Wayward: St. Croix Falls Book 1

by Melody Personette

  He smirked. “I didn’t pull out all of a sudden. I was driving past, and you should have been watching what you were doing. Don’t blame me for your bad driving.”

  Mia’s mouth fell open. Wow… a pretty face but a not so pretty mouth. Yeah, Mia was a horrible driver, but she didn’t appreciate him pointing that out. Only she got to insult her. No one else.

  “Excuse me?” she asked, hands on hips now. “I was watching what I was doing. Maybe you should be watching what you’re doing.” Totally lame comeback but that was all Mia had at the moment.

  The stranger’s smirk widened. He snagged his sunglasses from his hair, sliding them down over those beautiful, brilliant green eyes. “You’re the new girl, aren’t you? The city slicker?”

  “City slicker?” Mia was liking this guy less and less.

  “Yeah. The one who moved into the house next to mine. 19430 Wood Acre Drive.”

  Mia’s jaw worked. She hadn’t expected him to know her… or recognize her from last night. It had been dark out. She managed to nod though, and he nodded back. “That’s what I thought.”

  “What does that mean?” she balked.

  He shrugged, one elbow slung over the side of the car and a loose hand gripping the steering wheel. “Just that you have a lot to learn if you’re going to survive in this town. Starting with how to drive.”

  Survive? He made living here sound like it was The Hunger Games or something. Overdramatic much? Mia shot him a smirk. “Thanks. I’ll try to remember that.”

  The guy pushed his sunglasses down his nose, so he could wink at her. Wow… was he for real?

  “The name’s Rhett by the way. Rhett Alder.”

  “Rhett…?” Mia temporarily forgot how much she disliked him. “Like Gone with the Wind?”

  He pushed his sunglasses back up into place. “That’s the one.”

  “Huh…”

  A minute later Mia realized she was still staring at him, digesting the fact that his name was Rhett.

  He cleared his throat, gesturing at her. “If you’re not going to tell me your name, you mind moving, so I can be on my way?”

  “Oh, sure…” Mia stepped back again scowling at his dismissive tone. “I’m Mia. Mia Avery.”

  He raised his hand from the side of the car in a sort of wave. “Interesting meeting you Mia Avery. See ya around.”

  Without warning, he hit the gas and sped away, forcing Mia to jump back so he didn’t run over her toes. Interesting to meet you? What was that supposed to mean? Mia frowned as she watched the black car turn out of the parking lot and take off down the road at an alarming speed.

  Interesting to meet you too Rhett Alder, she thought before pulling herself out of the stupor he had put her in. Mia made a mental note to avoid Rhett at all costs once she started school as she got in her car. The last thing she wanted was to run into him on her first day of a new school.

  Chapter Two:

  When Mia got home, her mom was still gone. Mia made herself a sandwich and sat back down on the floor with her laptop. Yeah… she couldn’t wait until the moving truck came with all their furniture. She wanted her bed and comfy couch to sit on. For now, though, the floor would have to do. Mia stretched her legs out and opened her laptop. As she munched on her sandwich, she wrote the review she’d wanted to get done this morning. She clicked post just as she finished her lunch and got up to grab something to drink. Halfway to the fridge though, there was a knock at the front door.

  Frowning, Mia glanced out the front window and found no one. She opened the door and instantly wished she’d ignored the knock to begin with.

  “Hi!”

  Mia blinked at the perky blond girl standing in front of her. She was in a floral dress, strappy heels, and her makeup was flawless. In her hands was a Tupperware. “I just wanted to be the first to welcome you to the neighborhood! I’m Angelica Juniper. Head of the student council, cheer team and you know,” she bobbed her head to the side. “Pretty much everything else.”

  “Um... hi...” Mia said unsure what else to say. How does one respond to a super model gorgeous cheer team captain standing on their porch? No one in the city had ever gone this much out of their way to make anyone feel welcomed. Rhett’s response earlier that day to her had almost made her feel at home. Rudeness Mia could handle. This over the top sweetness? Not so much. “I’m Mia...”

