stars upon my face

chapter 28-how could you?

I decided to bring Emily along, hoping her presence would provide insight and protection.

"Emily, James wants to meet me at the park. I need you to come with me," I texted.

Emily agreed, and we arrived at the park at 5 pm.

James waited by the lake, his eyes scanning the area until they landed on us.

"Nora, thanks for coming," James said, his gaze flicking to Emily.Emily I didn't expect to see you here.

"Yeah, suprise, suprise, right, it's not like l was invited here."

Emily's expression remained neutral. "James, what's going on?"

James took a deep breath. "I want to explain everything. My family's secrets, my past... everything, but that's if you want to know.

"Urgh, come on, James, you'd have to tell her even if she wouldn't wanna hear it."

As James began to speak, Emily's eyes narrowed.

"James, you're planning on telling her right
Or I will. "

James' jaw clenched. "I don't want to  hurt Nora, Emily. the truth will damage her."

The tension between them was palpable.

"Tell me," I urged James.

James' story unfolded:

"My family's been hiding a dark legacy. My father's involved in some shady dealings, and he's been locating you all this time because of me, but I've been trying to distance myself."

Emily interrupted. "James, stop. You're putting Nora in danger."

James' eyes locked on mine. "I want to protect Nora, Emily. She's the only one who truly understands me."

I felt a shiver run down my spine.

"I think we should leave, Nora," Emily said, her voice firm.

James' eyes pleaded with me. "Nora, don't go. I need you to understand."

"Understand what exactly James,huh that you told your father I'm a valuable asset to make you extra money.

But Emily's warning bells echoed in my mind.

"Emily's right, James. This feels off," I said.

Emily grasped my arm, pulling me away.

As we walked, James called out, "Nora, be careful! They're watching!"

We quickened our pace.

"Who's watching?" I asked Emily.

Emily's expression turned grim. "James' family has connections. Dangerous ones."

Suddenly, a black sedan followed us, its tinted windows reflecting our images.

"Emily, is that...?" I began.

Emily nodded. "Get down!"

The sedan screeched to a halt beside us. A passenger door swung open.

A suited man stepped out, his eyes cold.

"Emily Jones, you're coming with us."

Emily's grip on my arm tightened.

Oh yeah
You too miss woods.

Huh, me .. wait, I...
Help somebody please help us!! ,I try to scream, but my voice is barely above a whisper.

Shut up! miss woods, you're a lot annoying than I thought you would be.

Please, whatever you want, just take, but don't hurt me and at that moment I felt my vision turning into a blur as the edges of my sight grew fuzzy and within a minute everything was dark

-----------------------------------------

My eyes fluttered open, my  head pounding with a dull ache. As I realized the unfamiliar ceiling and the faint smell of leather.

Suddenly, memories of the previous night flooded back – James,Emily, the meeting at park  the guys, the car. My  heart started racing as i sat up and looked around where I was.

I was in a car, parked in a secluded unusual area ,it was as if were taken to the . Emily was beside her, still asleep. Nora gently shook Emily's shoulder.

"Emily, wake up! We have to get out of here!" Nora whispered urgently.

Emily's eyes slowly opened, confusion etched on her face. As she took in their surroundings, fear crept into her expression.

"Nora, I don't know if we should... What if they catch us?" Emily stammered.

Nora's determination hardened. "We can't just sit here and wait for who-knows-what to happen. We have to try and escape."

Emily hesitated, her eyes welling up with tears. "But what if something bad happens to us? I don't want anything to happen to you, Nora."

Nora's expression softened. "Emily, I'll be fine. We'll be fine. We just need to stick together and get out of here."

Emily sniffled, her voice barely above a whisper. "James told me you're really stubborn, Nora."

A hint of a smile played on Nora's lips. "Hey, that's not always a bad thing."

Emily took a deep breath, resolve etched on her face. "Okay, let's do it. But you have to promise me you have a plan."

Nora's grin widened. "Of course I have a plan. Well, sort of... Okay, fine. I'll come up with one on the fly. But we're getting out of here, Emily."

With newfound determination, the two girls prepared to face whatever lay ahead, ready to take control of their fate.

Nora carefully examined their surroundings, taking in the dense woods surrounding the car. She spotted a small path leading into the trees, partially hidden by foliage.

"Okay, Emily, here's the plan," Nora whispered, her eyes locked on the path. "We'll make a run for that path and get into the woods. Once we're in, we'll find a place to hide and figure out our next move."

Emily nodded, her eyes wide with fear and determination. "Got it."

Nora handed Emily her phone. "Take this. If we get separated, try to call for help."

Emily took the phone, her hand trembling slightly. "What if they catch us?"

Nora's expression turned grim. "We won't let that happen. We'll stick together, no matter what."

With a deep breath, the two girls opened the car doors and slipped out, their eyes scanning the surrounding area for any signs of their captors. The coast seemed clear, and they made a dash for the path, their hearts pounding in unison.

As they disappeared into the woods, the silence was broken only by the sound of leaves crunching beneath their feet. They ran for what felt like hours, the trees blurring together in a green and brown haze.

Finally, Nora halted, her hand raised in a warning gesture. "Wait," she whispered, her ears perked up. "Do you hear that?"

Emily cocked her head, her eyes wide with fear. "Hear what?"

Nora's expression turned grim. "Footsteps."