Phil and Jake looked at Leila. They tried to dissuade her from the idea to go to shopping with them. She jumped in Jake’s hoodie, put her face mask and Phil’s sunglasses and she was standing in front of them with big smile on her face. They couldn’t see it, but it was obvious she is smiling, thought that she is the cleverest person in the earth.
‘There is no way you will go with us’ Phil said and crossed his arms. He didn’t know he is mad that she is wearing Jake’s clothes or he is more amused. She looked ridiculous but in the same time she was so proud of herself.
‘Why not?’ she asked. ‘Nobody will recognize me.’
‘What if someone will?’ Jake’s voice was calm but for sure he didn’t like this idea at all. Leila send him a warning gaze. She frowned.
‘Look’ she said to both of them. ‘I don’t care what you to think about it. I can’t just sitting on my butt here. This is worse then prison and I know what I’m saying cuz, just let me remind you, I was there once. I need to go out. Besides who is watching news anyway?!’
‘Ehm… Like literally everyone?’ Phil answered but he already gave up and she knew it. She patted their shoulders and passed them to went out.
‘Are you two going?’ she asked when she was leaving. Phil drove them to the nearest mall. When they got all stuff, Phil and Jake suddenly noticed Leila disappeared.
‘Where is she?’
‘You supposed to watch her’ Jake said reproachfully.
‘Calm down’ Phil looked around. ‘She probably went to some girlish shop. We will find her.’
They went to opposite directions.
Leila saw Jessy and Lilly next to the underwear’s shopwindow. She approached them.
‘Boo!’ she yelled when she was behind them. They both jump up with loud squeak.
‘Leila!’ Jessy frowned. ‘What are you doing here?! You shouldn’t be outside!’
Leila rolled her eyes.
‘You are all so boring – she mumbled. – How did you recognized me anyway?’
Lilly and Jessy raised their eyebrows.
‘You just look like you?’ Lilly answered unsured. Leila clouded. She looked at Jake’s hoodie which was hanging on her like some tent or parachute and then looked at Lilly with a sadness in her eyes.
‘Do I really look like THAT?’
‘Leila, why you are here?’ Jessy repeated her question. ‘Does Jake and Phil know about it?’
‘Sure’ she replied. ‘They are somewhere…’ she pointed in some direction and cut off in the middle. She noticed Phil. He was standing chilled out with a beautiful girl. She had brown, long hair, tight red dress and she wears heels. She was so perfect and so in Phil’s style. He was flirting with her. Suddenly Leila felt a huge needle in her heart. She pursed her lips. That was sad and somehow heart breaking. She took off her face mask and Jake’s hoodie. She placed them into Jessy’s arms and rushed in Phil’s direction.
‘What are you doing?’ Jessy asked but Leila was already on her way. She slipped between them, looked angrily in Phil’s eyes.
‘Another one?! How could you? After all what happened?!’ He was confused and before he could say something Leila slapped him hard at face. The clapping sound surprised her but she didn’t lose her acting.
‘This is over’ she yelled and looked at girl. ‘And good luck for you’ she added, turned around and went as quick as she could. She tried not to laugh but with every step big smile appeared on her face. Jessy covered her mouth in shock and Lilly just stared at Leila with open mouth.
‘What did you just do?’ she asked. Leila giggled.
‘That was brilliant! Have you seen his silly face?’ she laughed but someone cut her out.
‘So I have a silly face?’ She turned around rapidly with guilty expression. The red trace covered his cheek. He stared at Leila firmly.
‘To the car. All of you’ he didn’t have to say it twice. When they arrived home, she rushed into the kitchen. Girls and Jake stepped behind her. Richy looked at them.
‘What’s going on?’ he asked but nobody answered.
‘How could you do it?’ Jessy asked. She was angry at Leila. She didn’t say a word. She even didn’t knew why she did it. It just happened. Was she jealous? Perhaps. Was she hurt? Definitely. Phil stood in door to kitchen. He stared at Leila.
‘Could you all leave us alone?’
Everyone just went out. She tried it too but he blocked her way.
‘Not so fast Leila’ he said and closed the doors. She swallowed hard and started to move back but he followed her, step by step, until she reached a dead end. He pinned her to the counter and she didn’t have possibility to ran away.
‘So? What was that?’ he asked. She was looking at him with angry gaze.
‘You flirted with her’ she whispered. His eyebrows went up. He seemed to be surprised.
‘She slapped me after you walked away’ he couldn’t help himself and a weak smile appeared but she didn’t noticed.
