Entry: 2

Entry: 2
     - Trouble,....HUGE trouble!


The next week went by rather slowly. At least for Finnley.
Jason didn’t talk to her except when he really had to. She racked her brain all week trying to figure out what the heck she did wrong.
And then her mom was scheduled to go a business trip to New York for half a week. Maybe even the whole week.

   “Honey are you sure you don’t want to come?” Finnley’s mom asked as she ran around her room packing franticly, seeing as her plane was leaving in a few hours.
   “No. It’s fine mom. I’ve got lots of homework to do anyways.” Finnley said as she helped her mom pack.
   “Well...” She stopped what she was doing and looked her daughter in the eye.
   “Alright. Only Tanya can come over. No boys! What so ever!”
Finnley nodded solemnly. She knew better then to point out that she had never done that in the past. Her mom was worried enough, so she didn’t need to add to it.
   “Yes ma’am.” She said, watching her mom zip up her single suitcase. She grabbed her purse and slipped her feet into her high heels.
For a moment they just looked at each other. Finnley saw her mom’s eyes begin to weld up with tears.
   “Mom. You’ll be alright.” Finnley said with a smile as she placed her hands on her mom’s shoulders. She waved a hand at her daughter and scoffed.
   “Me?? Honey I’m worried about you!”
Finn laughed. And glanced at the clock.
   “Mom you have to go or you’re not going to make it to your plane.”
She picked up her mom’s luggage and the two made it down stairs just in time to hear the taxi honk it’s horn.
   “Alright, I’m leaving you the car keys, but just be extremely careful!” Her mom handed Finnley the keys. She doubted she’d drive it. She had only had her driver’s license a week or so.
   “You have the number of my hotel, and just don’t call me between 1:00 and 4:00 because I’ll be in meetings. But if it’s an emergency then leave a message, or go strait to my cell phone.”
   “Mom. Mom we’ve gone through this at least a dozen times!” Finnley said as she tossed the bag in to the taxi’s trunk.
   “I’ll be fine. You’ll be fine. Now just get going would ya?” She asked teasingly.
Her mom took a deep breath and nodded.
   “Alright. You’re right. Ok. I love you. Be safe. And keep the alarm on.”
Her mom gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and slid into the seat.
   “Will do. Love you mom. See you in a week.”
   “Half! Half of a week.” Her mother corrected.
Finnley nodded.
   “Right. Bye!” She called as the taxi pulled away and she shoved her thumbs in her pockets as she watched the taxi take her mother away.
Taking a deep breath she gazed around the street and noticed the boy with a black hoodie and a leather jacket. His blond hair was it’s usual fohawk and stuck up in the front.
She thought it was a little funny that he was in the same position she was in. Feet apart, thumbs in pockets and starring each other down. Not really.
They were just trying to figure the other out.
She couldn’t figure out why he looked so torn, and he couldn’t figure out why she looked so curious.
Simultaneously, they both walked into their own houses with out a glance back.

Leaning against the door she sighed. This was beginning to get really annoying.
She dashed up the stairs and into her bedroom. She shoved her feet into a pair of red high top converse, and she grabbed a hoodie and a denim jacket.
Yes it was Florida. But it was also winter time. So in other words, it was freezing outside.

Grabbing some cash just in case, she walked out into the garage and pulled out her bike. She hadn’t ridden it in a while, but it was still in great shape. Pedaling down the lane as fast as she could, she got a little cocky. Taking sharp turns where she had to put down her foot in order to get around it, she found her way to the local park.

Buying herself a hot pretzel she sat down on a bench and watched everyone else in the park. She was just content to watch people pass by with out anyone second glancing her. She didn’t mind being invisible to others.
She always considered it a gift from God. Because she was always the one to take a step back and recognize the problem.
And that’s what she decided to do right then. She uncovered the feelings that had started the first day she met Jason and tried to figure them out with the guidance of the Holy Ghost.
What she found confused her. The feelings were ones of deep caring, but she wasn’t sure if it was love. (seeing as she had only felt that once and that was a very long time ago)
There was also a mix of some kind of need. She wasn’t sure what that meant. And she wasn’t sure she wanted to.
She let out a deep, shaky sigh and realized she had finished her cinnamon pretzel.
Closing her eyes she tilted her head to catch what little sunshine had made it’s way through the grey overcast sky.
   Lord....what ever this feeling is, good or bad, please don’t let me break the most important promise I made to my daddy.
Silent tears rolled down her cheeks.
   I want to keep him proud of me. I don’t want to let him down. So Lord, if it’s your plan for Jayson and I to....to be together or what ever please let him be right for me. Let him know already the right way of doing things, because I won’t teach it to him. That is one of my requirements. Which you know. So...just help both of us with this, bring us together, or let us drift apart, but please do it soon because I’m not sure I can go through a close relationship with a sudden break up again.
Please Lord....

