When she pulled up to her one bedroom apartment courtesy of being emancipated at an early age. She watched the children run around the complex for a minute and realized just how alone she is. These kind of moments her mother always pops into her head. She walked down the sidewalk of the fourplex. The two bedroom condo they had shared still held her heart by its strings. She drove by there sometimes when she needed to feel like she still had a normal life.
Going into the front door, her mother watching her soap operas, and painting her nails. She was the most beautiful woman in the world. A woman that she knew she would never get to know. It was hard to believe that day. She had just got off the school bus and ran into the house to tell her mother about the kitten she had found walking around the school. A cute little tabby she snuck into her gym bag. What she walked into was something she would never be able to comprehend in its full detail. The condo turned upside down and her mother sprawled out on the hardwood floor in front of the couch. Her long blonde hair was plastered to her face with blood. Her thoughts were out of place she didn’t scream or call 911. Somehow she knew she could do nothing for her mother, but spend all the time she had left with her. She went and laid down next to her long lost mother for hours until her neighbor found both of them on the floor. Autumn’s arm around her mother shoulders and her mother no longer in the world. Soon after she was thrown into living the life of an adult a little to soon.
Autumn shook her head tears welling up in her eyes for the millionth time. She walked up the steps and opened the door. Kora the tabby blinked his eyes at her and meowed.
“Oh, Kora are you hungry.” she said in her little girl voice only reserved for him.
. “ You know Kora I need to stop thinking about mom. I think im beginning to become the cat lady.” she laughed. “I met this boy today.” Kora looked up and blinked.
Autumn stood there a moment and wondered if talking to her cat was the equivalent to talking to herself. She looked around at the room. 965 square feet of home. Her mothers life insurance left her without any want. She just didn’t see spending her mothers money on the luxuries as some people would,. She lost her mother and no luxury could make up for that.
She looked around at the red rug that was embroidered in black that her mother loved so much. She could only salvage the black suede couch and loveseat that was hers because of the small space. She had bought black sconces to adorn each side of the red curtains and a beautiful black swirl that glowed with the 24 white candles over the fireplace. She liked her small apartment but could she ever bring him here into her personal space where she had built a foundation of trust issues, and pain?
Hell she hadn’t even asked his name. I am such an idiot she thought. A complete and utter idiot. She went to the coffee pot to start a fresh batch of the new starbuck coffee grounds she bought. He was so beautiful but he would never want her. I have no life, no friends, and damn sure no guy experience. She poured her coffee after standing at the sink for a while wondering if his eyes were a genetic impossibility because they were so dark of a blue they were almost black. She sat on the couch and drank her coffee and once again fell asleep on the couch to Jay Leno.

She was at the gate of the Cemetery where her mother laid. She was all dressed in black her hair curled to her waist. Her body was woozy as if she had taken a pain pill. Something was grasping her wrists in a bone cracking grasp. Her wrist popped with every accidental twist of her hand.
“You, love. I have been looking for you,” A deep raspy whispered into her ear. Tears streamed down her face as the man pushed himself into her back and the rancid smell of tar and sweat hit her nose.
“I diddddnt doooo it.” she slurred her tongue sticking to the roof of her mouth.
He threw her onto the ground her face landing sharp on a rock blood pouring from her nose. She let out a groan as pain seared through her body.
. “Listen”, he kicked her in the stomach. “You little whote you killed your own mother. Dooont you see.” He picked her up. She looked into the eyes of hell. He was covered in black his eyes nothing but white. Skin folded over skin on his face. His hair black with grease. He threw her onto her mothers grave. He hissed as he climbed on top of her and held her down. Snakes began to pour out of the grave as she screamed. They bite her wrists, her neck, her feet. Blood curdling scream after scream left her lips. Bright colored snakes began to drag her down into the ground further and further into the blackness. His eyes the only thing she could see.

“WAKE UP!!!” she sat up sweat pouring down her face. Dark Blue Black eyes met hers as she flung herself across the bed covering herself up.
“It’s me Autumn,” he crawled to her. “your okay it was just a nightmare.” She was stunned. She looked at the clock 7:30am. Seven thirty in the morning?! The bus was outside. She couldn’t move.
“How did you get in here.” she whispered still shaking.
“I heard you screaming from the bus window as the bus driver pulled up. I kind of broke your door.” he bit his lower lip.
“YOU BROKE MY DOOR?”
“I did not know if someone was hurting you or something else was to blame. I did not know what else to do.” he whispered
“You don’t even know me to care.” She got up pulling her robe on over her red silky pajama pants. A little freaked out that he would just burst into anyone’s house.
“I do care because I would want someone to do the same for me, and No I do not know you but I would not mind it if we did get to know each other.”
Autumn blinked hard. This guy that she thinks is incredibly hot just burst into her house and into her bed because she was screaming. She felt like her personal space had been invaded all of a sudden.” Im not going today you go on without me.” Then it occurred to her that he rode the bus that ran by her house and she had fallen asleep on the couch.
“How did I get in here.” she rubbed her now throbbing head. “I didn’t fall asleep in here.”
“That I cannot answer.” he laughed.
“Stop laughing.” the sound of the bus fading in the distance.
“I guess your ride just left..” she smiled. “I guess your going to have to walk.” She stopped smiling realizing that the realization that he was in her house and in her personal space kept smacking her in the face. “Ugh, my head is pounding.”
“If you do not mind I would love to skip class with you since you did make me miss the bus.” he looked at Autumn quizzically as if he didn’t know if it was right or wrong.
“Only if you tell me your name, and make some coffee.” she smiled. She was glad he was here even under the circumstance.
“Tristan, and I will be glad to make you some coffee. You take an aspirin and lay down while I get it started.”
Having a guy in her home might not be a bad thing she thought as she curled back up in her blankets pondering the dream.