I didn't know where I was going. Luca didn't stop me either. We both knew how badly I needed some space at that moment.

Of course, I wasn't leaving Pennsylvania. I wasn't that crazy. But everything that had happened back there with Chase, that frustrated me. It angered me more than anything.

I closed my eyes and leaned back against the concrete wall. I had somehow managed to creep up in an empty alleyway, not knowing where I was actually going. I slid down against the wall, wrapping my arms around myself.

I didn't know what to do. If they knew about my parents, all they told me were secrets that they were hiding from me. That's it.

Dad had been hiding something.

Why would he hide something? We had a perfect family. He loved us. He loved Mom and me and Jack. Everything was fine.

I kept sitting there for the next few minutes, or maybe for an hour. I didn't know the time. It was just me, this empty alleyway, and a full moon glowing right above me.

What if I never find those answers?

I shook my head out of those miserable thoughts and stood up. The sudden anger had left me completely till then. All there was left behind was a tired, lonely feeling.

I started making my way back to the hotel.

It took me few minutes to reach the familiar building and when I did, I was glad to feel the warmth enveloping me. I was tired and exhausted and my legs were aching from the long walk back.

I walked towards the elevator, the whole waiting area empty except for the receptionist who was talking to someone on her phone. Very cheerfully.

Some secrets are better left in hiding.

When I was in front of the room's door, I inhaled deeply and slowly opened it. Getting inside, I closed the door and locked it quietly.

The man in black. Someone who isn't to be messed with.

I went inside and saw Luca lying on the bed, his arm draped over his eyes. He was already asleep.

Looking at him, I felt a surge of guilt go through me. I hadn't seen him sleep since we came here, and that was all because of me. He had done everything to get me here, to talk to Chase, and I had gotten nothing at all from this.

A slight ache formed in my forehead. I pushed back those thoughts yet once again and took off my shoes, picking up some clothes to change into.

When I was changed into a soft hoodie and pajama bottoms, I went over towards the lamps and switched them off. The room fell under darkness. The faint moonlight coming from the glass window was enough for me to find my way towards the bed.

I sat down slowly before lying down on the other side of the bed, keeping as much distance as I could've between us. Blowing out a tired sigh, I turned my back towards him and closed my eyes.

I'll find those answers. Those secrets.

The sleep came almost instantly.

This time, however, I didn't dream of the usual blood. It wasn't the same dream I had been having since my parents died.

This time, I saw the most gruesome event of my life being replayed in my head.

•••••

I was home alone. Mainly because Dad and Mum had gone out for some grocery shopping. Jack along with them.

It used to bother me when I used to be home alone. But I was older now. And even if Manhattan was new and scary, I preferred being home alone. That way, I didn't have to confront new people, even if my school was supposed to start any day now. Mom had done her best to enroll both Jack and me into the nearest school. We weren't just staying here for few months, I didn't even know when I'd see Hayward again.

I rolled my eyes at that thought and sat down on my bed.

Mom and Dad were both trying their best to make this place feel like home, but they both knew it wouldn't be so easy.

I leaned my head back against my bed. I had been trying not to let loose of my thoughts. Because I knew I'd lose everything I still had if I did that.

I missed Hayward. I missed everything there. I missed Luca.

That was the reason why I got out of my house and decided to go for a run. There wasn't a gym I had managed to go to here in Manhattan. But luckily, the woods surrounding our house stretched till miles. You could hear the sound of waves if you kept on walking. Most of the people here said that these woods never ended.

And so I went for short runs sometimes.

This time, however, it was different. When I had locked the doors and had started my run, I kind of lost my way. Which was the worst thing that could've happened.

I didn't panic, though. Because it was still morning and I knew I could've made my way out.

I hadn't known that getting lost in the woods would be the least of my worries.

And I realized that when I accidentally stepped on something, making it crunch beneath my shoes. Expecting it to be a fallen tree branch, I stepped away. But when I saw that it wasn't a tree branch, I picked it up.

My heart started running wildly because it was Jack's headphones, halfway buried in the soft soil. And they were destroyed now, thanks to me.

