Getting Out While You Can

Incredibly Brave and Incredibly Stupid

I didn't know what to expect from Lissa, but I knew this wasn't a chat to catch up. This wasn't for fun and leisure.

"So, what do you want?" I asked crossing my legs and tapped my finger against the table.

"I just wanted to chat," Lissa said politely but I could tell that there was no sincerity in her words. I hmphed in response and raised my brows.

"Okay. Talk. I have somewhere I need to be."

"Is there something wrong with wanting to know how you've been?"

"Yes, there is when you've had my phone number for the last two years. I didn't change it," I said bluntly with a fake smile. Lissa's lips twitched at the side, a tell of her annoyance. At least I could still read her like an open book. I guess one thing had changed; I still knew her tells and signs, while she still knew absolutely nothing about me.

Lissa looked away and I followed her line of sight, finding it on Fanny.

"I see you've met Christian's new side piece."

"I wouldn't exactly call her a side piece. Christian wasn't the one who cheated," I bit back, defending Fanny in a heartbeat. Lissa had no right to make any comments on Christian's relationship or about Fanny.

"It was a kiss," Lissa said with an eyeroll, but I shook my head.

"You still cheated on him. Find a different topic."

"Alright," Lissa said clearing her throat and laced her fingers together on the table. "How about we discuss the ridiculous display you made of yourself today?"

"I wouldn't call standing up for myself and others ridiculous."

"Going out and insinuating something so barbaric is just like you, Rose. I thought you would have outgrown this by now. Really, I expected better from you," Lissa bit out

"I wasn't insinuating anything. I know exactly what you all have been talking about in your closed door meetings. I think you forget that I have a one-way ticket into every conversation I want. You have no interest in anyone's lives but yours," I said while playing my bluff. I hadn't been inside her head in years, but she didn't know that.

"Ours are really the only ones that matter now," Lissa said dismissively.

I looked at her and felt a twinge of sadness. Looking at her I saw Rhea's face and Eric's eyes, but that was the only thing I recognized about her. Gone was the girl that was kind and sweet and a little too naive for her own good and in her place stood a vindictive, smarmy woman who was cold as ice.

"Is that so?"

"It is."

"Wow. I didn't realize that the lives of the ones who protect you meant so little," I said glancing to her Guardians.

"How can you follow someone like this?" I asked them, looking back to Lissa when she scoffed a laugh. Lissa smiled at me in disdain before locking her eyes on me, resting her chin on her laced fingers.

"You'll forget all about this silly crusade of yours and you'll leave. For good. You won't come back," Lissa said. I could tell that she was trying to compel me, and she was really laying it on thick, but it didn't affect me the way that it would anyone else. Another awesome about antidepressants; they made compulsion almost impossible on top of my original resistance.

I let her think for a few moments that it worked as I stood up and collected my things.

"You know, Lissa, it really is a shame," I said slipping my coat on.