Chapter One:
My name is Alison Rose. I am seventeen years old. I have black hair and blue eyes. I have been jumping since I was five.
I've kept it a secret though. My parents wouldn't understand. Probably would think I am crazy or something.
Plus the fact that my parents beat me doesn't help at all. Yes my parents are the abusive kind. Both of them mom and
dad. I wouldn't consider them parents though. Right now I can't control my jumps. I'm jumping all over the world. I think
its because I'm so dizzy.
I had went to my room. Since my dad had just took a kitchen knife. And well lets say my arm
has deep gashes all over. Making it look like I cut myself. But there is a bruise on my stomach where my mom had kicked
me. Bruises all over my legs from my mom beating with her belt. Right now I stopped jumping. I'm in the middle of a
desert.
"Crap this hurts." I scream in agony. I was bleeding all over the sand. My arm was covered in blood. I then fell to
the ground. Then everything went black.
(Three Hours Later)
The first thing I noticed when I opened my eyes was a guy with dirty blonde hair and bright blue eyes. For a second I
didn't stop staring. I thought I was in a dream. That the pain set in.
"Ouch." I muttered barely audible. "Where am I?" I asked.
Noticing that I was no longer in the desert. I was inside what looked like a cave. But it had a feeling that it was
like a home.
"Your in my lair. You sort of fell unconscious outside. I heard your screaming and saw a trail of blood.
I know how you got here though. You're a jumper, but don't be alarmed I'm a jumper too. My name is Griffin." He said.
He had a Irish/Scottish accent. I liked his accent.
"I'm Alison." I said.
"Where did you get all of the cuts and bruises?" He asked.
"I play sports and I fell down the stairs." I lied easily. No way was I going to tell him my parents beat me.
I won't tell on them. He didn't look convinced.
"Are you telling me the truth?" He asked.
"Yes." I lied.
I looked at the time. It was eleven at night. Holy crap I had to be home. I needed to sleep. I had
school tomorrow. I noticed that there was hand drawn pictures all around his 'liar'. Most of them
were of this black guy with white hair.
"Those are paladins. Paladins kill jumpers. I kill paladins." Griffin said.
"How old are you?" I asked. I was curious.
"Nineteen." He said.
"I'm seventeen. Well I got to go I have school tomorrow. Um thanks for patching up my cuts. You didn't
have to do that." I said.
Then before he even replied I had jumped back to my room. The first thing I did when I was
in my room was to start to take my shirt off when Griffin jumped in my room. He went through my jump scar.
"Oh sorry." He said when he noticed that I was about to take my shirt off.
I stopped immediately. I was glad my room had only a dim light so hopefully he didn't see me blush bright red.
"I just wanted to tell you that tomorrow I should redo your stitches for you so you don't get a infection." Griffin said.
"Um okay." I said.
"I'll stop by." He said.
"Wait um not here in my house. My parents would freak. About somewhere else to meet up?" I suggested.
"How about I pick you up from school tomorrow?" He asked.
I then told him the time I got out and everything. Of course I didn't have a car. Parents don't give a care.
After Griffin left I got dressed in my pajamas. Then I laid in my bed trying to fall asleep. The fact that Griffin was
stuck to my head did not help at all. I just met him yet he couldn't get off my mind. It wasn't fair. I kept thinking
about how his hair was messy and his beautiful bright blue eyes.
(Tomorrow After My Last Class)
I knew that for a fact that Griffin never would show. I mean I had no friends at school. NONE. Just people who
gossiped about me. Everyone hated me for no reason. I never talked I just went to classes and left. I am someone
who is just not suited to have any friends. Not like I need any anyway. I liked being alone. I did things my way I
never had to worry about other people's opinions. So I had a feeling that Griffin wouldn't show. Why would he?
Someone as attractive as him wouldn't be caught dead with someone like me.
Then when I got to my locker I was surprised to find a smirking Griffin. I guess he was smirking since I had a look of surprise on my face.
"Didn't think I'd come?" He asked.
I nodded. I then got all my books I needed for the weekend. And put them in my messenger bag.
"Let me carry it for you. Your arms still hurt I'm sure." He said.
He took my messenger bag before I argued. He put it on his shoulder. I then closed my locker. We started to walk towards
the exit. I saw a senior from my Spanish class. Her name was Candy. She had blonde hair and light blue eyes. She got any
guy she wanted. And she absolutely hated me for no reason. She hated me more than anyone in the school. She saw Griffin
walking with me. I knew right away she wanted Griffin. My Griffin. I mean um. I didn't think that. Griffin was just someone
I know who happens to be a jumper. He's not someone I care about. Not even considered a friend. Just a distraction from
my everyday life. The usual routine I was so used to had shattered since the moment I first laid eyes on Griffin yesterday.
"Hey." She said with a seductive smile. She of course was talking to Griffin. Griffin right away noticed my discomfort. We
had both stopped walking. Griffin then grabbed my hand. My stomach did a few loops. I could feel butterflies. I can not
believe I am feeling like this. I don't care for Griffin in that way. In no way at all.
"My name is Candy. What's yours?" She asked.
"Griffin." He replied.
"What the hell are you doing with Alison? When you could be with me?" She said with a coy and collective smile.
"Because she so happens to be realistic and not fake like most girls from this school and city. Plus I'm not
interested in girls like you." Griffin said.
I could feel my stomach fill with those damn butterflies. I blushed. When I realized that Griffin still held my hand.
"Your just wasting your time on what could have been." She said.
"I'm not missing out on anything." He said and started walking again. He dropped my hand once were out of sight of Candy.
"Man you should stand up to her. You don't deserve to be treated like that Aly." Griffin said.
"Aly?" I said.
"Sorry." He said.
"No I like the sound of it. No one has really made a nickname for me before. I like it." I said with a smile.
He walked towards a brand new car. I don't know the brand or whatever it was. But I could tell it was right from a dealer.
I knew right away he had stolen it. He opened the door for me. I went and sat in. He then went quickly into his seat.
He put my bag in the back. I looked at him. He looked back with a smile. He knew that I knew.
"This car is from China. It was too appealing for me to say no. Plus now I can pick you up from school in style." He said.
"What do you mean pick me up?" I asked.
"I will pick you up from now on. That way I see to it that you make no stupid mistakes like falling down. So no more bruises." He said.
I swallowed a big gulp. What would I do when they would keep coming back. He would eventually figure out the cause unless I tell
him to stop. But the question is do I really want him to stop. I am afraid I have grown attached already. There is no turning back.
"I thank you again, but you don't have to do this." I said.
"But I insist. Plus besides me tracking paladins I get plenty of time of doing nothing." He said.
He parked in front of my house. My parents weren't home now. They come later around 7 or 8. We went straight up to my room.
I saw that Griffin brought a first-aid kit. In about ten minutes he had me stitched up. "Now no more injuries for you." He said.
I smiled. "I'll try." I said. After he was done we both sat in silence on top of my bed. It wasn't awkward. Just strange.
I never had someone in my room. I looked up to his face. I stared into his eyes. He stared back.
"Aly tell me the truth. Who hurts you?" He asked.
"No one Griffin." I said.
"Your not protecting them. Your just hurting yourself. Aly I can save you from the pain. Just say the words." Griffin said.
"No one hurts me. Please just go." I said.