   “What are you doing?”
Her blood curled and her fists clenched. Reluctant to open her eyes she found Ryan watching her with a look in his eyes that made her want to spit in his face.
   “Nothin’.” She said as she rose to her feet and made to get back to her bike.
   “Hey!” Ryan caught her arm, making her turn around. She tried to look anywhere but his dark green eyes.
   “Why is it that you always seem to hate me?” he asked in a low voice.
She let out a short sigh. “Because you don’t know when to stop Ryan.” She said as she looked down at her shoes. “Because you don’t know when to give up.”
   “I thought girls didn’t like it when we gave up.” Ryan pointed out with that cocky grin Finnley hated.
   “Yes. Most girls. But not me. So go find some nice cheerleader and leave me alone.”
She twisted her wrist, breaking his hold on her, but he didn’t give up that easy.
   “Finn.”
No that feels wrong! She thought. But before she could do anything, Ryan pulled her close. Everything happened in slow motion, and in her head she was screaming.
Just before her vision was blocked, she noticed the one boy she didn’t want to see at the moment. He was off by a tree right behind Ryan, watching with what looked like shear horror on his face.
Then Finnley received her first kiss. From the one guy that she hated with her whole being.
This is not happening! She screamed. She couldn’t do anything. She was utterly paralyzed. Though she refused to kiss him back. She knew that was the one thing he would hate.
But it was the combination of Jason’s shocked face, and Ryan’s slow moving hand down her back that got her moving.
Jerking away she stumbled backwards. Gasping for lost breath and running her jacket sleeve across her mouth.
Ryan wasn’t winded at all and was just looking at her with that cocky grin again.
   “Wow. You’re a lot more then I expected.” He muttered. Which was his mistake.
Anger boiled up in side Finn so hot she marched up to him. Her fists balled up. Brining them up she gave him a right cross across the cheek, along with one in the gut.
Blood spewed out of his mouth as he hit the ground hard.
Finnley’s hands hurt like crazy but she ignored them for a minute.
   “Don’t you ever think of even talking to me again!!” She shouted at him in a controlled tone, pointing an accusing finger at him. “You come with in fifteen feet of me and I swear you will be back in the dirt before you can blink.”
She spat at the ground by his feet and marched off. Forgetting about her bike completely. Her anger always got her cocky, so she walked right past Jayson who had watched the entire showdown with shock.
   “Thanks for the help.” She growled with out even looking at him.

++++

Finnley wasn’t usually angry. She always let things go and didn’t take them personally.
But this? This was very personal!
And she couldn’t just let it go. Though try as she might, she was too hyped up over it.

She was running as fast as she could she had no idea where she was going, what she was doing. She was just trying not to let the tears take over her.
Before the tears cleared up, she found herself in the outskirts of town.
I ran out this far?!
Rubbing her forehead she turned around to make her way back to the park and her bike.
Humming to herself a lullaby her father use to sing to her, it calmed down her nerves enough to clear her head most of the way.
She walked around and her mood lightened up as she saw the windows full of things she could dream of having but of course she could never have.
The holograph signs changed from their names to advertisements some even talked, though most didn’t, which Finn liked because then it wasn’t obnoxious.
   “Ms. Leavenworth?”
Glancing over her shoulder, she saw two men in expensive suits who had a look about them that gave her the chills.
Now she didn’t stop moving mind you. She didn’t slow down, she didn’t speed up.
   “Finnley Leavenworth?” They asked again.
   “Yes?” she asked, running across the street. Forcing them to follow her.
   “Could we stop for a moment?” The heavier one asked. She turned and jogged in place.
   “Why? You don’t work out?” She asked with a smile. They were too solemn to take a joke.
   “Who are you may I ask?” She asked. Stopping her jogging and wiping the sweat from her forehead. She placed her hands on her hips.
   “FBI, we have a few questions for you Ms. Leavenworth.”
They flashed their badges and she only had a few seconds to see the ID, but she saw something hinky in them. Something was off about it.
   “Um...alright.” She said a little hesitant.
   “What’s your association with Jayson Stone?”
   “Jayson?” She repeated. What...is up? “Um....I’m not sure I’d even call us friends. I haven’t known him very long so...”
   “Do you know where he lives?” The skinny one asked.
She realized now what was bugging her with the ID’s. The printing was smudged and slopping like it had been quick. It was fake.
   “Uh.....” she may not know Jayson all that well, or why fakes calling themselves the FBI were after him, but she wasn’t about to go and give him in. And once she decided this, a surge of peace and strength ran through her, and she knew immediately she was doing the right thing.
   “No. I can’t say I do.”
   “Well if you would please come with us Ms. Leavenworth, we’d like to take you downtown to ask you a few more questions.” The fat one said. Finnley rubbed her hands together and sighed.
   “No, sorry that wont work for me. You see I have an extremely busy schedule, and I’m afraid I have no room on it for a trip to the FBI. Sorry.”
   “Oh I’m sure you can cancel those.” The tall one said, both men started to approach and she started to back up. They opened their coats slightly and she spotted a dark form of something.
   “No,” She prayed to God that he would giver speed. “I really can’t.”
She then turned around and sprinted off with the men cursing behind her as they took off to keep up with her. Boy it's going to take some kind of hero to get me out of this mess!!