  Angelica beamed like Mia had just announced she won the state cheer competition. “Short for Amelia?”

  “Yep...”

  “I love it! Such a cute name. Here, I made you some pie. Just a little welcome to town gift,” she said thrusting the Tupperware at her.

  Mia had no choice but to accept it. “Uh, thanks. That’s really kind of you.”

  Angelica waved the thanks away. “What’re neighbors for? So, when do you start school?”

  “Monday,” Mia said.

  Angelica clasped her hands in front of her. “Awesome! Let me know when you start. I’m sure I’ll catch ya in the halls. I can give you the official St. Croix High tour!”

  Mia had a feeling it would be rude to decline so instead she smiled and nodded. “Sure, that would be great.”

  “Awesome! Also! I could totally help you out with your backyard. And front yard actually... I have a bit of a green thumb. The previous owners were pretty drab in their tastes, but I think a few flower boxes and a garden out back would lighten the atmosphere in the house.”

  Lighten the atmosphere in the house? This conversation was creeping near the higher levels of Mia’s weird-ometer.

  Mia didn’t know what else to say so when she opened her mouth what came out was: “Sure that would be great.”

  Angelica’s smile got even bigger if that was possible. “Brilliant! I’ll come over tomorrow, and we can see what we can do about the front yard. See ya! It was great meeting you.”

  And before Mia even knew what was happening, Angelica was already heading back to her house on the right. What... had Mia just agreed to? She stood there watching Angelica walk back to her house when an all too familiar car pulled into the driveway of the house to the left. You had got to be kidding her. What were the odds that she would run into him twice in one day? Well… actually the odds were decent seeing how they lived next door to one another.

  The driver’s side door opened, and Rhett got out. He whipped his sunglasses off and perched them on his hair once more. Wow… Mia had only gotten a view of his face but now she could see his tall, lean profile. An athlete’s body. He had to be like quarterback of the football team or something. If he wasn’t then that was a real travesty.

  Rhett turned as if he could feel Mia staring at him and smirked, raising his hand. Mia scowled and folded her arms. Yeah, he wasn’t getting no friendly wave back from her. Not after how rude he’d been to her earlier.

  But as soon as his smile appeared, it disappeared when his eyes flicked past her to the sidewalk. Mia glanced over her shoulder and found Angelica standing in front of her house, staring back at him. Her bright sunshine smile was gone, and her juniper green eyes had darkened. Seemed she wasn’t a fan of Rhett. Which made Mia like her a little bit more.

  Angelica flicked her blond hair over her shoulder. She entered her house, slamming the door shut behind her. Wow. What had he ever done to her? Probably opened his mouth and talked to her.

  Mia spun back around and found Rhett still standing by the driver’s side door, his eyes now back on her. Something like turmoil churned in them, his jaw clenched.

  “What was that about?” Mia asked, jabbing her thumb over her shoulder at Angelica’s house.

  Rhett’s smirk returned, and he shrugged. Amusement replaced the turmoil in his eyes. “Nothing. I’d stay away from that one if I were you. Angie may look like an angel, but she’s anything but.”

  Mia’s jaw dropped. No wonder Angelica had given him the death stare. “She didn’t seem so bad to me.”

  “That’s cus you don’t know her. Give it a few days. I promise you’ll be running
for the hills soon enough,” he said, rounding his car. “See ya around Mia.” He raised his hand without glancing back at her and headed into his house.

  What was wrong with that guy? Mia frowned and glanced over her shoulder at Angelica’s house once more and then back at his. She was officially boxed in by two crazy people.

  Great.

  Sighing, Mia went back inside and decided to busy herself with some unpacking. She needed something to get her mind off the whacked-out conversations she’d had today.

  Mia pulled the curtains of her window back to let in some natural light and turned around to survey the boxes filling her room. Her pink and orange starred blanket and pillows sat on the air mattress giving an illusion of a bed. Without her desk or bookcases or TV stand… or TV for that matter, there wasn’t much to put up except some of her posters and pictures.

