I apologize for the grammar mistakes in the first chapter. I like this chapter much better than the first.

Today was Jazmine's day off, so she slept in a little longer. Which was only about 30 minutes. She snuggled up to her fluffy pillow as the birds chirped outside of her window. Today was going to be a good day. Jazmine sensed these type of things. She got up and went into the kitchen to prepare breakfast. She cooked herself some eggs and toast and poured herself a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. On top of the fridge was a small TV that Paul must have brought from his other house. It was currently on the news channel. The news channel wasn't for this town, since it's so small in population, but from a nearby city.

Police are currently looking for a suspect that is accused of assaulting the sons of the mayor in Oldstone, a nearby city. He sliced the finger off of one and caused a concussion and bruised skull to the other. Strangely enough, the victims say the suspect was riding on a horse, wearing a Knight's armor...Investigators say the boys were walking home from a friend's house at the time the suspect assaulted them. The Mayor, Daniel Dwight, is reportedly furious and will press charges...

Jazmine tuned the TV out for a second in shock.

'How can they try to arrest him. He was only helping me!' Jazmine thought furiously.

'They completely left out what they were gonna do to me!'

"Ugh! Those...Calm down Jazmine go to your happy place...woosah..." Jazmine had her head bowed down at the table and was seemily in a calm state until she heard...

Victims also say there was a girl there who was an accomplice to the unknown suspect and they both rode off after the attack...

"No! They can't do this! I'm an outlaw! I'm going to have to get a tattoo now and smoke out of a pipe now and start wearing du-rags and baggy jeans...calm down Jazmine...They are looking for the knight. Not you."

...Mayor wants to arrest both the knight...

"No."

.and the unknown girl...

Jazmine thought she was going to throw up. She tuned everything out and sat at the table and thought for a good minute.

"They don't even know what I look like. Yeah. I'll be fine."

Jazmine rinsed her dishes out in the sink and went into her bedroom to get ready to leave.

