Creak.... creak....

The floor boards creaked as she walked down the hall of the building. She stood still before calling out of her room, "hello? Mother?" A little concerned when she got no answer she stepped out of the door way and into the hall. The boards creaking as she moved, she looked around as she walked into the light shining through the window, the moon was bright and full that night. 

Creak.. 

It sounded much closer now that she was in the hall. Walking away from the window she moved to the door her mother stayed in. Grabbing the knob she turned it, but the door was locked tight. With a knock she called from where she stood, "Are you there mother?" No answer, maybe she was away. Moving back down the hall she went to her room, not wanting to investigate the sounds she was hearing. Her mother must have went out for work, or was still at work.

Creeaaaaaak....

There when the creaking again, it seemed louder as though someone was outside her door. But she tried her best to ignore it until the creaking faded down the hall. Looking at the window she turned away and headed to her door. This time, she opened it... the hall looked dusty, not the clean feel of it, as she always kept the house tidy for her mother. Footprints in the dust, and the moon shining through showing the shadow of a spider on the window. "Gross..." She looked around, "It should not have gotten this much dust in a few minutes.." She stepped out of the room before heading down the hall. Her mothers door was cracked and busted in....

She looked around before heading inside the room signs of a struggle, blood smeared on the ground and her mothers gun sat on the floor where it had fallen. 

She looked at the bed which was covered in blood yet still slightly made from earlier in the day and looked at the shattered window in the room. She turned and noticed that the marks on the floor were also from a body being dragged. She followed the marks and blood stains to the closet and opened it. Quickly she backed up and ran in horror before something, or someone grabbed her hair and pulled her painfully to the ground. Looking up, a man with a bandanna covering his face pointed a knife at her. "Make one sound and I will cut you." She panicked and flung her arm up hard enough for her fist to take a clear shot to his crotch before quickly getting to her feet and running. Quickly, she ran into their storage closet where the man stood outside of the door. "You little brat." She kept quiet, knowing she should have grabbed the gun but it was too late.

The door flung open and he grabbed her by the hair pulling her simply across the floor before throwing her into the closet she had looked in before. "I will send you off with your mother. You should thank me." She closed her eyes, not knowing what to do before a gunshot rung through the air. Stinging pain and the sound of the lantern being knocked to the floor and shattering. She opened her eyes and screamed in pain as the fire engulfed the house, she stood and attempted to leave as she found one path, but the roof fell.

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Breathing heavily she shot up out of bed in a panic, looking around. Standing in her room she put her palm to her face and sighed. "Just a dream.... Its just a DREAM" she shouted to convince herself. Moving to her desk she sat bushing her platinum colored hair to calm herself down and put it back in a braid. She looked out the window from the mirror, a full moon, it shined so bright and seemed to wash out any fear when looking at its perfection.

She stood up moving to the window and looking out, with a soft smile she started to hum the tune her mother sang when she was little.

"Słodki sen mój anioł.

Sen tańczących gwiazd.

Tańcz z wiatrem i światłem księżyca.

Zaśpiewaj melodię morza.

Ale nigdy nie pozwól, aby potwór dotarł do ciebie."

"Sweet dreams my angel.
Dream of plenty stars dancing.
Dance with the breeze, and the moon light.
Sing the melody of the sea.
But never let the monster get to you."

There was nothing to fear, she got changed, going to visit the HQ this late was normal when she could not rest well. She changed and put on her light jacket before stepping on outside. Chilly at night as she walked, the streets to Ballard Blushes HQ. She entered and looked around, quiet as normal that late. She sat down and waited till dawn when everyone would arrive to start their morning. 

She waited and waited, for hours until she drifted to sleep on the couch. Waking up to a sweet voice, she opened her eyes, staring right back at her was Godmother Joy. She thought she would get scolded, "I am sorry madam. I didn't mean to..." Joy laughed but sat down next to her, they spoke for some time as Secra explained what made her come so early. 

"Well, it will be okay, do not worry about it. If you ever need to talk, feel free to. Your mother and I were friends, so I know her death is probably stressing you out." Joy gave her a hug, before heading off to do her duty for the district. Secra respected her, she loved having a friend as sweet as her. The others in the crew were awesome too. 

Leading to the end of the day, she had returned with the payment a man owed Godmother Joy from a job, it was late but she was not expecting the day would end with their beloved godmothers life. She made sure to visit her funeral and joined up with Coltrane. 

The next day was difficult as she had known the man for a long time. Sitting in the HQ as everyone was settling down, she meet some friendly faces she had met and known from working with Joy. She smiled and wished them all a good night before heading home, she ran into a man on the sidewalk, apologized and went on her way. The man accepted the apology simply before offering to take her home but she wanted to be alone for a bit. He let her go, as she walked home, her mind reeled as she remembered the scent that came off the man. Looking back down the street from her porch she sighed.

"Strange day..." She entered her home and took her shoes off at the door before heading to her room. Removing her jacket she sat down at the desk in her room and started writing. Once done she put it in her drawer and went to shower, she was stressed, stressed beyond belief. After her shower she would head to rest and try to sleep. 

That next morning she was up and about heading out to do jobs. Bringing back earnings to The Blue Trane crew, and delivering the money to Coltrane before she headed to the main room. There she saw the man she ran into the night before. Approaching him she smiled and pardoned her intrusion to his space before apologizing for running off the night before. "I am sorry for not accepting your offer last night sir, but I had to go home.... My name is Secra, whats yours?" She was ashamed she did not get his name the night before.

Secra looked at him as he spoke, his sweet words made her blush as she looked down at the ground. "Ah.. Thank you, Leo, you have a very unique name.'' She looked back to him with a smile. "If you are free, would you like to go out and talk or something?" She put her hands behind her back, her eyes searching his as if she was looking for something, though she felt like she could talk freely around him, at least she thought so. 