Being a dancer, and a track runner, Finnley had really high stamina and the other guys were obviously not use to chasing kids.
Finnley dashed through crowds, trying to blend in several times, but they were to close. She had no idea what to do! She had no clue how to defeat guys who probably had guns hidden under their coats.
It hit her like a sledgehammer.
   “That’s what that was!” She cried angrily as she skidded around a corner. The alley way was blocked off by a fence, surrounded by garbage cans. Jumping up on one and walking on them till she got to the fence. She saw a taller garbage dumpster that had the lid close across the alley. Giving it all she had, she jumped up from the last can and pushed herself off the alley wall. Flying towards the dumpster she rammed into it and had to bite down on her lip to keep from screaming.
She tried to get her feet under her but one of the guys grabbed her ankle.
Letting out a shriek, her grip slipped.
She jerked as the man pulled her farther off the dumpster. Finally getting enough room she pushed her foot down as hard as she could and hit the guy square in the nose. He cried out and let go. She scrambled up and ran across the dump and jumped over the fence.

Hitting the ground a little too hard for her liking she tried to ignore the pain. She could hear the men behind her walking across the dumpster. Glancing down both ways of the alley she ran right.
The alley broke off into a deserted street.
   “No. No. No. No!” She cried. Grabbing her hair with her hands. “You just had to come this way didn’t you Finnley?!” She dashed off but skidded to a stop before she even made it out of the alley.
The fat guy was standing in front of her. Blocking her shot at the street. Backing up, she found the other one behind her.
They advanced and she was soon cornered with her back to a wall.
Lord this can’t be how it ends! She cried in her head.
   “Jon.” The tall one ordered. The bigger one grinned and he cracked his knuckles.
Oh no you don’t!
Bringing up her fists she tried to remember what little moves she knew.
Ducking Jon’s blow, his hand met brick and he cried as Finn ducked and gave short jabs to his midsection.
The other one grabbed her shoulders and threw her backwards, then hit the side of her head so hard the lights went out momentarily. Reaching up she felt blood pouring down.
Looking up with fear rising up in her throat as she stared down the barrel of a gun.
Her breathing came in short gasps as she stared death in the face.
   “Now.” The taller one with the gun started. “We’ll give you one more chance Ms. Leavenworth. What is your relationship with Jayson Stone?” He demanded. Tears started to weld up in her eyes.
But the last thing she expected was his eyes to suddenly roll up in his head as someone shoved him to the ground.
The fatter one was shocked but quickly went into karate mode.
He attacked the mystery guy with sluggish hits and pathetic moves. The younger one was quick and wove in and out of his hits quiet easily.
And before Finnley knew what had happened they were both knocked out cold.

She let out her breath and realized she had been holding it.
For a split second she was scared the mystery dude clad in black would come after her next. But when he turned his head ever so slightly, she was caught up in his odd stare that usually would have made her uncomfortable. But at the moment it gave her relief and security.
Before she knew what her body was doing, she dashed forward and threw her arms around his neck.
She felt him take in a deep breath and then let it out slowly. She felt his arms on her back as he gave her a reassuring squeeze.
   “Boy am I glad to see you.” she muttered into his shoulder. Her body started to shake because of what had just happened. He squeezed her a little harder.
   “I’m right here Finnley. I’m right here.” He whispered into her hair.
Those were the sweetest words she had ever heard anyone say to her.
She let go and wasn't sure what to do next. But Jayson did. Taking her hand he pulled her out into the abandoned street.

