{Editing Status: Unedited}

Because I was an idiot, I decided to go to the forest again, just to see if I heard the laughing again.

Don't judge me, I was curious.

As I sneaked out of the house, I decided not to actually go inside the wood this time. I didn't fancy hurting my ankle again. I would just walk around the outskirts of the trees, to see if I could maybe see, or hear, anything.

When I did reach the wood, I stopped, and pricked my ears. The sounds of the trees rustling in the wind and birds singing filled my ears; no creepy cackling. I frowned, and walked closer to the trees; the darkness seemed to be inviting me in. It didn't scare me though. I kind of wanted to go inside, but my mind was screaming at me: it's dangerous.

I rolled my eyes, and walked inside the wood. I hoped Aurelia didn't find out; she would literally murder me with her bare hands. I touched the trees as I walked, my fingertips scraping the rough bark. I tried to tread quietly, so I could hear everything around me. I had very good hearing. Before I knew it, I was incredibly deep into the wood, and I started to panic. I hadn't meant to walk in this far. I swallowed, and felt my pulse quicken. I looked up at the thick canopy of trees above me, blocking any possible light from entering the wood, and it was the only time where I wished on the sunlight.

I wiped my sweaty hands on my jeans, and steadied my breathing.

"Stop being such a wimp, Ivana. How many times have you been in this wood? You can find your way out," I whispered to myself. Then, I heard my name.

Somebody said my name.

It carried in the wind, and echoed and bounced off the trees around me.

"Ivana," the wind whispered. "Ivana."

My heart pounded in my ears. "Hello?" I yelled. "Liana, if that's you, I'm going to kick your ass!"

No answer.

My skin crawled, as the sound of distant cackling reached my ears. Goosebumps appeared on my skin, and my tongue was thick in my mouth as I listened, frozen in fear. It didn't sound...like a normal, regular laugh. And it definitely did not sound friendly.

"Show yourself!" I screamed. I heard flutters of wings, and I looked up. A flock of birds, startled by my piercing scream, took flight from the trees, and flew through the air, in a hurry to get away.

"Ivana," the voice hissed again. It seemed to be all around me, in every direction. I shivered.

I seriously was an idiot; why the hell did I come here?

Oh, yeah. That's right.

I'm an idiot.

"Leave," it hissed. The hair on the back of my neck raised, and my hands started to shake slightly.

"Who are you?" I asked. The cackle sounded closer now, and I span around, trying to figure out what direction it was coming from.

"Would you show yourself?" I yelled. Twigs cracked in the distance. Fuck this, I thought, I'm leaving. I span on my heels, and ran in the opposite direction. The voice seemed to follow me, though, because it was hissing in both my ears.

The voice then turned into many voices, all around me, angrily hissing. What the hell was this, and why were they only doing this now? I'd never noticed anything weird before, and I'd been coming to this wood for a while now. I saw a break in the trees in the distance, where the light was shining through, and I sprinted until I reached it. I didn't stop running until I reached the gate, which I jumped over, and landed on the road on the other side with a soft thud. I breathed heavily and slowed down to a walk.

The voices were gone.

I wiped the drops of perspiration off my forehead. I definitely needed a shower before I went to work. I smelled of dirt and moss and sweat. I knew Sadie liked me to look presentable for work.

When I got home, I showered quickly and got dressed. I made sure I looked extra good today, just in case I saw Lucas for some reason. I rode my bike to work, and checked my watch as I arrived. I was five minutes late. I gritted my teeth, and walked inside. Sadie was standing there, arms folded, and her brow furrowed. I knew that look.

"I'm sorry..." I started.

"Cut the crap. You're late," she snapped.

"Sadie, it's five minutes..."

"You're not to be late again. Am I clear?"

I sighed and rolled my eyes. I liked Sadie, but she was so grumpy sometimes.

"Crystal," I grumbled.

She glared at me again, and then nodded, unfolded her arms, and walked to her office, slamming the door behind her. I kicked the desk before I walked behind it, sitting down on the chair and slammed my wrist against my forehead with frustration. I had a headache; ever since I woke up this morning, actually. It was worse now, though.

