Chapter 35 Haven

Chapter 35 Haven

ARDEN

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“Oh crap,” I muttered under my breath when I bnoticed /ba notification from Silver Quill. It appeared that we had an activity scheduled for tomorrow, and I needed to buy a book bfrom /bthe local bookstore.

Owen halted in his tracks and turned to me, one eyebrow arched inquisitively.

“Do you know where this bce /bis?” I asked, holding up my phone bto /bshow him bthe /bname of the bookstore.

“Haven? It’s that one, he replied, pointing towards a shop not far from us. It was bonly /ba few blocks away, which caused me to sigh in relief. “Why do you ask?”

“I need to buy something from there,” I exined. “You should go ahead first.”

1 stepped back band /bnoticed the hesitation in Owen’s eyes. Confused by bhis /bexpression, I tilted my head slightly.

He nced up at the skies for ba /bmoment before letting out a small sigh. “It looks like it’s going to rain soon.”

“What do byou /bmean?” I chuckled, following his gaze to the heavens. The skies bare /bdark, but they’re perfectly clear, and the stars are shining bright.”

He pursed bhis /blips. “I just bhave /bba /bbknack /bfor these kinds of things,” he said defensively.

A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth, and I nudged his shoulder yfully. “Why? Are you worried about your new

“Don’t worry. I won’t take long. I teased, leaning into the banter. “If you’d like, I can text you once I’m home.”

He let bout /ba deep bbreath /band shook his head. “It’s not like thatb,/b” he grumbled, a hint of exasperation in his voice, bwhich /bmade me chuckle even louder. I had never had a younger sibling, but I imagined that this might be a slice bof /bbwhat /bit would feel like to have one to provoke and tease.

“Whatever,” he muttered, a hint of bannoyance /bbcreeping /binto his tone. “I warned you. I’m going right ahead.”

With bthat/bb, /bhe turned baround /bband /bstarted walking toward Elite. See you btomorrow/b, Owen!” I called out, but he didn’t look back, bwhich /bbcaused /banother giggle to escape my lips.

I walked bover /bto Haven and quickly bentered/b, a bchime /bbringing /babove my head. As I bstepped /binside, I couldn’t help but gape at the benchanting /bscene before me. From the boutside/b, it seemed like bsuch /bba /bmodest store, but bwithin/bb, /bbit /bfelt utterly magical.

The shop had bonly /bone floor, bbut /bbthe /bbshelves /breached all the way to the ceilings. bAn /bbantique /bdder bwound /bits way around the ce, and artful vines twisted around it, appearing bas /bif they were free of dust despite the store’s age

bAlong /bwith bthat/b, the air bwas /binfused bwith /bthe scent of both fresh and old pages, a bbination /bbthat /bevoked a sense bof /bnostalgia. I closed bmy /bbeyes /bfor a moment, inhaling deeply and brelishing /bthe fragrant batmosphere/b.

When I bopened /bmy eyes, I nearly jumped bback /bbin /bsurprise bupon /bspotting a bstunning /bwoman with bolive/b–toned skin and wild, curly hair pulled into a half–up, half–down style.

She seemed bjust /bas astonished to see me.

“Oh, hey there,” she chuckled awkwardly, her cheeks tinting slightly. “Umm, right. bI /bmust bhave /bforgotten to flip the sign at the front. We’re balready /bclosed” she said scratching the bback /bof her neck bsheepishly/b.

towed my head slightly in apology. “My apologies. I replied “I didn’t realize. I just needed to buy a book for Silver Quill, bbut /bI cane back tomorrow.”

Her expression softened when she saw how genuinely apologetic I was A small smile crept onto her blips/b. “For Silver Quill? I bguess /bit’s balright /bthen. The book for your club is already behind the counter. It’s just ba /bbquick /btransaction.”

b1/3 /b

10:44 AM ch

Chapter 35 Haven

“Are you sure?” I asked, unsure if I should press my luck.

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bShe /bbnodded/b, still smiling. Her light band /bcarefree personality brightened bthe /balready lively atmosphere of the bookstore, and I found myself willingly following after her.

“No worries!” she chimed cheerfully. “Here you go. That will be $4.99.”

I handed her a five–dor bill, and she quickly returned my change before presenting me with the packaged book.

I smiled widely as I received it from her. “Thank

you…

“ra” she answered with a glimmer of enthusiasm.