Even though she was off today, she occasionally went to the store to see Mrs. Dawn to talk. Today she was also doing inventory. Jazmine put her on her scarf, her coat and her boots over her clothes and grabbed her keys and set off.

~~~~~~~20 minutes later~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jazmine arrived at the store to take inventory, since it was closed today. When she got in the back, she spotted Mrs. Dawn in one of the chairs reading a book.

"Good morning, Mrs. Dawn. How are you this glorious morning." The woman sat up and closed her book and folded up her reading glasses and smiled.

"Jazmine, child. You are a ray of light. I've never met someone who was so happy no matter what. That's what's missing in this generation. Everyone wants the sun and the stars handed to them but have the disposition of a stormy raincloud. Sit, child." She patted the spot next to her. Jazmine obeyed her smooth, gentle voice.

"What's been going on with you lately. What's that horrid aunt and that monster of a boyfriend been up to. Have they done you any harm?"

"No. They haven't done much lately."

"That's good. You know you better tell me if they are hurting you. I know your type. You're selfless and you'll endure any kind of pain, if you feel it's a burden on others."

"I promise. If they do anything you'll be the first one I'd tell."

"That's good. You know...my senses tell me that you won't be here any longer. I'm just making sure it's in the right way." Mrs. Dawn swore that she had a sixth sense.

"What do you mean by 'here' and 'the right way'?" Jazmine looked nervous and scared.

"Relax, child. I am not putting an expiration date on your life. I mean you won't be here in this horrible town anymore. Don't you want to travel and get away?" Jazmine smiled.

"That would be nice. But...I have to ask if you hate this town so much, why do you still live here?"

Mrs. Dawn looked down suspiciously. At least that what Jazmine thought.

"I've lived here my whole life. It's hard to go somewhere else and start over at my age. Besides, if I want to get away, I just visit my other grandchildren or take a little getaway with Fred." Fred was her husband, he was a sweet, hilarious old man who, unfortunately had a terrible case of chronic flatulence. It was funny sometimes, but mostly gross.

"How is he?" Jazmine smiled.

"He's doing fine. He's still telling those stale fart jokes, though." The old woman laughed.

"Okay, well let me go take inventory."

"Okay and Jazmine," Jazmine looked up from the doorway she was about to enter through. "Word of advice. When you find yourself on an unfamiliar path, explore. Don't take the safe way out."

"Okay. I'll remember that, Mrs. Dawn."

Hours later after many conversations with Mrs. Dawn and missing bottles of alcohol (That Mrs. Dawn swore was coming out of Cindy's paycheck) Jazmine was finally finished. She went into the backroom to collect her belongings. She picked up her bag which seemed to be a little heavier for some reason and proceeded to walk out of the store.

"Bye, Mrs. Dawn. I'm leaving!"

"Bye, Jazmine. Remember what I told you."

"Okay."

Jazmine was walking back home her usual way. There was only one main road in her town, so she had to walk fast to avoid any police who might spot her. She was walking a good couple of minutes before she saw a cop car in the distance. She put her scarf over her head and walked faster. The car was a few feet away from her now. It slowed down while Jazmine kept walking swiftly.

"Woah woah woah, sweetie!"

"Hey. You look a little familiar. Murray? Doesn't she look familiar?"

Jazmine's heart began to pound in her chest. She stopped and looked around slowly, then she did something she didn't even think about.

She ran.

Jazmine never had to run in her life from anyone, but today, she ran. She could hear the cops yelling after her for her to stop running. She made a quick left turn in between the massive trees and started running down this clear trail. She eventually fell down over a tree branch. One of the cops ran up to her clearly out-of-breath, holding something gold in his hands.

"Sweetie. We weren't gonna do you anything. You dropped this."

He held out a gold locket, that was unfamiliar to her. She just looked at it. The cop just dropped it, on her lap.

"Uh...you okay, mam?"

Jazmine absently nodded her head and got up before they became too suspicious. She turned around after a few seconds to see them walking away. Though one of them was turned towards her looking confused and clearly suspicious. Jazmine kept walking down the trail to see what was at the end of it. After clumsily tripping over several branches, she finally reached the end of the trees. She was surprised to find no trees on the other side. There was also a road just like on the other side, where the main road was. Jazmine lived in this town for 19 years and has never even seen most of it. Jazmine could see some houses in the distance. She kept walking hoping that she would soon find her way home. She was looking around and she heard a consecutive sound. It sounded like chopping or someone hitting something. It was almost like a rhythm. It drove Jazmine closer. She walked forward to see a man chopping wood. It wasn't just any man though. Nope. He a black man. Black men were rare in this town. Jazmine stood about 20 feet away from him, staring. Even though she knew she shouldn't talk to random strangers, this man enticed her and interested her. Jazmine was so naïve, she was sure he would be happy to talk to her if she would start a conversation.

"Why don't you just take a picture?" He continued to chop wood.

"Huh?" Jazmine said.

