Early Sunday morning after Tancred had woken up, he called Lysander and told him to come by his house. They were headed to see Leah.
"Tanc, she's not going to listen to you. She's angry about something." Lysander started having second thoughts. "Maybe the group of us should go. I'll call Charlie and Gabriel. You can call Olivia and Emma."
"Wait, Sander, this is just supposed to be me and you."
"Well, it's going to be all of us. Tell them we'll meet at the Pet's Cafe." then he hung up, leaving Tancred to call the girls, then stomp around and get ready.
...............................................................................................................................................
Tancred and Lysander were the last to arrive. Gabriel handed them gerbil's as they entered. The new door man was strict and wanted animals in their hands before they could enter, which left Charlie and Billy waiting on the door step, freezing in the winter air.
"Took you three long enough!" Charlie yelled at them. He seemed very short tempered today.
"What's the matter, Charlie?" Lysander asked.
Charlie huffed and entered the cafe, the black gerbil squirming in his grasp.
"Charlie's just angry that his parents are still on their vacation." Billy explained. "They called from Australia or something to say they were staying even longer."
"Oh, poor Charlie," Lysander was the only one showing sympathy. Gabriel was focusing on his gerbils and Tancred was thinking about Leah and what they were going to do about her today.
The four boys entered the cafe and sat around a table. Two uninvited people sat there. Fidelio and Benjamin.
"Them too?" Tancred groaned.
"What, Lysander said it was okay." Benjamin looked hurt.
"Ignore him, he thought it was just going to be me, him, and Leah." Lysander explained, giving Tancred a teasing look.
Tancred grumbled under his breath. The group ate a quick lunch and were off, following Tancred to a part of town that most them weren't familiar with. The rich part, were every house was a glorious mansion.
The last house on the street was Leah's. It was even more beautiful than Tancred remembered.
Something panged in his chest as he stared at the house which seemed to be made of gold. It was too familiar.
As they approached the house, they door to the one next door opened and wild wind gushed out. It was Talia.
"What do you guys think you're doing?" she demanded.
"We're going to see Leah. We need to talk to her." Lysander filled her in.
A look of satisfaction crossed Talia's face. "Go ahead," she dared, "Try,"
Tancred took the reigns and marched to the door and rang the golden bell. A deep chime rang through the house.
"Hello?" An old, decrepit voice asked. "What do you want?"
"We're here to see Leah," Tancred answered nervously. Talia had intimidated him.
"Master Leah? Only Ms. Talia can see Master Leah." The voice said.
Talia hopped up onto the porch and said into the speaker over the door bell, "Raldo, I am here. It is me, Talia. I want to introduce Leah to my friends. May she come out?"
"The master does not want her outside. You know that very well, Ms. Talia." Raldo said sternly.
"Yes, I do know that, but Mr. Reese is out of town at the moment. What he doesn't know won't hurt him." Talia persuaded.
No one responded for a moment. "Master Leah will be out momentarily."
"That's what you do, Tancred." Talia grinned.
Tancred rolled his eyes and stepped off the porch to stand with his friends.
The door opened and Leah exited the mansion. She took one look at the group of people and turned to go back inside. Talia caught her arm.
"No, let them talk Leah," Talia whispered carefully, "They don't understand the way you and I do."
Leah glanced back and caught Tancred's eye. "What do you have to say?"
Tancred took a step forward, as if to show dominance over the rest of the group. "I want to say for one that I'm sorry."
Leah's eye's widened with shock. "Sorry?"
Tancred nodded. "We," he indicated everyone around him. "Want to say that we want to be your friends. We want to be here for you Leah, and you too Talia. If you would just let us in."
Everyone watched with pleading, careful eyes. Would the strange girl except their invitation.
Leah thought for a moment, then her thoughts were interrupted as white speckles started falling from the sky.
"Snow?" she looked at Leah questioningly.
Talia nodded.
Leah stared at it amazingly, then gave a small cheer. "Snow!"
Everyone gaped at her. It was as if she were seeing snow for the first time. She jumped off of the porch and spun around, catching snow flakes on her tongue.
"Leah, we want an answer." Tancred stepped towards her and grabbed her arm.
Leah looked up into his face. "But it's snowing. I've never seen snow this close before."
Tancred gasped. How could she not see snow this close? It snowed so much around this time of year. "But Leah, we want an answer."
She was about to open her mouth to speak, but her face suddenly fell.
"What's wrong?" Tancred asked.
"He's here." She stepped back, afraid. "I have to go."
"Leah Marie Reese!" A strong voice boomed. "Why are you out here? Who are these people?"
Everyone was shoved aside to reveal a tall, muscular man. He caught a glimpse of Tancred's frightened face and his scowl deepened . "You!"
Leah jumped in front of him protectively. "Daddy, don't hurt him!"
Tancred didn't understand what was going on.
"Why should I not?" The man barked.
"Daddy, give him time! It'll come to him."
The man grabbed Leah and pulled her towards the house, "Maybe it will," The man pushed her into the house.
Everyone watched the closed door in shock. Eventually, they all turned to leave. Talia had tears in her eyes.
"What is it?" Tancred asked her as they walked with her back to her house.
"You'll see," she slipped inside and left them to walk down the street on their own.
About half way down, the group heard a deafening crash and then an ear piercing scream from the house at the end of the road.
"This," Tancred realized, "Is all my fault."
sorry about any mistakes. it turns out i made a couple, don'w worry, i fixed them. My computer had been putting them on here funny, like underlined and italisesed(i know that's wrong)
anyways, I'll update soon. I have other stories I need to put on here.