"Sadie?" I yelled. No answer. I rolled my eyes. "Sadie!"

Her office door flung open, and she stood there, glaring at me. "What, Ivana? You're really testing my patience today, young lady."

"Do you have an aspirin or something? I've got a headache," I said.

She glared daggers at me. "Does it look like I have an aspirin on me?" she snapped.

I shrugged. "Not really sure, too be honest. You don't exactly look like a pharmacist," I said.

"Go and get an aspirin from the pharmacy. Quickly," she hissed.

I smiled at her. "Thanks, Sadie. You're the best," I said, standing up. My head pounded.

"Quit the flattery," she grunted, and slammed her office door.

I laughed, and walked out of the shop. Sadie was funny when she was moody. I checked my wallet as I walked to the pharmacy. I had enough money for some tablets, thank god. I walked inside, a blast of heat hitting me as I stepped inside. It was nice to get out of the cold. I smiled at the old lady, Georgina, behind the counter. She gave me a warm smile in return.

"Good morning, Ivana," she smiled.

"Morning," I grinned. Georgina always used to give me sweets when I was younger, and I loved her ever since.

"What are you looking for?" She asked me.

"I've got a really bad headache," I said. She pulled a box of aspirin out of the cabinets behind her, and placed the box on the counter in front of her. I handed her the money. She took it and smiled.

"I hope you feel better, honey."

I took the box and put it in the pocket of my black jeans. "Thanks, Georgina. See you," I said. She waved at me as I left the warmth, and walked back out into the cold. I shivered and crossed my arms over my leather jacket.

"Hey, you," I heard a deep voice from behind me. I turned around, and Lucas was standing there. His face was pale and unblemished. He was wearing a beige coat today and white pants. We contrasted, seeing as I was in all black. His hair sparkled in the morning sun.

"Hey," I smiled. He grinned back, his teeth straight and white.

"How are the raincoats?" I laughed, and he chuckled.

"They're great, thanks," he grinned. "Hey, thanks for letting me in before your shop even opened."

I shrugged. "It's no biggie. And it's not my shop, I'm just an employee. It's not really an aspiration of mine to own a hiking and outdoors store."

He laughed.

I checked my watch again. If I wasn't back soon, Sadie would kill me. Or worse, fire me. Yeah, I know I needed to get my priorities sorted out.

"Are you in a rush?" he asked me, his dark eyebrows furrowed.

"Um, kind of," I said.

"I'm sorry to keep you," he apologized, but I shook my head.

"Don't be silly, you're not. It's not like I want to go to work," I groaned.

He chuckled. "Well, do you want to maybe do something when you finish work?"

"Yeah...yeah, sure," I stuttered, surprised.

He smiled. "Great. What time do you finish?"

"Lunchtime," I answered.

"I'll come and collect you at lunchtime then. You'll have to show me around town. I'm new, remember?" he laughed.

I grinned. "I'll see you soon, then," I smiled. I tore my eyes away from his, and looked at the stony ground underneath me, my heart pumping quickly in my chest. Butterflies fluttered their wings against the lining of my stomach.

"Bye, Lucas," I smiled, looking back up at him.

"See you later," he grinned.

I turned away, and walked back to the shop, feeling his enthralling eyes on my back as I retreated.

Thankfully, Sadie was still in her office when I got back into the shop. I opened my backpack that was resting against the desk, and brought out a bottle of water. I swallowed two aspirins, along with a gulp of water, and sat back down on the chair. I realized my headache had subsided slightly. I looked at the time on the computer.

Only 6 hours till I saw Lucas again.

When the hand on my watch landed on the number 12, I jumped up and opened up my backpack, bringing out a hairbrush. I brushed my hair quickly, and packed it away. I swung it around my shoulder, and Sadie came out of her office. She raised her eyebrow at me.

"Who are you waiting for?" She asked. I must have had a look of excitement on my face, which was rare.

"Nobody," I lied.

