The Illusion (Book Two in The Illusion of Certainty Series)

Alone Again

My father drove Luke’s SUV back to the school. By the time we got back there, Luke was fine. When he unloaded from the SUV, I ran over to him and hugged him.

He was thoroughly surprised Jason just let me go after all the effort he went through to do what he did. It was suspicious, yes, but I really didn’t want to think about it. I grabbed Sophie’s dress along with mine and then Luke took them from me.

“You have a welcoming committee,” my father said. “The last report said they were waiting outside the car garage.”

I smiled at him and jogged over to the exit door. I opened it and blinked against the sun. I’d lost my sunglasses at the mall. Sophie stood with Sebastis, my mother, Aidan, and Mark. They all turned when they heard the door. I beamed at them. Everyone looked relieved but Aidan broke away from the pack and ran over to me.

I was in his arms in seconds and he twirled me around. He pulled back and kissed me. “I was so worried. They wouldn’t tell us anything.”

“I’m fine. Not even a scratch.”

“My girlfriend’s a badass.” He smiled.

The rest of my welcoming party came over then and there were hugs all around. Once my mother got a hold of me, though, she wouldn’t let go.

“You’re never leaving campus again,” she sobbed.

“Mom, I’m fine. I told you I can take care of myself. Why won’t anyone believe me?”

We all went back to the apartment, except my father and Luke who had to report to the Counsel. My mother opted not to go and I couldn’t blame her. She made dinner, not wanting me to leave the apartment, and she even baked a cake.

“Ok, Mom,” I said, “you’re starting to scare me.”

“Yeah. You don’t bake,” Sebastis said.

“But this is really good,” Aidan said, pointing at the food on his plate, what was left of it anyways.

My mother beamed at him. “Thank you, Aidan.”

“No prob, Mrs. V.”

Mrs. V was what Aidan had taken to calling my mother and she thought it made her sound badass. I told her she watched too many movies. Besides, Aidan was so starved for a home cooked meal I was certain that my mother could have burned the chicken and Aidan still would have liked it. I didn’t even think he noticed it was poultry…or he just didn’t care.

Sophie went home after dinner, her parents wanting to spend some time with her. She took the dress and smiled at me. “We did great,” she said.

“No. You did great.”

“Well yeah, I’ve never flown that far before.”

My brother walked her home and I escaped to my room with Aidan. I hung my dress in the closet and left the jewelry bag on my desk. I sat down on the bed next to him and stared at it.

“He really…”

“Yeah…”

“May I?”

“Sure.” He got up and went over to the bag. He pulled out the two boxes and sat down in the chair. He opened the bigger box first. It was the pearls.

“These are really expensive,” Aidan commented. “My mother has a set.”

“I don’t want them. You can give them to her if you want.”

Aidan smiled. “Yeah. Give my mother a set of pearls my girlfriend received from her would be psychotic kidnapper.”

“Wait until you see the other one.”