  The rest of the day went by rather uneventfully. Mia wandered the house, straightening up what little they had in the place. Eventually, she turned on music to fill the gaping silence that always came when it was just her.

  Mia ended up grabbing a broom and sweeping every room in the house, sliding across the wooden floor with her socks. At their old home they’d only had carpet, so this whole wood floor thing was new to her. So was the sweeping and yet… she didn’t find it horrible. It was actually kind of nice. Singing at the top of her lungs to the lyrics of her favorite songs while she swept away. The whole process made her forget everything and zone out. Just what she needed today.

  By the time five o’clock rolled around Mia had maxed out on things to do. She’d scrolled through social media. Twice. Swept. Cleaned up. She’d even gone outside to sit on their new porch which had come with a grill (as if her or her mom knew how to use it) and a nice glass table with a few chairs. But before she could get comfortable with a book, she had seen a flicker of movement in the upstairs window. Rhett. Mia had promptly gotten up and gone back inside, not wanting to give him something to stare at. Mia needed some fresh air. She used to like taking runs around their apartment complex and actually a run might do her some good.

  Going back inside she changed into a pair of pink striped basketball shorts, one of her Nike tank tops and tennis shoes. The instant Mia hit the sidewalk in a jog the fizzy energy in her veins started to subside. All she had needed was to get out and burn off some of that crazy energy that built up inside of her sometimes.

  When she was younger, teachers used to say she had ADHD. Mia could never sit still for too long or concentrate. As she got older, she sort of grew out of it, but every once in a while, she needed to move. Especially when she felt boxed in by the walls of a house. Maybe that was why the city appealed to her. Because there was constant energy. Constant movement and noise. Here in such a small town surrounded by quiet neighborhoods? There was nothing but the sound of birds chirping and wind ruffling the leaves. Too much quiet that allowed her mind to branch off and go wild with thoughts.

  Mia ran around the cul-de-sac and then back down the street on the sidewalk opposite her house. She turned the bend and pushed some energy into her feet, putting on a burst of speed. In no time she’d run the length of the neighborhood and was heading back. Sweat dripped down the nape of her neck. Mia turned a corner just as another jogger crossed the street, coming up behind her. A guy in his late twenties with shaggy blond hair, dazzling teal blue eyes and sun-kissed skin. Mia waited for him to pass her. She knew he could. He’d come down that street pretty fast and now it almost felt like he was slowing down for her.

  Frowning, Mia picked up her pace, a shiver running down her back. Something didn’t feel right. She could feel the stranger’s gaze on her like red hot lasers on the back of her head. Mia made a sharp right toward her house and held her breath hoping he would go straight or turn the other way. He didn’t. He took a sharp right too.

  Crap.

  Mia’s heartbeat kicked up in her chest as adrenaline zapped through her body, giving her more energy to pump into her legs. This could just be a coincidence. Maybe Mia was being paranoid. A week before her mother announced they were moving, Mia had thought she was being followed by some guy on her way from school but when she got to her apartment complex, about ready to call 911, he’d kept walking down the street. Mia had a sneaking suspicion her mom’s sudden plan to move had something to do with their stalker. Besides, Mia’s new house was surrounded by other houses. For all she knew this guy could live in one of them.

  Mia had the feeling that he didn’t belong in this neighborhood, though. She turned left and of course, he turned left too, keeping a steady pace behind her. Biting her lower lip, Mia’s jog turned into a sprint. Her thoughts went wild with possibilities of what this guy could do to her and that only made her run even faster. She turned one more corner and held back a sigh of relief when she saw her house.

  Mia was so focused on getting home and shutting the door behind her that she didn’t notice a hot pink convertible slowing as it came toward her until it pulled over onto the curb. Feeling paranoid, Mia jumped away and glanced over her shoulder gasping for breath. The guy was gone. Where did he go? Mia could have sworn he’d been right behind her the whole time… Maybe it really had been a coincidence. Maybe he had turned at one of the corners.

  The tinted window rolled down and Angelica peered out, concern edged in her features. “Hey, you OK? I was just heading to the store, but you looked like you were running for your life,” she said. Her sparkly green eyes gave Mia a once over and then scanning their surroundings.

