Fallen (The Transformed Prequel)

Forgetting about the deli, I went into the woods behind the lake and wandered around, feeling sorry for myself until it was about time to meet Tanner. I turned on my phone only to check the time and then turned it back off. I made my way to the school's football field where I was supposed to meet Tanner. I found a hidden little spot and made myself comfortable.

I wanted to jump up and run into his arms when I saw him, but I forced myself to stay in my little spot. He walked to the place where we often sat and talked. He looked around and began pacing. I could smell his nervousness from where I was at. I was always early, arriving to meet him first. He knew that something was wrong.

He pulled out his phone and looked at it, presumably to check the time. He looked around and started pacing, the scent turning closer to fear than nervousness. I swallowed as I restrained myself from running to comfort him. I wanted to tell him that everything would be okay. But I knew that it wouldn't be; we couldn't be together ever again. He started talking to himself and I focused my sensitive hearing on what he was saying.

"Where is she? Why isn't she here yet?" He looked at his phone again and started rubbing his finger around the screen. "Straight to voice mail? What's going on? Something isn't right." He began pacing again, this time more frantically. "He got her. That redneck jerk finally found her. That's the only thing that makes any sense. She's never late-ever. She would have called if she couldn't make it. She said she was going to be here."

He sat down on the player's bench and put his face into his hands. "I can't believe this. I hope he doesn't hurt her. But why wouldn't he? He would be furious that she left him. He thinks that he owns her." He rambled on like that for a while and I felt horrible for putting him through that. He waited there for me for hours; darkness was starting to set in before he finally got up and left to make sure that Charlie wouldn't be home alone.

I sat looking at the empty field for a while before I forced myself to stand up and begin running back to Vince's mansion. I considered staying, but I knew that it just wasn't possible. I wasn't really the kind and compassionate person that I was around Tanner. I wanted to rule and that meant that I needed to be with Vince, regardless of how I felt about him. Tanner was better off without me, he deserved a happy human existence.