The Color of Your Eyes

Chapter 24: Jake Part 4

"Lia has blocked me as well," Lilly gasped.

"Me too," Thomas said, while I frantically checked my messenger app.

"She has blocked me as well..." I whispered, and my hand fell as if my body has lost all willpower.

"Why would she do that?" Cleo asked bewildered. Then she saw Jessy walking back towards us, clutching a paper bag.

"Guys... I think Lia was here... She was here way too early, probably saw us together and..." tears sprung into her eyes, as a little sob escaped her mouth.

Phil went to rub Jessy's back and then showed me his screen in which Lia's profile was no longer on his friends list.

"How can, you be sure?" Dan asked. He shook his head when his eyes met mine. So he was blocked as well.

"Look! These are candies... Lia knew I love candies," Jessy sobbed.

"Wait a minute," Lilly said and examined the brand of the candies. Then she used her phone to open the search bar. After a couple of seconds, she looked mortified. "You were right Jessy, those candies are from a store that is only available in Lia's city."

Then she was here! But why did she not reveal herself? What prompted her to drop one of her belongings and remove herself from the group chat along from our friends list?

My breathing started to become erratic, my palms started to sweat, and I looked around desperately, trying to make sense of what has just happened.

Suddenly I froze and looked at Phil, my anonymity towards him gone for a moment.

"The cameras," I blurted out. "The cameras that point outside the Aurora."

Phil immediately understood, and he marched into the bar, followed by everyone as Cleo was comforting Jessy who is now a blubbering mess.

The office was small, so it was quite cramped, but we all squeezed ourselves through, Lilly let me stand in the front, so I could examine the recordings as well. Phil rewound the camera's recording, it pointed exactly outside, even a big part of the street.

"There!" Lilly pointed towards someone who came into view from the direction of the marketplace. There was no doubt that it was Lia, the camera had not high quality, but I would recognize her anywhere in the world. Jessy, Dan, and I were the first to arrive at the Aurora, so we were standing outside to wait for the others. As Cleo approached us from the other side, we saw Lia stop on the left side, near a clothing store, hidden in the dark. She took out her phone and was scrolling when Jessy greeted Cleo and hugged her. That's when Lia looked up, a smile on her face, which froze immediately when she saw us.

We were completely oblivious of her presence. Lia just stood there, still like a deer in headlights. Then Hannah ran past her, hugging me tightly, and as I hugged her back, Lia covered her mouth. She dropped her bag of candies, visibly shaking and crying.

"Oh no..." Lilly covered her mouth when she saw Lia's state.

"Poor Lia," Thomas whispered, and he pulled Hannah closer to him, as her shoulders slumped.

"Oh no, she must have gotten the wrong idea..." Hannah assumed.

"That was bad timing, just very bad timing," Cleo sighed with remorse.

We saw all of us entering the Aurora and soon after, Lia took off running, in the direction in which she came from. I immediately turned around and tried to go through the office.

"Jake, where are you going?" Lilly asked shocked.

"To the motel, she must still be there!" I replied determined to not waste a second.

"Wait," Phil said. I turned around, and a mix of anger and worry was showing all over my face. What does he want? I will not let this bartender deter me from catching up with Lia!

As if Phil could read my mind, he grabbed his jacket and car key and said, "You will be faster there, if we go by car." Without waiting for an answer, he passed me by.

"I'm coming with you guys," Lilly said. Would make sense since she worked at the motel and could help.

And with that we three ended up in Phil's Audi.