Our Time Bomb

Chapter Twenty-Six ~ War Of Lies

Continuation of last chapter's flashback.

So I left the Guild, sliding my hood back over my face. Part of me was afraid of finding Jefferson, talking to him, but I was also afraid that if I didn't sort things out with him, my mind would spare me no peace. Like it or not, my feelings for him were spiking day by day. Being away from him was not helping.

It was the middle of the day and the marketplace was high tide, if you know what I mean. The crowds always served to be a veil to me. I didn't need to hide, but I did for some reason.

I was walking by a vendor selling meat crowded with customers when I saw him. There he was, in his clean uniform, standing straight as he always did. My breath choked in my throat. He was with another woman. She was sitting on a fountain ledge and he was leaning against a pillar next to her. I bit my lip till the skin split and bled. The way he was smiling at her with that perfect smile. She was laughing too, her pretty light brown hair tumbling down her shoulders. She looked just a tiny bit younger than he.

Half of me wanted to walk away and the other half wanted to stay and watch.

I stayed.

Suddenly to my horror, the two of them hugged. Did he forget about me and fall in love with someone else that quickly? Well he wasn't worth my time anyway...
I told myself.

A couple minutes later, they started to walk away together. I gave into my burning instincts and followed them through the busy streets. He looked behind his shoulder at one point and I hoped he did not see me.

For perhaps half an hour, I followed them. I wondered if I was being selfish and foolish for even thinking that a relationship between a loyalist,(a Gyardican no less) and a Shadow Nation could work. What would happen if we let things advance. How could I ever marry him?

Suddenly I realized that I lost sight of them. My heart raced, which street might they have gone down?

I continued down the cement brick road. People weren't pressing me and bumping into me anymore, the crowds were getting a little thinner dispersed.

As I passed by an alleyway, someone grabbed my wrist and pulled me into the alley. I was about to fight them until I looked up into the face of the very one I was looking for. "Jefferson?" my voice became shrill and quick.

His blue eyes flared with surprise, "Wait, you're... Erika?"

I glanced quickly at the woman with him, she was frowning suspiciously.

My jaw dropped, "Yeah... Uh, hi."

He let go of me immediately, "I knew someone was following us, but I didn't know who. Oh my goodness, how are you... Here? I thought-"

I laughed nervously, "I know, I managed to escape them, the Shadow Nation. I'm sorry, I don't know how to explain it."

Without warning, he drew me into his arms, "I'm so glad you're alright. I wish I could've helped you."

I breathed in the smell of his shirt, it smelled good. "I'm fine... Sorry, didn't mean to stalk you or anything."

He kissed the top of my head then pulled back to look at me. Why was he being so affectionate with this other girl here?
"Yeah, why didn't you just come talk to me?"

I shrugged nervously, glancing at the woman. She was studying me with a pair of keen bright blue eyes.

"Wait." He raised an eyebrow, "Erika, did you think...." a laugh comes up his throat, "do you know who this is?" He points at the woman.