But that wasn't what scared me. Jack had taken those headphones along with him when he'd gone with Mom and Dad to the grocery store. Why were they here then?

I got my answer when I walked a little further.

The smell of blood hit me first. Between the smell of earth and leaves, I smelled it; blood. And then I saw streaks of the red substance smeared across the hardened soil.

I had ran faster then. Mainly because my mind had started making scenarios which scared me to death. And perhaps those scenarios weren't as bad as the reality—which hit me quite hard when I spotted two bodies lying down on the ground.

And then I realized that they were my parents.

I froze then, mostly because my mind didn't seem to believe what was right in front of me. I saw both of them lying there as if asleep. There wasn't any blood on them. Which was strange since I had just seen blood smeared across the soil.

But when I did manage to take a step closer, I saw those black petals scattered around their heads. I saw my mother's lifeless eyes. I saw her looking at me as if silently screaming at me to runaway.

That's when the horror really crept inside me.

I did the only thing I could've thought at that moment.

I screamed.

•••••

When I woke up, it was the harsh sunlight that made me wince. I looked away from it and placed my forehead against a warmer body, grateful that the sunlight wasn't piercing into me anymore.

But then I realized that I was pressed up against someone. And there was most definitely a heavy arm draped around my waist.

Blinking rapidly, I opened my eyes.

This couldn't be happening.

I did the first thing that came in my head. I pulled away, a little too harshly since he stirred and woke up too, a frown immediately forming on his forehead.

I sat up as I felt my face heating up. Luca groaned lightly before rubbing his face.

Unfortunately, since I sat up too quickly, which wasn't one of the best things I could've done, I felt my stomach twisting up.

Not again, please.

I rolled my legs down towards the floor before standing up instantly.

"Grace—" I heard him. I did. And I would've turned around to let him finish that sentence, but I really didn't want to throw up on him. I already felt too awful.

I ran for the bathroom door and towards the toilet before everything that had been in my stomach got thrown out of my mouth. A wave of nausea rolled over me. A wave of helplessness. A wave of emptiness.

All too familiar.

When I was sure that I was done, I backed away towards the sink, washing my face with my shaking hands. I had to grip the edges of the marble counter to keep myself steady.

I hadn't thrown up twice in a row for so long.

I remembered how things had gotten out of control back in Manhattan. This was my body's coping mechanism. When I got nightmares, I threw up. When I felt the guilt eating me up from the inside, I threw up.

But it had gotten better. Until now.

"I thought you were done with your carsickness." I heard Luca behind me.

I blinked, feeling my eyes stinging at the edges. I turned around and faced him with a blank look. "I think I might've drank some wine yesterday."

I gripped the counter when I looked away. My insides felt extremely exhausted, messed up even.

Luca ran a hand through his curls before walking towards me. When there were just two steps left between us, I shook my head at him. "Don't, please."

He frowned then, stopping right there. "Don't what?"

"Just leave me alone for few minutes. I don't feel well. I just need...few minutes to breathe." It was obvious enough that I was clearly telling him how the close proximity didn't let me breathe.

However, he chose to ignore it. He finished those two steps until he was right in front of me. I let out a staggering breath when he placed his hands on the marble counter, on either side of me.

Then he leaned down towards me until his gaze was fixed on mine.

"I know when you lie, Rose." He said. "I know you're not carsick. And I know you didn't drink any wine yesterday."

I felt sick, sicker than usual.

"I just...don't feel well." I whispered. My arms were starting to ache now. I slowly let go of the counter, willing my legs not to give up. Not now at least.

He didn't back off and it felt like I couldn't breathe. My stomach twisted in response as if telling me that I'd throw up again.

I probably didn't even have anything left in my stomach anymore.

I slowly placed my trembling hand on his chest. "Can you please leave me alone?"

Luca's eyes trailed down to my hand before he looked back at me. "I did leave you alone yesterday night. I didn't come after you even if I had wanted to, just to give you some space."

I blinked and looked away, my eyes stinging once again. "I...appreciate that."

"I don't." He said, clenching his jaw.

I looked back at him then, in his dark brown eyes. They looked annoyed, angry even. And my mind suddenly wandered off to those times when everything was happier and easier, when we weren't like this.