“Hey, you’re back.” Micah said. He walked up to me, reaching out to hug me, but I stepped back. His expression changed to one of confusion. “Is everything okay?”
“We need to talk.”
I walked past Micah ignoring the curious glances of the passing students. I’m sure the expression on my face spoke volumes, and they were glad they wouldn’t be on the receiving end of whatever I was about to unleash. I listened to Micah’s footsteps as they slowly dragged across the ground. I knew he had to be wondering just what was going on. I led him to the Café that was surprisingly not crowded. I took it to the fact that it was the first day back after break. Everyone was probably sleeping off the many plates of turkey or showing off their new holiday purchases. Heading towards a booth we had claimed as ours after several dates, I slid in and watched as Micah slid in across from me.
Micah wore a worried expression and I felt my heart tug a little bit. I didn’t want to cause him any discomfort, but at the same time, I had to find out what was going on. He had lied to me and it hurt.
“What’s going on?” He finally asked after several minutes of nothing but silence.
“Why didn’t you call me back during the break?”
“I was meaning to, but Headmaster Blake ended up inviting my parents to California. She said it was safe for me to see them now.”
“So Bareli has been captured?”
“No, he’s still on the loose. The police just think he’s simply given up any revenge he has towards me or my family. I’m not saying that he won’t try to kill me sometime in the future, but as for right now, I’m safe.”
I studied Micah’s expression as he talked to me. The whole time he was telling me his story, his eyes stayed on mine. It was like he was compelling me to just believe his story and take it as it is. But since I knew the truth, I couldn’t. The more he went on about the time he spent with his “family”, the angrier I got. He had no problem lying to me it seemed. Did I not mean anything to him? How could he just sit up here and lie to me as if it was the easiest thing in the world? The way he acted with me reminded me of Mark. Mark had fooled all of us into thinking he was someone else. Could Micah be doing the same thing? Was he the other person working with Mark? A shaky feeling settled in my stomach as the urge to vomit threatened to rise.
Sensing my expression, Micah stopped talking about his parents. “Autumn, are you okay? You look as if you’re going to be sick.”
“Why are you lying to me?” I asked quietly.
“What?”
“I said, WHY ARE YOU LYING TO ME!”
A couple of students inside the Café turned to glance at our table. Micah shot an uncomfortable glance around the room as he began to shuffle in his seat. “What are you talking about? What am I lying to you about?”
“I’m talking about your so called life on the run. I know its fake Micah.”
“Autumn, I don’t know what—”
“STOP IT! STOP LYING TO ME!”
“Autumn, calm down.”
I realized that I was getting nowhere with him by yelling. But I couldn’t help it. I was going through a wave of emotions. I took a glance around the Café and noticed that everyone was listening into our conversation. I ran a hand through my hair and tried to talk in a calmer tone.
“Please stop lying to me Micah.” I said glancing up at him. “I know what really happened to Bareli. I found the article. I know you’re not who you say you are.”
Micah expression took on a cold form that I had always seemed aimed at Mark. Sitting straight, his dark brown eyes pierced across the table at me. “You don’t know anything.”
I stared at him in shock. “Did you not just hear what I said? I found the article. Unless you’re a zombie, vampire, or ghost, there is no way that you’re Ashton Phillips. So who are you?”
“Autumn, there are things you don’t understand and things that I can’t tell you.”
“I understand fine. You’ve been lying to me since you got here. I think I deserve to know the truth.”
“I’m sorry. I can’t tell you.”
“Can’t or won’t.”
“Won’t.” Micah simply said.
My throat tightened as I felt tears come to my eyes. I felt so betrayed and I couldn’t understand why. Why was he doing this to me? What did I do to make him treat me this way?
Micah stared across the table at me with his poker face, but as I glanced up at him, I watched him stare at the tears in my eyes. Slowly, his poker face began to break.
“Was everything a lie? Including us?”
“Autumn.”
“Answer me! Did you really mean those things you said to me? Do you, do you love me the way that I love you.” I cried.
I could hear gasps all around us throughout the Café. No one at school had ever seen me this vulnerable before. I never cried in front of others unless it was Yuri. But as I stared across the table at Micah, I couldn’t help the tears that ran down my face. My heart was hurting so bad. I had already made it up in my mind, that I would forget this. I was a fool in love and I was willing to do foolish things. Even forget that Micah had lied to me and could be working for the Invisible Spider. I just needed him to say yes.
But as he spoke the words softly for only he and I to hear, I felt the hope deflate as if it was a balloon.
“What? What did you say?”
Micah sighed and rubbed across his face. When he moved his hand, his poker face had returned. Staring me in the eye he said, “No. I’ve never loved you Autumn.”
Swallowing tightly, I reached over and grabbed my purse. I slid out of the booth on shaky legs that threatened to collapse any minute. Staring down at him, I wiped the tears away from my face. “I don’t need to tell you that we’re over, do I?” Micah eyes dropped from mine as he shook his head. “Good.”
I walked away from the booth as everyone got out of my way. Pushing open the doors, I marched out of the Café and headed across the quad. I felt like I was about to break down. I needed to get to my room so I could wrap myself in my covers and never come out. Nothing would comfort me at this moment, except my dad. I needed my dad. But he wasn’t here. He would never be able to comfort me again.
“Autumn! Autumn!”
I stopped walking to see Heather running towards me waving her hand wildly. I sighed. I was not in the mood to deal with her or anyone else today. Turning to her, I gave her a fake smile. “Hey Heather, what’s up?”
Heather’s arm came forward as I felt something press into my stomach. I froze as I stared down at the silver gleam of the handgun in her hand. Tensing with fear, I stared back up at her. Her face no longer held that friendly smile that I was so used to seeing but instead a cold smile was in its place. My stomach tightened in fear as I tried not to faint at the feel of the gun digging into my stomach.
Heather eyes twinkled with excitement as she said, “Let’s you and I go for a walk, friend.”