  Mia closed her eyes and bent her hands on her knees to catch her breath. Her heart continued to pump wildly in her chest as if it was still prepared to make a run for it if need be. “Hi,” Mia finally got out, raising a hand. “I was just going for a run and… there was this guy… I thought he was following me, but I think I’m just being… paranoid.”

  Angelica’s eyes narrowed, and she glanced around once more. “You sure?”

  Mia nodded, wiping the back of her hand against her brow. “Positive.”

  “Well I’ll make sure to keep an eye out. We have a zero-creeper policy in this neighborhood,” she said with a smile.

  Mia grinned back, straightening her posture. “Opposed to other neighborhoods who welcome creepers?”

  “Exactly.”

  They both chuckled and then Mia gestured down the road at her house. “I should probably get in. I don’t wanna hold you up.”

  “No problem!” Angelica said, waving her hand. Her beaming smile appeared on her lips once more. “If you have any other problems let me know. I’ll see you tomorrow bright and early to start on that front yard, right?”

  Oh right… Mia had told her sure that would be great to her coming over and doing yardwork. Because Mia just loved gardening. Mia smiled back though and nodded. “Sounds good.”

  “Awesome! Alright, see ya. And Mia,” she added stopping Mia mid-step toward her house.

  Angelica didn’t say anything until Mia met her gaze once more. Her eyes hardened, and her eyebrows furrowed. “Stay in tonight.”

  Mia frowned, a chill settling over her. Seemed like she was getting the chills a lot lately. But she nodded. Mia had no plans of leaving the house tonight after that guy who may or may not have been following her. “Yeah, I will.”

  Angelica’s smile appeared once again, and she waved. “Good! See ya!”

  With that she hit the gas and took off down the road, driving almost as fast as Rhett had earlier. Did this town have no speed limits?

  As Mia shut the picket fence gate behind her and made her way toward the front door, she caught movement from the corner of her eyes. When she glanced over, she found Rhett watching from one of the ground floor windows. They’re gazes collided and she could see his eyes crinkle with amusement. Mia shot him a death glare before shutting her front door behind her. And locking it. Her mom had a key, so she could get in when she came home later.

  Mia made herself another sandwich. She checked her blog and replied to comments but th
e whole time she couldn’t stop thinking about the jogger. There was something familiar about him…

  That night, Mia kept the light in as she went to bed and made sure her curtains were closed.

  Chapter Three:

  Mia woke up to the sound of someone knocking on the front door the next morning. Who could possibly be at their door this early in the morning? Her mom had gotten home late so Mia didn’t want the knocking waking her up. Mia hurried out of bed, twisting her hair into a bun as she descended the stairs and rushed to the door. When she opened the door, she found a bright eyed and bushy tailed captain of the cheer team standing on the front porch.

  Her blond hair fell in bouncy waves of perfection around her full face of makeup. She wore a long yellow floral skirt and a ruffled white crop top. When Mia’s eyes traveled down, she found the girl was barefoot. This was ridiculous. Who looked like a freaking super model this early in the morning?

  Angelica beamed at her, though Mia could have sworn she saw a tinge of distaste when she glanced over her attire, a pair of draw string pajama shorts and an oversized t-shirt that said I’m Allergic to Mornings.

  “Good morning,” Angelica said, perking up. She waved a flower pot in the air. “You ready to beautify your front yard?”

  Not really… What time was it?

  Mia glanced over her neighbor’s shoulder and it took everything in her not to groan. Angelica had gone all out. There were about a dozen flowers waiting to be planted along with two flower boxes for the front windows and a whole array of gardening tools Mia had no idea what to do with.

  “Um,” Mia scratched her temple and then nodded. She’d committed to this, and she had a feeling Angelica wasn’t going to take no for an answer. “Sure. Let me go get changed and maybe find some coffee.”

  Angelica grinned. “Great. I’ll just get started.”

  “Alright. Are you sure you want to garden in that skirt and a white shirt? You’ll get dirt all over them,” Mia said.