Upside Down Tendrils

Chapter Twenty Eight

I quickly shoveled down the last bites of my burger and stood up to throw my trash away. Lucas did the same and we went outside. We found a bench in the garden and sat down. He put his arm around me protectively. "So, what were you thinking about?" He asked me.
"Home, I guess. I don't know. This is kind of hard to say, but. Oh, I don't know." I shrugged, sighing with my eyes downcast.
He tilted my chin up. "C'mon. We're friends. You can tell me anything."
"Oh, alright." I shrugged. "Well, there was this guy. And I really liked him. Like. Liked. I don't know anymore. But, anyways, he wanted me to help him with this like 'superhuman research' project thing. So we did some stuff and then one day he brought me in and we were going to get tested. To learn about the process and stuff, he told me. And then he kissed me and asked me to be his girlfriend and then I got tested and sent away. And I don't know anymore if it was all a trap or not. I think it might have been. But, he told me he liked me and thought I was beautiful and amazing. Yet, he never came to say goodbye. And one day after meeting him, this guy stopped me on the road and told me to stop meeting him. That I would get hurt. And here I am."
"Oh wow. That's a lot." He sighed, pulling me closer. "But I can tell you one thing. It sure sounds like a trap to me. You can't fall for jerks like him. They'll just use you to get what they want. That's what he was doing. He was making you fall for him and then he was going to turn you in."
"But, how'd he know I had Abilities? I, myself, didn't even know!" I exclaimed.
He shrugged. "The kid was probably rich. He had connections."
"Oh." I sighed, sad that I had fallen for him. And embarrassed.
He tilted my chin up again. "I can tell you one more thing."
"Yeah, and what's that?" I asked.
"This guy, he may have liked you and whatnot, but I-" he gulped. "I love you."