"I said...Take a picture. You're staring is off putting." Jazmine blushed, then blurted out the first thing that came to mind. For some reason, she felt like she met him before.

"You came into the health and herb store once. You were very rude."

"Are you stalking me or something? I find it odd that I've seen you three times already."

"You mean two times. I've only seen you twice counting this time." He looked down and continued chopping.

"What do you want?"

"I don't want anything. I kind of got lost." Jazmine said the last part in a small voice as if she didn't want to admit she was lost.

"I'm sure you live that away. So...shoo." He made a shooing motion to the left with his hand and began to put the wood he chopped up in a bag. Jazmine felt an adrenaline rush and surprisingly dropped her bag and ran up to him. She smacked the wood out of his hand and poked her finger in his chest.

"You don't have to be rude all the time. I've met you twice and you seem to be nothing more than a jerk. You know with an attitude like that, I'm sure you don't have many friends and to think I was trying to be nice to you. Hmmph." Jazmine ended her rant with her hands on her hips and her nose in the air.

"Okay. You want me to be nice? Please go home you annoying, naiive, pretty little turd."

Jazmine gasped and went to pick up her stuff. She was mumbling to herself. She didn't understand, how he could make her so angry and make her act this way. She never gets this mad. She also couldn't understand how he could be so mean, when she's so nice. And did he call her a turd?

Jazmine grabbed the container of food she stuffed in her bag when she was running from the police. She grabbed it in her hand and was about to give the guy a salty glare, but when she looked up he was eying her container.

"See something you like?" He didn't say anything. He picked up the wood and continued to put it in the giant black bag. She looked at her container and at him, at her container and back at him again.

"Oh. You're hungry."

"I can feed myself."

"Oh. So you cook?"

He didn't say anything.

"Do you live with anyone?"

"No. Why are you asking me all these damn questions?" Jazmine gasped.

"You said damn!"

"You are such a child. What are you 14? Get out of here jailbait."

"I'm 19! And what is jailbait?"

He looked at her like she was crazy.

"Get out of here girl."

"My name is Jazmine."

"I don't care. Go away."

"Not until you admit that you want my food."

"I don't want your anything."

"Come on. I'll let you taste it." He didn't say anything. He picked up the axe and chucked some more wood. Jazmine talked to him through the wood chucking.

"It's good!"

"I made it myself!"

"Wanna be friends?"

"I swear I didn't poison it!"

"It's lasagna!"

"Okay! Fuck! I'll taste it." He grabbed the bag and turned to go inside.

"Are you coming?" He looked over his shoulder.

"Well...I don't really know you and you seem pretty handy with that axe."

"Oh. Now you don't know me? Come on." He sat the black bag inside and grabbed her arm and gently pulled her inside. Jazmine trusted her instincts. And her instincts told her that he was harmless. There's a difference between being mean and being evil and he was simply...a jerk.

He didn't let her know, but he was relieved to have actual food that wasn't from the same ol diner, which is basically the only diner in this town. He also was a little happy about having company. He was a pretty asocial person and he didn't generally like being around others, but he at least wanted someone around to listen to his rants and raves and his ideas. Being one of the few black people here had its positives. One being no one ever tried to talk to him. For that he was grateful. But to be completely lonely... Even he couldn't endure that.

As he lead her through his house, Jazmine noticed that it was very large and modern. You would never guess that from the outside. She had been in many houses in this town, even the mayor's large house, but she had never seen a house that looked so good in the inside. It had modern, but old-fashioned wooden furniture. The walls were a beautiful peach color and the floor was wood. He was walking straight ahead before Jazmine and wow did he make her feel short. Suddenly, he turned left into the kitchen. It was a beautiful, large kitchen. It had granite countertops and a big fridge and many appliances. He must be rich to have a house like this.

"Oh my god!"

"What?!" He looked alarmed.

"This kitchen is beautiful!" He rolled his eyes as Jazmine went straight into the fridge. It was bone dry except for a few drinks.

"You have this beautiful kitchen and you don't cook you don't even have any food! This is unacceptable!"

"Calm down, Jazmine." He said her name like he was unsure.

"Why'd you invite me in? I figured you would take the food and tell me to shoo again."

"I wanted you to taste it first."

"You think I would poison you? Hmmph." Jazmine pouted. He smirked a little.

"You never know. Just because you're naiive and sheltered doesn't mean you're not a psycho."

"I'm not a psycho."

"Hmm, maybe not. But you are weird."

"How?"

"You just followed me in here and for all you know I could be a psycho."

"Whatever. My instincts, for some reason, told me to trust you. By the way, what is your name?"

"H-..." He was going to tell her his name, but decided to mess with her first. "Hannibal."

Jazmine hadn't seen many movies, but she had seen that one. Her aunt made her watch it once as punishment.

Jazmine's eyes grew big and she tried to run. He grabbed her.

"Let me go!"

"I was just joking."

"Why should I believe you?"

"Who the hell names their child Hannibal?"

"Let me go!" He puts her down. She tries to run again.

'I swear, it's like dealing with a toddler'. He thought.