‘So I should be sorry for you? Not my fault you’re a philanderer. Your name suits you.’
He snorted and moved closer. She could feel warmth of his body, when he grabbed and lifted her up. He sat her down on the counter. She squeaked when accidentally knocked the glasses down. It crashed but he didn’t care. He pressed his lips to hers in harsh and passionate kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back hungrily. He lifted her up and moved to the table. Threw everything from the table with one move of his hand and placed Leila there while still kissing her. They breath hard. She took off his shirt but moved back slightly. She looked into his eyes. At this moment she wanted him so badly but she didn’t want to be another girl checked on his list. He noticed this insecurity of her. Touched gently her cheek.
‘I won’t hurt you’ he whispered. She closed her eyes and covered his hand on her face with hers.
‘You sure? – she asked. – Because until today I didn’t know I can be hurt so easily.’
He gently brought her forehead close to his.
‘I promise.’
She cupped his face and made him look at her. She smiled but in a way he’d never seen before and it caught him. She kissed him softly and moved away.
‘Ok. Make a tea, we have to talk’ she told. He sighed.
‘Aw no, not this serious relationship’s conversation right now…’ he moaned but went to make a tea. She laughed but when she wanted to get off the table she felt down with loud squeak.
‘You are joking!’ Richy yelled when girls told him what happened at mall. ‘She didn’t…’
‘She did… And I missed it’ said Jake with a note of disappointing in his voice.
‘We shouldn’t leave them alone. He will kill her there.’
Jessy punched her boyfriend at arm.
‘Phil would never hit a girl’ she replied outraged. The sound of broken glass reached them and they stayed still.
‘It’s just probably some…’ she cut it out when another loud noise off breaking dishes reached them. They all approached the doors and listened but it went silence on the other side.
‘Oh my Gosh… I’m going there’ Richy tried to get to the kitchen but Jessy stopped him.
‘Stop making my brother a monster! He would never do anything to any girl and specially to Leila!’
They heard Leila’s squeak and all of them froze.
‘That’s it! I’m going!’ he rushed into the kitchen. Leila was sitting on the floor. Phil crouched next to her. He lifted her chin and looked at her forehead and left eye. He looked confused at bunch who just popped into the room.
‘What have you done to her?’ Richy accused him. Phil wanted to stand up. Leila saw an anger in his eyes. She grabbed his wrist and gently shake her head.
‘He didn’t do anything – she said firmly. – He is helping me so be so kind and leave.’
Boys wanted to argue but Lilly and Jessy pushed them away and leaded them into the living room.
Leila giggled.
‘It amuses you?’ Phil wasn’t as much amused as she but after a while he giggled also.
‘They think you hit me!’
‘Shut up’ he laughed.
‘They think you punched me straight to my face!’ she burst of laughing but then she winced in pain.
‘Alright, let’s go Rocky, we need to put an icepack on your eye.’ He helped her stand on her feet.
Phil sat at the couch in living room. He was drinking a coffee and looking for any clues which can help them catch Alan. He thought everyone’s sleeping already so when Jessy joined him, he was surprised. She sat next to him and placed her feet on the coffee table.
‘Can’t sleep?’ she asked. Her brother looked at her and nodded.
‘And you?’
She sighed. She was worried but she didn’t want to show him that something is bothering her.
‘Tell me, what happened in the kitchen?’
Phil smirked.
‘You wish to know.’
‘Why you were shirtless?’
He looked up and muttered.
‘This girl is wild. Just like an animal.’
Jessy made a disgusted face.
‘Now I regret I asked’ she replied and her brother burst out laughing. She punched him at his shoulder. ‘This isn’t funny. Richy really thought you hit her…’
‘You should change a boyfriend’ Phil said but it only made her mad. ‘I’m sorry – he tried to explain himself. -But he is a pain.’
‘You know… I think Leila’s slap was a pain. Better do not provoke another one’ she stood up. ‘Good night’ she said and left him on his own. His phone started ringing. When he answered, he heard Dan’s voice.
‘We have a problem.’
‘Tell me something I don’t know’ Phil replied.
‘Ok. Bloomgate revealed Leila’s identify as Abigail Mitchel. He is accusing her of arson her house ten years ago. She is chased by an arrest warrant.’
‘What?! Don’t tell her! Not a word!’
Dan sighed.
‘That’s why I called you. Watch her… And fill the hacker in, he might be helpful.’
‘Yeah, I know – Phil went silence for a while. – Dan? Be careful at Duskwood. He is dangerous.’
‘We will be fine… But I’m not so sure about you.’
