Stockholm Syndrome // sm

Chapter Nineteen

Shawn handed me a Christmas bag full of cash and I giggled quietly as he closed his door. "I just pulled five hundred from my account. He'd assume I spent it all on gifts and then keep refilling it. I'll keep drawing little bits out at a time so it isn't suspicious until we have more than enough." He told me and I nodded.

"You're evil." I commented and he rolled his eyes as he smiled. I put the bag away in his backseat and then grabbed the presents he got for the Christmas party his dad was throwing tonight.

It was luckily a week before Christmas, so we had a lot of time to go 'gift shopping', which really just meant him pulling money out and buying dumb things like coffee tables or new curtains. So far I think we had two grand, and it technically isn't stealing since Shawn's name is on the card and this was his own bank account.

"You should only be worried when you get on your father's level of evil." Toby joked and I laughed as I adjusted my dress a bit.

"I agree." I smiled and Shawn nodded. I cleared my throat and then looked at him. "Are we really going to runaway next year?"

"Yeah, we are." He confirmed and held my hand. "That's only way we could be together... that was your only request. There's only so many ways we could fulfill that."

"Where would we even go?"

"I have no idea, but we have a lot of time to talk about it and think it over." He smiled gently and I nodded. "You're helping us right Toby?"

"I am your driver, I kinda have to." He told us and I giggled quietly. "I drive you guys around places."

"You won't tell right?"

"I wouldn't dream of it. You guys deserve to be happy." He smiled at us through the rearview mirror. "If you need suggestions, my wife is a flight attendant, you can talk to her. She can hook you guys up with a ticket to anywhere you want."

"Thank you so much. You're the absolute best!" I gushed happily and he shrugged his shoulders.

"Don't mention it. You kids just go live a life of your own alright? Don't do anything stupid or that can get you caught." Was all he said and we promised that we wouldn't.

-

"Hey dad, nice to see you." Shawn said and the two shared a hug. I just gave him a nod, feeling uncomfortable around him still.

"You can put the bags on that table over there." He informed me and pointed out a table.

I nodded and Shawn followed as we went up to it. "Your dad still scares me. Everytime he looks at me... I just want to cry." I admitted and he apologized, pushing my hair out of my face.

"Excuse me ma'am." Someone said and I moved anyway from the table.

"I'm so sorry sir." I rushed and Shawn held my hand, noticing my slightly anxious and tense mood.

"It's all good." He smiled and chuckled lightly as he looked me, our eyes catching in a gaze. "Oh my god." He whispered and I gulped.

"What?" I asked and pushed my glasses up, furrowing my eyebrows to continue my act of confusion. "Shawn?" I asked and looked at him. He offered to take me to go get a drink and I nodded.

"Jennifer..." He whispered and I shook my head quickly. "Is that you?"

"You've got the wrong girl sir. I don't know who Jennifer is." I apologized and then followed Shawn to the drink table.

"Who was that?"

"Who's here?" I asked and he seemed confused by my question. "The business your dad runs isn't normal, so this is not a normal Christmas party full of coworkers. Who's here?"