Invisible

Chapter 12

"Why?" I snapped, still not believing them.

"We think it's unfair that the government is hunting you down. You're a teenager, you should be allowed to live your life!" Brooklyn explained, suddenly visibly upset.

I relaxed a bit, but Liam did no such thing.

"How would you help us?" He asked. Cameron places his backpack on the floor and started rummaging through it.

"I have signal blockers and burner phones. I know all of the most secluded places in the region, and many of my friends around the country live off the grid, so you couldn't be found," He explained, showing some of those items.

"What's the catch?" I asked. Brooklyn smiled excitedly, looking to her boyfriend, then to me.

"We want to come with you," She smiled.

"Absolutely not," Liam snapped. I smacked his arm.

"Why not? We'll be so much safer with their help!" I pointed out.

He pulled me away from the excited couple and turned to me. "Dovev, we can't trust anyone," He whispered.

"Fine. If you're this uncomfortable then we'll say no. But they already know about us so saying no isn't going to keep us any safer," I said angrily, turning back toward Brooklyn and Cameron.

"Unfortunately we're going to have to decline," I huffed, glaring at Liam.

"We understand. But here's my number in case you change your mind," Cameron said, handing me a slip of paper. I nodded, and the two left the room dejectedly.

"Listen, Dovev, I'm really sorry, it's just-"

"It's okay. You're right. I just thought it would be fun, like having a big family," I said, sitting on the bed.

Liam sighed, and after a moment he came and sat next to me. He placed a hand on my knee.

"I know you'll have that one day. I promise, I'll do everything I can so that you can have a family," he said quietly. I nodded, laying my head on his shoulder.

"Thank you," I choked out, trying not to cry.

"Wanna get some food?" He said suddenly, standing up.

"Uh... okay, where?" I asked.

Liam looked anywhere but my eyes.
"I don't know, let's just drive 'til we find something," he said, grabbing the keys and walking out the door without waiting for me.

"Alright then," I muttered to myself.

When I finally caught up to him he was already in the car.

"What the heck?" I demanded, glaring at him for the second time that day.

"What?" He asked, still not meeting my eyes. He pulled onto the road and started driving.

"Are you okay?" I asked, a little less hostile. He shrugged.

"Yep, I'm fine. iHOP?"

After the most awkward meal ever, the two of us rode back to the hotel in silence.

"Okay what's wrong?" I finally groaned, frustrated. He sighed.

"I just realized something that was a little weird earlier, that's all. It's nothing," he said.

"Do you want to tell me what it was?"

Liam shook his head without hesitation. "No, I don't."

I sat back in my seat dejectedly.

"Maybe I will one day. Just not now," he ventured.

"Well can you stop being weird in the meantime?" I huffed. He smiled a bit.

"You first," he teased. I rolled my eyes, but smiled.

Suddenly Liam cursed and sped up.

"What's wrong?" I asked, feeling my stomach drop.

"There's a SWAT vehicle behind us. And your hands are gone," he explained, making a quick turn in an attempt to lose the vehicle.

"What do we do?" I panicked. Liam sighed heavily.

"Call Cameron."

I dialed the number on Liam's cell quickly. Cameron answered on the first ring.

"Did you change your mind?" He asked hopefully.

"There's a SWAT vehicle following us. I have no idea how they found us." I ignored him, my voice quivering.

Cameron was silent for a moment. "Okay, ditch the car in town and go to Belle's Diner. Tell the owner I sent you and she'll hide you until I get there," he ordered, and hung up before I could say another word.

I relayed the message to Liam and he nodded. As soon as we lost sight of the SWAT vehicle, we parked the car in an alley and took off running to the diner.

"Hi, Cameron told us you could hide us 'til he gets here?" I rambled to the old woman behind the counter. She looked at the door and around the empty diner, then nodded and ushered us to a back room.

"You must be Christina," the woman said. I sighed.

"Yes I am, how do you know me?" I asked as sweetly as I could.

"Cameron's my nephew, and he hasn't stopped talking about you since the day you were born and you were all over the news. He was seven years old and instead of toys all he cared about was you," the woman rambled, smiling at the memory.

She ushered us down some stairs hidden behind the fridge, and shut the door behind us. Liam and I turned to see a room full of canned and freeze dried food.

"This guy is crazy," Liam muttered under his breath. I let out a laugh.

"Maybe, but he just saved us so I don't care," I huffed, taking a seat on the floor.

About ten minutes later the door opened again to reveal Cameron and Brooklyn, both with large duffel bags and over-packed backpacks.

"Let's go." Brooklyn smiled.