An Assassins Escape

Chapter 2

She frowned and took another swig, "In all my years of living, I never thought I would hear you utter those words with such enthusiasm."

"No, Sof! I'm escaping." I laughed with happiness, "I'm free!"

She choked on a laugh, "Yeah, and I actually own the Isles." I just smiled, and she went silent when she realized I wasn't lying. She looked up, her honey, shoulder length hair bobbing with the motion, "So." She asked slowly, "How'd you do it?"

"I'm getting married."

She burst out laughing, "Jeez Bell, you sure know how to get a laugh outta me. But actually tell the truth now."

A whisper of the leaves informed us that Ralph arrived. He was thin and boney, a stereotypical person of the slums, and he usually came here at this time to dig for clams. "Hey Ralph," Sofia called, "Bell just told me she was getting married."

"You accepted my proposal!"

"No!" I groaned, "Guys, I'm getting married to some guy on the mainland. I'm leaving the Isles." I smiled to myself and said a bit quieter, a bit more hopefully, "I have a fair shot at life now."

The only sound was the roll and crash of waves. "So." Sofia asked. "What's this guy's name?"

"Hm, I think Briarcliff? Something of Briarcliff?"

"You don't even know his name!" Ralph exclaimed.

"Well, it doesn't even matter because I lied about who I am. The plan is that they pay for me to get out of the Isles, and once they find out I wasn't the smart, rich beauty I said I was, and send me away. But, here's the catch, I'm on the mainland, which was my goal all along."

"Bells, there's a lot that could go wrong with that." Ralph replied

"That's the shittiest plan I've ever heard." Sofia commented.

"Yeah. That too." Ralph said.

"Then you try to get off the Isles! It's not exactly that easy. And just think, they call the mainland 'The Land of Opportunity.' "

"But still," Sofia continued, "you shouldn't do it."

Sofia was usually sarcastic, socially skilled and confident, not cold and serious as she was now.

"Why are you so invested? It's not like you to care about things like this."

Sofia retorted back, "What about our company? I would bet 100 coins this is just a trap to traffic girls like yourself. And a young lady arranging a marriage for herself? It's the brightest red flag if there ever was one."

"You've been doing an exquisite job of managing the company so far, I don't see why that would change. And I posed as Lilliana Greythorn, no one would suspect a thing!"

The hard stubborness in their eyes softened, "You posed as your mother?" Ralph asked. I nodded, as if it didn't matter. "I don't agree with what you're doing here, Bells, and I'm certain that Sofia doesn't either. But you should follow your heart. You are strong and smart and you know how to reach us. Right?"

"Right."

"You're a stupid ass bitch and I love you. But don't do it." Sofia leveled a hot-tempered stare at me. The one I always cringed at when she directed it at others. "I'm not fucking around right now, Bells. Don't do it." 

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Authors note: 

Why do you think Sofia is so set on keeping her in the Isles?