The bell rings and I’m out the door to my locker. The faster I can leave, the faster I won’t have to talk to him.
“Megan.” The way he says my name makes me want to wrap myself in his arms. “Why did you stop talking to me?”
I brave a look into his deep, brown eyes. “Casper, we-I can’t talk to you anymore.”
His eyes narrow. “This again?”
“Vincent and I are together.”
“And that matters why? We’ve been talking this whole time.”
“You know why.”
“Because he won’t allow you to talk to me?”
I look away and close my locker.
“I can’t believe you’re letting him win.”
My eyes cut to his. “This isn’t about winning. You know I’m with Vincent.”
“So, you’re okay with the fact that he lied to you about jumping me? He’s manipulating you.”
“Funny. He said the same about you.”
He rolls his eyes. “Soon, he won’t be jealous of only me. He’ll be jealous of Cherry and your family. You’re so blinded by him.”
“Why should you even care? Ugh. I’m so sick of this.”
Casper moves close. Dangerously close. He doesn’t touch me, but I feel the tension between us. I want to kiss him. “I know you feel it, too,” he whispers, and I can’t stop the humming inside my body. “Truth is, I’ve tried to forget about you, but I can’t. You challenge me and make me see things differently.”
Heat rushes to my cheeks and I roughly push him away. “I feel nothing when I’m around you. I’ve liked you. It’s an unfortunate circumstance that I dream about you.” I’m glad my voice sounds stronger than I thought it would.
Casper flinches. He slightly opens his mouth as if to say something but turns around and walks down the empty hallway.
I had to do it. I have to forget about him.
I’m not sure how long I’ve been in the cell, but I know my days are numbered. They’ve barely fed me or given me water and I can feel myself getting worse. Which, a small part of me doesn’t mind because maybe I can see Casper in death.
I hear voices. Loud and angry. Coming closer. The door flies open, and light filters inside.
“Megan,” I hear Vincent scream. I see a dark figure rush over to me and lift me in his lap. “You fools. What have you done?” he shouts toward the door. He kisses my forehead and lifts me in his arms and carries me out of the dark cell. “I’m so sorry, Megan. Please forgive me.”
My mouth is dry, my body shriveled into nothing, my heart lost. I have no will to speak.
In the days that follow, I’m nursed back to health, and Vincent never leaves my side. I never doubted his love for me, but I doubt his character.
“Why did they force me in that cell?” I ask Vincent as I lay in bed and he sits in a chair beside me.
His dark blue eyes look remorseful. He takes my hands in his and kisses my fingers. “They will never harm you again. They have been exiled. They thought you were a traitor.”
“I don’t understand.”
“They think you willingly ran away with the Elves.”
“I was kidnapped,” I lie, keeping my innocent composure.
“I know.” He frowns.
“They mentioned Florence and that I was involved in her wrongdoing. What happened? I swear I don’t know anything—”
“I know.” He presses his lips in a thin line and hesitates. “Megan, Florence was killed.”
My heart pounds and I feel faint. The dizziness settles over me and I can’t stop my tears. “Why?”
“She was trying to escape to the Elves.”
“What?”
“I’m afraid it’s true.”
“How could she do such a thing? Why was she killed?” I have to keep my composure, but I can’t believe they killed her. It’s hard to keep the truth hidden when I want to lash out so much. Does he lie to me for his benefit or because he erased my memory?
“She resisted our men.”
“Why wasn’t she punished? Why did they have to kill her?” My voice rises.
“I’m so sorry, Megan. She betrayed us.”
“How do you know that? The Elves could’ve used her. She would never willingly betray us, Vincent.”
“Did she talk to you while I was away?”
“Of course, we talked. We’re friends.”
He shakes his head. “I meant about the Elves.”
“No. Why would she?”
“Try to convince you to leave with her.”
“This doesn’t make sense. You said the Elves erased her mind of them. Why would she run back to them if they did that?”
He swallows hard. “Megan, you really need to rest. Don’t work yourself into a frenzy.”
I can’t help but wonder if he’s holding something back. I know he killed Casper, but only because he thought I was being tortured. Right? But now I hear our own kind killed Florence. Why didn’t they punish her? Was it the same men who tried to kill me all those years on the run? Who threw me in a cell to rot until Vincent returned?
Is Vincent behind all of this? The man I have loved my whole life. No. Vincent would never hurt me. He only did what he thought was right. But something feels wrong.
I know I should move on from the Elves, but I feel like I have to help them now that Casper and Florence are dead. My heart aches. I will help the Elves, even if it means die trying. I can’t tell Vincent any of it. I did a terrible thing to him by leaving. I look into his dark blue eyes. He loves me so deeply, but somehow, I’m wary