"Jazmine. I'm not a psycho!"

"How do I know that?"

"If I was a psycho, I would have grabbed you up a long time ago. Now come here."

It was weird how they were getting on like old friends. She came over to where he stood. He got out utensils and two plates and used a spoon to take the lasagna out of the container and put into the microwave.

"I bet your name is like Joe or Blake or Anthony or some other douchy name." Jazmine hurriedly slapped her hand over her mouth. She didn't like the word douche and found her statement quite rude and generalized.

"What?" He looked at her like she was crazy.

"Nothing. I just don't like the 'D-word' or any form of it and my statement was offensive."

"Well you said it."

"Yeah...well lately I've been having outbursts and saying things I don't mean to say. It's like my inner voice is becoming my outer voice."

"You're becoming more outspoken. You're not letting people run over you, which I can tell you're that type of person. That's a good thing."

"Yeah, but...it's not who I am. It's not the things I want to say."

"Well..." He was interrupted when the microwaved beeped. Jazmine found it kind of cute how he sniffed the microwave when he opened it."This actually smells good."

"Duh."

He looked at her and raised one of his eyebrows.

"See! Things just slip out. What if I have to guard a big secret and it just slips out! What if I get arrested and I have to lie, but then I accidentally tell the truth! What if I'm possessed!"

"You have a vivid imagination, don't you? Relax. You're just growing some balls. Now let me taste your 'cooking'."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jazmine said in a super sweet baby voice.

"Ugh. If you're gonna be around me don't talk like that." 'He-he. He wants to be around me. Maybe I've finally found a friend.'

"Why?" Jazmine continued.

"Cause it's annoying. Stop it."

"But what if I don't want to an-" Huey shoved a warm fork of lasagna in her mouth and watched her chew and swallow.

"Okay. You're not dead. That means I can eat it."

"Why'd you do that for...what's-your-name."

"Huey." He said before putting the fork to his mouth.

"Huey?" Jazmine said it as if she was testing it. "Hmm. I like that name."

"Well I'm glad you approved." He said sarcastically when he didn't have food in his mouth. Jazmine looked down at his plate. It was half gone. She bore a big smile, goofy smile in satisfaction. Her smile was big. Too big and plastered on her face. This made Huey frown. A big frown.

He sighed. "I've known you less than an hour and I can already tell you're going to be annoying." Her smile turned sour.

"Well...I'm sorry." She put her head down, and he sighed in frustration. He figured that this girl had issues so he tried to tread lightly with her.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Why'd you get...sad and look down when I told you that you were annoying."

"No reason. I don't know you so I can't exactly spill my guts to you. Do you have anything to drink?" Jazmine desperately wanted to change the conversation.

"Yeah." He walked over to the fridge and got two bottles of water. "By the way, sometimes strangers are the easiest people to tell your problems to."

"Maybe you're right, Dewey." Jazmine said in her baby voice and messed up his name on purpose. She figured that he would just roll his eyes and look away, but he didn't.

Huey froze. Jazmine giggled.

"Don't ever call me that." He said on a cold voice. He seemed really bothered by her calling him Dewey.

"Well...okay. I'm sorry. Do you have the time?"

"Nope." He had gone to the sink and put his dish and Jazmine's. He still seemed bothered by her calling him Dewey.

"Oh. I know!" Jazmine reached in her bag and grabbed the mysterious golden locket and she tried to open it in frustration.

"Darn it!"

"What's that?" Huey asked coming over from the sink.

"A locket. I don't have my watch and I'm hoping this has time in it.

"Where did you get this from?" Jazmine looked up as Huey had grabbed the necklace and was feeling it with his hands. Strangely, she also noticed that his gold necklace that was tucked under his shirt was glowing as well. Even stranger was the fact that it wasn't before. Huey and Jazmine looked at each other in the eyes and both held confusion.

"Uhhh..." Huey seemed confused.

"Um...I should go." Jazmine stood up and gathered her stuff as Huey nodded his head in aggrement. She walked to the door and Huey stood behind her and walked her to the door.

"Well, bye Huey. See you tomorrow?" She said looking at him meaningfully. He nodded his head. He couldn't say no to seeing her again.

"Bye, Jazmine."

She walked forward onto the road left of Huey's lone house. After about 10 minutes, she recognized her street. She began walking down it. It couldn't have been any more than 1 or 2 o'clock in the afternoon. She used her key to walk inside and found her aunt and her boyfriend sitting on the couch watching TV. They both looked up at her when she came in. Her aunt smiled. Paul licked his lips. Jazmine cringed on the inside. She went into her room and thought of the new friend she made today. Jazmine laid on her bed and thought about all the events that went on today. She thought long and hard about the origin of that locket and the glowing of it and Huey's necklace. She looked at her clock on her dresser and it read 6:29.

'I guess time flies when you're talking to someone other than an old woman or a teddy bear.'

Review and tell me how you feel. I think the next chapter(s) will be getting more M. Since Jazmine was home-schooled (for reasons revealed later) she hasn't had much interaction with the opposite sex. So, a lot of "exploration" will be going on with her.