"How are we gonna do it" he asks, looking around the isolated room.
"My shift ends late. By the time I'm leaving, most of the others have already checked out and gone back to their home. The only problem is James, and the security guard at the front door."
"Okay so what's the plan?"
"I know for a fact that the security guard goes to the bathroom as my shift is ending. So we can walk out the front door then. But, we still have James, and the security cameras."
"I know how to disable the cameras"
"What?" My Head snaps toward him.
"We all do"
"Figures" I shrug.
"So I'll disable those right when we're about to leave. But our problem is I can only have them off for 10 seconds, then they reset and come back on."
"Okay. So we have to be very very fast. I can figure something out with James, it'll be fine. So right when my shift ends I watch for the security guard coming inside. At that moment I'll distract James, and I'll cough. That cough is the signal for you to disable the cameras, and we'll run as quietly as we can out to my car."
"What if when we're driving away, they'll see me?"
"Lay down in the back seat, and I'll tell you when we're all clear"
"Okay.." he said with a softer voice. His shoulders suddenly slumped.
"E, you okay?" I put my hands on his shoulders.
"I'm pretty great, actually."
"Ethan I-"
"Emma. I'm fine, okay?"
"Talk."
"It's just.. I might actually get out of here."
"Yeah, isn't it amazing though"
"Of course. I wanna feel free. But, you."
"What about me? I'm fine. I'm here."
"I'll hurt you"
"No you won't"
"How do you know that"
"Look in this" I hold up his drawing note book. He sighs.
"Emma, what does that have to-"
"Look" I point to the most recent pages. They're all portraits. Of me. With hearts and birds around them. And then the most recent picture yet.
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"Why did you look through my note book"
"It just happened one day. Then it became a habit. It made me happy"
"Why" he looked at me. I looked up at him. His eyes glared, deep in mine. My lips parted as I was about to say something. I was about to say it. Those three words. I just couldn't find myself to do it.