“That’s a pretty name,” I muttered, finding myself captivated by her charm.

“Not as pretty as you,” she winked lightheartedly. I felt a warm flush creep across my cheeks at theplimenting from someone so vibrant.

“I’m Arden, by the way.” I introduced myself, extending my hand.

She took it and offered a gentle shake. “Nice to meet you, Arden. I believe this is your first time in Haven?”

“Yes, I responded, ncing around the cozy shop. “It certainly won’t be myst. If I had known there was a ce like this near the school, I would bhave /bvisited much sooner.”

“Right?” she chuckled, a sparkle in her eyes. “I’m d I found this job too. I get to earn money for college while doing. something I love!”

“Oh, do you go to Elite, as well?” I inquiredb, /bcurious to know bmore /babout her.

ra bquickly /bshook her head, her expression animated. “bGoodness/b, no! Aside from not meeting the academic standards required to pass, my bbrain /bjust doesn’t function on the same level as the ordinary student there. Plus, I definitely can’t afford

“You’re selling yourself short,” I replied, bgenuinely /bfeeling bthat /bway.

“I’m not,” she insisted, maintaining her radiant smile. “I’m well aware of my blimitations/b. You, on the other hand, must be very start Silver Quill, huh?”

A byful /bbwarmth /bspread through my cheeks. “It’s not that bspecial/b, I bguess/b.

“Trust me, it is,” she athimed

Clearing bmy /bbthroat/b, I bchanged /bthe topic. “So, which school do you attend?“

bo /bbwork /b

“A local college around half an hour from hereb,/bb” /bbshe /breplied. “bAlthough /bmy bhouse /bis quite far from this store, I bopted /bto here anyway because the pay is excellent. Being situated near Elite is bcertainly /ba privilege”

1 nodded in agreement, as my pay from Evermore had also far exceeded a btypical /bcafe wage.

Realizing I had taken up too much of her time. I bowed my head slightly in apology. “Oh, sorry! I must have rambled bon/bb./b”

she shook bher /bhead, her genuine smile still in ce. “Not bat /bball/b! I actually appreciate the conversation. It would be lovely to sprak bwith /bbyou /bagain”

Excitement bbubbled /bme my chest. I hadn’t realized bthat /bmaking friends could be this easy; it had always bseemed /bso difficult in the past, or perhaps that was just due to being stuck with Sienna

bRegardless/b, I felt a sense of pride for bhaving /bbstruck /bup this conversation. “I’ll see you baround/b, ra!” I called bout /benthusiastically as I started to bmake /bbmy /bway to the door.

She waved her hand at meb, /bher wide smile bmaking /bbmy /bheart flutter. “Yeah, see you, Arden!”

10:45 AM ch

Chapter 35 Haven

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As I stepped outside, the door chime echoed behind me. A smile lingered on my face as I headed back to campus.

Just bthen/b, as Owen had predicted, the skies began to rumble ominously. My eyes widened, and I nced up instinctively

In that very moment, the downpour began. bThis /bwas no gentle drizzle; it was a torrential rain. I cursed quietly under my bbreath/b, relieved that my bbackpack /bwas waterproof.

I ran toward campusb, /bbut soon discovered that the bbookstore /bwasn’t as close as I bhad /binitially thought.

Ritter–patter. My feet sshed through small puddles that had rapidly umted on the uneven sidewalk.

Suddenly, I felt an unsettling presence looming behind me. I didn’t stop, but a gnawing feeling built at the bback /bof my bthroat/b.

I dared not turn around, aware that someone was there, bI /bcould faintly hear his footsteps and smell bhis /bscent; however, both sensations werergely overshadowed by the strong rain drumming around me.

I began to walk faster, edging into a borderline sprint, but I could feel him closing the distance too.

Crap. Maybe I should have asked Owen to bwait /bfor me.

Relief washed over me when I finally spotted the campus gates in the distance; however, I must have underestimated the proximity of the stranger, because the next thing I knew. I felt his heavy body crash against my back.

My breath caught in bmy /bthroat, and I spun baround/bb, /binstinctively bswinging /bmy right fist, only to have my wrist caught in a vice–like grip.

I closed my eyes, fear gripping me, and began to breathe heavily.

“Arden, what is wrong with you?” he asked, his voice bfamiliar /byet startling.

I opened my eyes, band /bthere he was again–Cade.