Finn had thousands of questions she was dying to ask. But her fast moving brain was quickly putting the pieces together.
Two men who were posing as FBI with guns, Jayson and his ninja moves, but why were they after her?!

Jason led her back into the busy part of the city but never did he let go of her hand.
   "Jayson who were those men?" She finally asked as they slowed down.
He glanced at her and seemed to be deciding on what to tell her. That was another thing Finn was really good at doing.
   "And don't try to keep things from me because I can guarantee you that I'll figure it out." She warned.
His lips grew into a tight line, and he let go of her hand as he walked over to a pay phone.
She let out a sigh and held her head.
   "Man." She muttered.
He glanced at her as she pulled her hand away and saw the blood. She closed her eyes and dropped her hand trying to keep the crowd from noticing. She pulled her hair all onto one shoulder and tugged her hood up. Cramming her hands into her pockets she rocked back and forth, trying to keep the pain off her face.
   Jayson seemed to be take the phone apart. Finn stepped closer and had to stand on her tip toes to see over his shoulder. He had unscrewed the bottom piece you talk into and slid something in it. Then screwed it back on.
She stepped away and pretended to be interested in the shop behind them.
What is going on?! She asked herself.
   "Jayson Stone, number: 0073, clearance B."
His cryptic talking only made her head hurt more.
Clearance? Number?
   "Martha,....they've found me....No I can't I have a civilian with me..."
Civilian?!?!
Her quick thinking brought all the pieces together.
Agent number! Clearance is what it says, civilian meaning he's not. Trained to be a freakin' ninja. He's a spy! Or...something like that anyway.
She kept her revelation to herself as Jason kept talking to...Martha. Who ever she was.
   "....Yeah I know a place I can take her.....Yes her name's Finnley Leavenworth....No she doesn't have a criminal record." Now he just sounded annoyed. "Stop babying me!" He growled.
Finn's eyebrows rose. Yeah he was annoyed.
   "Fine." He hung up and took the phone apart again.
   "Who's Martha?" She avoided asking the real questions seeing as there was practically steam coming out of his ears.
He glanced at her and seemed to calm down.
   "Foster mom."
That just gave her more questions instead of answers.
He took her hand again and pulled her through the crowd.
   "How's your head doing?" He asked as he glanced over his shoulder.
   "It hurts. Really bad." She answered honestly.
He pulled her behind a store and turned to her.
   "Here let me see."
She froze as he pulled off her hood and looked at the head wound. His hands were cold but she wasn't really paying attention.
After a moment he dropped his hands and took several steps away from her.
   "I'm going to take you to a hospital. It looks like you might need stitches."
Oh how she wished he hadn't told her that. She hated doctors. And hospitals. And the smell of hospitals.
She sighed and pulled the hood back up.
   "Come on." He said as he led the way back out into the street.
She had slight trouble trying to keep up with him so she dashed forward and grasped his wrist. he glanced back at her and pain washed across his face.

He led her into a parking lot that was in front of Target.
   "How do we plan on getting there?" she asked as they walked past dozens of cars and people.
Jayson didn't answer her, instead he stopped suddenly causing her to ram into his back.
   "Oof." She muttered. Standing again on her tip toes to peak of his shoulder she couldn't believe what she was looking at. Walking around him, they both starred at black and red motorcycle.
   "This is yours?" She asked in shock.
Jason shrugged. "Um...yeah." He said as he pulled the keys out.
The motorcycle was a sporty one which Finn thought, definitely suited Jason's style. What ever that style was of course.
   "Are you just going to stand there gawking?" He asked with a grin.
   "Um...I might." She answered.
He laughed and tugged at her wrist.
   "Come on. You need to get to a hospital before that headache gets any worse." He ordered kindly as he swung onto the bike and balanced it out.
She took in a deep breath and knocked down the second footholds in the back of the bike. Jumping up and landing gracefully in the seat she noticed that with the way the bike was built the only place to hold on was Jayson's waist.
Lord I'm really going to have to use that will strength right now. She prayed. Leaning forward she locked her hands around his waist and tried to touch him as less as possible.
   "I suggest you hold on." He warned. She was about to ask why when he revved the engine and took his foot off the brake. She understood what he meant and had to lean into his back in order to keep from getting thrown off.
Talk about insane! Ok when I said I wanted adventure in my life, this was not what I had in mind!
But at least she was doing something other then lying around the house and watching stupid TV shows.
Well it's got to be a step in the right direction.