Page 14 of Hide From Me

“Go, Jack. Moe came to help me.”

“Yeah, Jack.” I drawl his name to remind myself to look him up later. “I can help her.”

“Right,” Jack replies quickly.How rude. I was being cordial; he could've at least shaken my hand.I would have only punched him in the nose.

I can’t help but track how many steps he takes as he rushes past—twenty-four steps. That means it’ll take less than thirty seconds to reach her if I walk at a normal pace and fifteen seconds if I speed-walk. My head turns in her direction, and she finally lowers her phone. A light drizzle starts to fall from the sky, making her hair stick to her head.

How can something so dark be so fucking beautiful?

I take two steps toward her, my coat clinging to my frame, rain dripping from my hair.

“How did you find me?” She asks, and I step forward.

“I got lucky. There are only two directions from the diner. I guess I chose the right one,” I say with a shrug, taking another four steps closer. I prefer an even number of steps, but I also need to close the distance. Thankfully, she doesn’t make a move.She will, though.

“You think I’m playing games?” I cock my head to the side.

“You didn’t reply. I didn’t think it was that serious of a statement.” She huffs and crosses her arms over her chest with an eye roll.

“I was working,” I reiterate, firmer this time, letting some of my agitation slip through. I'm telling the truth for once, and she can’t seem to wrap her pretty mind around the fact.

“It doesn’t matter anyway, baby. I’m not mad, but I do want to play,” I purr through a lopsided grin.

“Don’t call me—What do you mean?” Her expression falls, and the panic returns as I take another step.

Her stare burns through me as I open her car door, allowing her to bask in the little bit of light while I reach in and wrap my hand around the keys.

“I told you I’d play,” I murmur, twisting them from the ignition. “And I think I have the perfect game for us.”

I tuck the keys into my pocket and shut the car door, waiting patiently for the automatic system to activate.

“You hide, sunshine…”

The air thickens, and I grin as the headlights finally fade, leaving us enveloped in darkness.

“…and I find you.”

Four

Raylen

10-21-2025

The side of the road

“Stop. This isn’t funny,” I huff, crossing my arms over my chest to combat the cold seeping into my bones from the light rain. At least that's what I’ll continue to tell myself—that it’s only the weather making a chill run down my spine and not the fact that I feel like prey caught in a trap. My heart is racing so fast that I feel like it might burst through my ribcage.

“It’s not?” His voice rumbles, but this time, it sounds like it’s coming from behind me. My head quickly turns in that direction. “That’s odd. Most people think I’m funny. I don’t know if I should be offended or turned on.”

“What—?” My head darts toward my car, as it sounds like he’s coming from that direction, but my attempt is futile.

“Here are the rules, baby.”

I can't decide which pet name I like more at this point. When he calls me “baby,” it makes me want to climb up his body like he’s a tree. However, when he says “sunshine,” it makes my entire being want to melt, even though I’d never admit it. It makes me feel that silly, idiotic sensation of being seen as more than just some storm cloud rolling in.

“You’re going to hide. You’ll stay quiet and do your best to make sure I don’t find you—”

“Hide-and-seek?” I scoff. “What are we, twelve?”