She looked convinced; I was a very good liar, and I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

"I was just about to leave," I told her. "Oh, and I'm sorry about being late."

She rolled her eyes, but she smiled slightly. "Don't worry, Ivana," she said.

I waved at her. "See you tomorrow." I walked out of the shop. It was slightly warmer, but not that much. It was still freezing.

"Hey," a familiar voice said from beside me. I jumped. Lucas was leaning against the wall of the shop, smiling at me, his arms folded. His hair was slightly wet; he must have showered. His hair was darker when it was wet; it was a dark brown now. His cheeks were pink from the frigid air.

"Hi," I smiled. "Where do you want to go?" I asked him.

He stood up straight. "You know Salem better than me," he laughed.

"True," I winked. I took his hand, and he blushed slightly. His hands were warm, despite the cold. "I need a coffee. I don't know about you."

"A coffee sounds so good right now," he chuckled, and I laughed.

"A coffee always sounds good," I grinned.

We sat down at a table in the back of my favorite coffee shop. My friend, Carlie, who was a waitress, winked at me from across the room, and she raised her eyebrows at Lucas. I gave her a small wink when Lucas wasn't looking, and she grinned. When Lucas had sat down, she came running over. Her light ginger hair was pulled back into a messy bun. She smiled at me.

"Hey, Ivana," she said, with a sly grin.

"Hey. Can I have my usual, please?" I asked.

She nodded, and then looked at Lucas. "What would you like?"

"Americano, please," he said to her. "Black."

She nodded, and smiled. "I'll be right back." She disappeared behind the counter, sneaking me a grin. Lucas looked at me, and I looked at him.

"Black? Really?" I groaned.

He laughed. "I know," he said. "I actually like it."

"What's wrong with you?" I laughed, and he chortled.

"Apparently, a lot," he grinned. He wrapped his hand around my hand, and I felt a shiver run down my spine. "So, tell me something about you," he smiled.

I tried to not concentrate on how close he was to me, and concentrate on what he was saying.

"I have two sisters," I said. "Aurelia, who is older, and Liana, who is younger."

He nodded. "Do you like them?"

"Um, yeah I do. I'm really close to Liana. Aurelia, not so much. I do love them though. We have our fights, obviously, but we are close, I guess. I tend to spend more time with Liana."

"Why?"

"She's more...fun, I guess," I laughed. "And you? Do you like your brother?"

He sighed and rolled his eyes. "Evan...hmm. Well, that's a complicated subject."

"Oh, I'm sorry. You don't have to answer if you don't want too," I said. I felt guilty for asking.

He shook his head. "No, no. Don't worry. It's just that my older brother and I have a complicated relationship. We were really close when we were younger, but I grew up faster than he did, even though he's older than me. He's...immature, I guess, if you want to call it that. He started dating girls, but, like, a lot. And he used to bring a new, hot girl home every week. It was frustrating as hell. He's scared of getting attached, so he would hook up with one of the girls he brought home, and then ditch her when he got bored. I used to try and tell him that it was wrong, but he wouldn't listen, so I just gave up. He's a real dickhead, but he's my brother, so I guess I have to love him. I do love him, I just wish he would mature at some point. Unfortunately, I'm still waiting for that to happen," he sighed, leaning back on his chair, and he looked out of the window, his face pained.

I squeezed his hand to comfort him. "And he's still like this?" I asked.

"Yep," he scowled. "I've lost hope that he will ever change. Your friend? The waitress? The first night we moved here, she walks in the door, Evan's arm around her shoulders. I thought maybe he would grow out of his stupidity when we moved here, but I was wrong. He's still a dick." Carlie hooked up with Evan? Not surprising, really. That's Carlie.

"Just, promise me something," he said, gripping my hand tightly, and looked at me intently with his blue eyes. I nodded. "Don't let him...manipulate you, or anything. Please. My brother honestly doesn't have a nice bone in his body. As soon as he sees you, he'll latch onto you like a leech."

I laughed. "Lucas, don't worry. I won't let him do that," I said. I was still intrigued; I still wanted to meet him.