There was something different about Leo, the others in the family, were all kind to each other. Though Leo, seemed to be gentle with his words. She was not much for talking but she had gone through quite a bit the past few days. She wondered if he would come out and get to know each other.

Leo couldn't hide his smile, he put on of his thumbs in his pocket and his rest hand next to it but from out side and with his other hand moved his hair backward "thats kinf of you", he couldn't stop smiling however he tried to and his cheeks became red.

he noticed secra's eyes looking deep inside his, he felt his heart pulsing strongly while looking at the great and cute sparkle in her eyes, "yeah sure... would you like to drink some coffee or go for a lunch ?" Leo asked secra while he is looking at that amazing sparkle in her eyes.

Leo saw secra many times lately in their HQ, deep in his heart he felt something different about her, something pushing toward her, Leo isn't that type of men that can startba chat from nothing, he was waiting for the opportunity he can come close and talk with her.

Leo have a habit he isn't sure if that good or bad habit, but when he sees someone and he feels his heart pulse, he can't stops him self to look after and watch that person and that what happened inside Leo after he saw Secra for the first time.

She looked at him and smiled, her cheeks still red she spoke softly. "Lunch sounds good, actually." She was glad he was not upset after she had ran off the other night. She lifted her hand to push a strand of hair our of her face and watched his expressions. 
 

"How about the local cafe? Its a nice quiet spot I like to visit." She turned and looked seeing others were heading out on business and returning as she spoke with Leo. She lost herself in thought as she watched his body language. She really only knew the people she had spoke with before and the ones who had come with her from her previous home. 

She saw a softness in his eyes, and the willingness to learn about those around was what she felt coming from Leo as she spoke with him. Even though from the short encounter she was hoping she would be able to talk about whats been happening or even just find someone to ease away the stress she felt.

Leo was looking deep in her gorgeous eyes and face and her red lips while she is talking and he is feeling his heart dancing inside his chest, "sounds good we can go to that local cafe".

her looks and how she is talking was so clear to him how amazing she is and he felt like she is feeling something, but he wanted to take his time so her feelings grows till it blossoms the best love they can live.

he extended his hand to take her hand and walk to the cafe "May I ?",  this is Leo first time taking a lady to a lunch or a date, so he was little nervous about it but he was willing to make this day great day and stay close to secra and touch her soft heart.

Staring up at him she gave a nod and smiled happily as he agreed about heading to the local cafe. She brushed her hair out of her face, as she turned making sure they were not being stared at. Only to see Coltrane staring at them with a giddy grin before he headed back to his office. 

She watched him leave but then took a breath to calm down as she took his hand softly. "Sure." She held his hand as they headed out the door. She gave a small smile making sure to stay right next to him. Her stress slowly melted away as they walked. Since it was nice outside she enjoyed it even more. Talking about tasks and what she used to do for entertainment. "I usually walk through the business district and talk, or sit at the local cafe or bar depending on the day I have had." She looked up at him, "What do you like to do? Especially for free time." She smiled brightly as they opened the door and chose a seat at the cafe near a window.

The waitress made her way over and smiled, "Usual again today miss?" She looked over at Leo, "And for you today sir?" She made sure Secra approved of her usual order of coffee with cream and sugar, and a small danish.

Leo walked from the HQ and looked around, he felt relieved that no one is watching them, he walked holding secra's hand, he was little nervous at the beginning but he get used to it with time, "so you like to walk and enjoy some time at cafe or bar, that sounds good" he smiled while he was walking after he heard her question, "heh, what do I like to ? hmm, I like many things, walk or do jobs, they are kinda good to do hard ones"

While they were walking, he wasn't concentrating on his steps till he was tackled by a stone, he was embraced but he directly said "for my free time I would like to do some sports or go to gym and swim too" he sigh that he could move with what happened fast.

They entered the cafe, it was lovely and a place to relax, he heard what secra ordered, he couldn't think what he should order, he tried to make it sound little romantic when he said "I will go with secra, please give me the same thing as her" Leo smiled to the worker and secra.

the worker went to prepare things, when he looked at secra and said "What the most thing you feel like you want it ?, what are you living for ?"

She watched him stumble over the rock as she held his arm and smiled not bothering to laugh as she kept walking with him. His tone was soft as he spoke about what he liked, as well as his free time activities. 

Hearing that he ordered her usual without even knowing what it was, She listened to his question before thinking about a answer. "What I am living for? and what I want most in life?..."

She closed her eyes for a second as she thought. "What I want most in life is to have a nice life... One thats surrounded by those that I care for..." She looked at him and gave a small smile. "I am living to fulfill my mothers duties, if I can not then I will fulfill my own."

She watched as the waitress set down their danish and coffee as she stirred hers before taking a sip. "What about you?" She asked curious if he had any reasons.

Leo took fast closer look at her face when she closed her eyes then pretended that he haven't done anything, he heard what she said and there was an interesting sparkle in his while she taking, he felt some sadness while she talked about her mother, he was about to ask her about her mother but he took a break as he didn't want to drag her in more sad talk and some memories that can make her sad while they were in their first date.

"that sound good" Leo took big breath and smiled warmly "My reason to live ?, I'm trying to live to enjoy and have fun in my life, I have lived some hard times in my life but my life changed after meeting Coltrane, he gave me new life that I'm living now, there isn't something specific I'm looking to, I want to live and enjoy my life the most possible and don't regret anything in it" Leo said that while looking in secra's eyes and smile warmly, and his voice was clear that he is excited and happy about what he is saying.

He took a bite from the danish then took a sip of his coffee, "This is delicious".