actually care, it's all just part of his Homo Sapien act. I grab Brandon's hand and shove him off me, then glance over at Jake, he quickly looks away and walks inside. Brandon smiles a little. "What was that?" I ask folding my arms. Brandon looks annoyed, "don't ask me, you're the one who shoved me away. Why are you trying to hide us from Jake? Is something going on that I don't know about?" He asks. I roll my eyes "of course not, I just don't think you should have been so rude about it" I say and smile up at him, giving him a small kiss on the lips before heading into class.

Some girls smile up at me admiringly and some girls look like they're jealous enough to snap my head off my neck. I walk to my seat next to Jake, as soon as Mr Ampler walks in he calls me and Jake up there "just thought i'd inform you that you only have until Friday to come up with your questions, and then you ask them on Saturday, okay Jake?" Mr Ampler says. Jake nods and walks back to his seat "you're sure I can't ask him questions too?" I ask wishing badly that I could too ask questions. Mr Ampler shakes his head "my mind is set" he says so I walk back to my seat.

My whole body is tense. Don't say anything about Abigail. Don't say anything about Abigail. Don't say anything about Abigail. I repeat this over and over in my head to remind myself not to say anything. "You need to stay away from Abigail" I say. Of course it didn't help though. Jake looks over at me surprised that I had spoken to him. A cocky smirk forms on his lips "somebody's jealous" he says "yeah the same perv that watched Brandon and I make out" I snap. Anger flashes through Jake and I flinch a little in fear of what he may do. His calm is quickly regained. It's things like this that makes me so sure he's Slyder.

He gives me a small smirk "now why would I be jealous of you two, when I have you're best friend wrapped around my finger?" He asks with an annoying cockiness to his voice. My stomach drops at his words "you have no idea what you're talking about. She needed a ride, that's all" I tell him. He gives me a look that says we both know that's a lie "whatever you say" he says sitting straight once again to face the teacher. My blood is boiling and I'd give anything to smack that cocky smirk off his face. I clinch my fist beside me and calm my breathing.

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After school I decide to follow Jake. He drives fast on his motorcycle so I have to go past the speed limit to keep up with him. He turns down an alleyway and I follow. After a few minutes of going down a straight road, he pulls off to a run down house. I park a good one minute walk away to make sure he doesn't see my car. I jog over there as quietly as I can. When I see Jake, I quickly hide behind a bush. Jake does a rhythmic knock on the door of the junky house, a few moments later a buff guy walks out. "Well?" The guy-who's voice is surprisingly high-says expectantly. Jake nods. The guy starts to say something but stops himself when Jake whispers something. The guy takes a cautious look around and then waves Jake in. They both get inside and shut the door.

I crouch down low and walk up the window. I peek inside to see the guy and Jake having a heated conversation, though I can't hear what they're saying. Wide gestures are made, I can tell they're yelling but they're doing it at the perfect volume so that I don't hear them.

Getting frustrated, I try creeping up to the door, quietly I turn the knob and carefully open the door. I start walking in when a loud creak sounds under my feet. "What the-" the high voice says. My eyes widen in fear, I'm frozen, until I hear they're feet shuffling towards the door. I don't allow myself to be frozen anymore, quickly I spin around and slam the door shut. I run as fast as I can to my car, I hear the door open and I jump into my car and press down on the gas pedal, zooming out of there. My adrenaline is pumping and my breathing is erratic.

It isn't until I'm home inside my bedroom that I've calmed down.

I sit down on my bed and let out a long, exhausted sigh. Time for some more research. I grab my laptop out and start searching.

When I click onto the bookmarked page from last time, the screen starts to load but then disappears and a practically plain white screen appears instead. There's a sad emoticon and in red letters is written "this is embarrassing, but we can't seem to load this page. Please try again later" I refresh the page, nothing. I restart my laptop, nothing. I disconnect and then connect the internet, nothing. I furrow my brow but delete the page. I then go into Google and search up "the book of Serimboniamat. Random books come up, but none of them are the book of Eron or book of Serimboniamat. I do search after search but none of the things that I saw yesterday are here anymore. I close my computer just as I hear Jake's motorcycle pull up to his driveway.

A few minutes later there's a knock at my door. "Come in" I call expecting to see mom, so imagine my surprise when Jake comes walking in instead. A short scream escapes my mouth as I look at him with wide eyes. "Princess I-" he starts to say but I interrupt "what is your problem? Barging into my bedroom? Is something wrong with you in the head? Are you missing a few screws? Did you get dropped on the head as a baby? You don't just walk into a girl's room!" I yell.

Jake gives me a small, calm smirk "you said come in" he states.

I blush a little knowing he's right. "Well I change my mind, get out" I demand dryly. "Wait I just want to-" he starts saying but I don't let him finish "leave. Now" I demand. His eyebrows furrow "Princess, did I do something?" He asks folding his arms.

I stand up and stomp over to him "get out!" I yell and shove him as hard as I can but he doesn't budge, in seconds he grabs my wrists and push my up against the wall. He leans his head closer and my breath hitches in my throat.

No, he doesn't get to just do this little thing, where he makes me stop talking or arguing by getting close to me, by taking me by surprise, by acting like he's going to kiss me, not this time.

I lift my knee up and feel it connect to his crotch. I purposefully don't do it hard enough to seriously hurt him, just enough to hurt him a little and get him by surprise. He lets go of my wrists and his eyes widen, I take this chance of surprise to shove him away. This time, because he wasn't prepared, he falls back a couple of steps. "I will knee you harder if you don't leave." I threaten making sure my voice sounds angry and sure.

He watches me for a moment in confusion and hurt. He's a shape shifter. He's tricking you. He's going to murder you. I remind myself this so that I don't run forward and apologize. After a moment of me staring at him unwavering, he turns around and walks away.

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and collapse on my bed.

Why did he have to shift into something so hot?

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