Carlie brought our coffees over, but my eyes stayed fixed on Lucas's.

"So, tell me more about you," I said. "I'm intrigued."

He chuckled. "I'm not that interesting, trust me. What would you like to know?"

"Have you ever had a girlfriend before?"

He raised an eyebrow, and he suddenly looked very sad. Oops. "Yeah, I've had one, and we were together for four years."

"Four years?!" I breathed, shocked. "What happened?"

"She cheated on me, to put it simply. With my best friend back in California," he said, the muscles in his jaw clenching.

"I'm so sorry. That's horrific," I whispered.

He laughed sadly. "Yep. That was one of the reasons why I wanted to move far away from California. There was nothing there for me anymore."

I nodded, and squeezed his hand again. He looked at me, and butterflies fluttered around in my stomach.

"And you? Have you ever had a boyfriend?"

"No, not a legitimate one. I wasn't really allowed, I guess. My mom is pretty strict," I laughed. That was an understatement.

"You don't say," he laughed. His eyes traced my features, and a smile played on his lips. Damn, I wanted to kiss him. He looked out of the window.

"Oh. It's raining," he said, pouting slightly.

I laughed. "This is Salem, Lucas. Not California. It rains. Get used to it."

He groaned. "I hate the rain."

"I hate the sun," I grinned.

He shook his head, laughing, bemused. "You're strange, Ivana. But I like you," he smiled.

I flushed. "I like you too."

"Do you live far away from here?"

"Yes, kind of. I live on the outskirts of Salem."

"Would you like to come back to my house, then? Just until the rain calms down?"

I nodded, and smiled. "That sounds great. I just need to fetch my bike from my shop first."

"That's fine."

"You're lucky the mayor's building is near the town center," I said, draining my coffee.

"Yeah," he laughed. He finished his coffee, and tucked some money under a plate. I waved to Carlie as we left, and she waved back. We sprinted through the torrential rain to my shop, and he grabbed my bike with one hand and lifted it up. Shit.

"Do you need help?" I asked.

He shook his head. His hair was dripping, and water droplets were sliding down his pale skin. "Let's go," he said, and he started running.

I followed him.

We were running for about five minutes, until we reached the mayor's building, a huge, white mansion, with white picket fences around an emerald green garden, the grass cut short and neatly. He dropped my bike gently on the grass in front of the house, pushed the white door open, and we both ran inside.

"This is why I hate rain!" Lucas groaned, shutting the door. His voice echoed through the hallway.

I chuckled. "You'll get used to it, I promise," I smiled.

He walked down the long hallway, and turned left. I followed him into a massive living room, where there was a 110 inch television (which is pretty damn big) on one wall, and a huge fireplace built into another wall. There were four white couches around the living room, on top of light wooden floorboards, and a silver chandelier hanging from the ceiling, the diamonds on it sending flashes of brilliance around the room.

"Would you like something to drink?" he asked, politely. I sat down on one of the couches. I felt out of place in this white room, seeing as I was dressed in all black.

"No thank you," I said, smiling at him. He came and sat down next to me, and he laughed at my expression.

"Are you okay?" he laughed.

I laughed with him and nodded. "I just can't believe how nice your house is," I said.

"Thank you," he said, smiling.

"Is your dad not home?" I asked.

He shook his head. "I never know where he is. I hardly see him," he laughed. "He's doing...his duties, I guess?"

"His duties," I laughed. "And your brother?"

Lucas rolled his eyes, and leaned back on the couch, running his hand through his wet hair. "I don't know, he's never home during the day," he sighed.

"Why?" I asked him.

"He's probably out flirting with girls. That's what he usually does anyway," he said, rolling his eyes again. "He's an idiot."

"Who's an idiot?" A deep voice asked from behind us.

---

A/N

Hey guys!

Sorry for the long wait. Chapter 5 is finally here (:

I'll be making an official trailer for Salem soon! Eeek, I'm so excited to share it with you guys!

Until next time!

Olivia J. Clarke

(Gif: Ivana Cain ~ Nina Dobrev)

© Olivia Clarke 2016

Salem