Chapter 26. Elizabeth

-Here it is," I said exhausted.

-I can't believe it," he opened his mouth in amazement, "how did you get it?

-That doesn't matter, what matters is that you already have it here, in your hands," I looked to the side, I put my hands in my pockets and got a little nervous.

-Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you," I kept repeating -seriously, thank you, now you are really forgiven for everything you do.

forgiven for everything you do 10 years from now- he took the small box and gave me a big hug.

hug. He didn't wait a second longer and opened the box, he was super excited and I don't understand why, if he's not a fan of me, he was so excited.

why, if he is not a fan of that singer, at least as far as I understood.

The box had the picture of the album cover and with several words where he mentioned her name around it, as they usually do.

name around it, as well as the lyrics usually appear in a magazine cover format, some big and some smaller.

some large and some smaller, all following a respective order. As soon as she opened it

opened it and a soft melody started to play from inside, it was the chorus of one of her most recent singles and there was the entrance to the and there was the entrance in the middle of a glass cube that protected it.

the entrance in the middle of a glass cube that protected it, next to it was a plaque with the name of the tour, apparently it was metallic and underneath it was the album's disc.

was the record of the album, in its original version, with a collectible box which you put together and put the record in the

which you put together and put the record inside. To tell you the truth, this was amazing, without being a fan of her,

it made me want to go to the concert.

-I know I told you it wouldn't be in VIP, but if I was already doing it and risking everything, I preferred it to be in VIP.

everything, I preferred it to be in a big way.

-It's VIP? -he was even more amazed than he already was- wait, what do you mean by risking everything?

everything.

-What? -I got nervous, I shouldn't have mentioned that part- no, it was nothing,

I started laughing to disguise it.

I can't believe I did it. That I delivered those packages for Mr. Lodge. From sure that didn't contain anything good in there, but I preferred not to know, so it would be easier for me to do it. Although it wasn't easy at all, it was a few nights ago when Alisa took me to that party for

I didn't want to attend but she insisted so much that I had no choice but to go.

I didn't want to attend but she insisted so much that I had no choice but to tell her that I accepted. That same night, I met with i met several of my classmates and others who were not, even, it seemed to me that I had never seen them around here.

I was introduced to a boy who called himself 'Mr. Lodge'.

In a somewhat abbreviated form, I was introduced to the guy as someone I could look up if I ever needed something, kind of like a

if I ever needed anything, favors of any kind, whether it be a job, a scholarship at the world's most acclaimed the most acclaimed university in the world, easy money, in short... anything. At

back then I said I would never need it, ever, but I can see when my grandmother used to say to me

"never say never, young lady, destiny always surprises you" now I will be more careful with what I say.

what I say.

Being able to get a ticket to that concert would be almost impossible for me, though,

but it would not be for 'Mr. Lodge' so I did what I swore I would never need to do, I asked him for that small favor.

I asked him for that small favor, but in return, he asked me (actually it was an obligation) to deliver a package that would be package that would be sent from a steel factory to a mattress factory, what could have been the relationship between those two

what could have been the relationship between those two companies, I didn't have the slightest idea, I wasn't too interested in finding out either...

I did what I was told and the deal was fulfilled, a few hours later I received the VIP tickets to the a few hours later I received the VIP tickets for the concert, along with an envelope full of money (my pay for going on offer).

I thought to myself, trying to make fun of myself.

I was hiding the money they gave me in the bottom of my closet, no one was supposed to know about it, when suddenly

no one was supposed to know about it, when suddenly an incoming call to the computer made me jump out of my place.

place.

Video call

-Hello... - I answered as I finished closing the closet.

-Hello," he said in a seductive voice, "What were you doing?

-Oh nothing, just tidying up a bit around here," I lied, turning around to make sure that nothing could be seen from the camera or from any angle in the room.

I turned around to make sure that nothing could be seen from the camera or from any angle of the room.

-I have some news to tell you, but I won't do it now, not when I'm sure it's going to happen.

will happen.

-Oh no, how you do this to me Tyler, now I'll die of curiosity," I did my drama and he started to laugh.

and he started to laugh. And without thinking about it I was hypnotized looking at his beautiful smile through that computer screen.

that computer screen, I was liking it, a lot, the more this happened, the less I could control or hide it.

I could control or hide it. But I didn't want him to notice, because I was afraid of what could happen because of that.

I couldn't bear the thought of not being able to talk to him anymore, even though it's just a little over a month since I've been with him.

little over a month since I met him, I didn't want to ruin this with my stupid feelings.

-Hahaha- he kept laughing in my face- baby i'm sorry- he started to sing.

-I'm not sorry," I accompanied him with the next verse of the song. It was a very popular song popular song from this last year, even though I thought it was only popular here, apparently not.

And we both started to laugh, neither one of us stopped looking at the other, for a second I thought that this

I felt here right in my chest could turn into something really magical. Until a call

call coming in on my cell phone interrupted us.

-I'm sorry, I have to take this," I said taking the cell phone from the table.

I stepped away from the computer and answered the call.

Call

-Hello," I said a little nervously.

-Miss Cooper," said a thick and mysterious voice, "this is Mr. Lodge speaking.

- Shit, was the first thing I thought when I heard that name.

-Yes, tell me.

-We need you to make one last delivery.

-What, but I've done what I had to do, I don't owe you anything anymore," my voice was starting to get a little stronger with each word.

a little stronger with every word I said.

Calm down Elizabeth or else Tyler will find out, I told myself.

I glanced sideways at the computer and Tyler was distracted by something, so I was relieved.

-That's the way it is, he'll expect her at the usual place in half an hour - 'usual place'.

as if it was a job I had done all my life or at least a long time ago.

-Hey, I don't accept...

End of call

I can't believe they were doing this to me, the worst thing is that I couldn't say no, these are dangerous people.

dangerous people. Congratulations Elizabeth, you sentenced yourself to death for a ticket. A VIP, I corrected myself.

-Tyler asked concerned when he saw my frightened face.

-Yes, everything is in order," she didn't know how long she could keep the truth from him.

-Are you sure?" he insisted.

That's what I like about him, he's always trying to make me feel better, but there are times when you just can't feel better, and this was one of those times.

but there are times when you just can't feel better, and this was one of those times.

-Yes, sure," I smiled straight into the camera so he could see it.

-It can't be, I forgot," I lie, "I left some things at a friend's house, I'll have to go get them, I'll talk to you later, ok?

I'll have to go get them, I'll talk to you later, ok?

-Okay, it's okay," he didn't sound completely convinced.

-I'll call you when I get back love- those words just came out of my mouth and I couldn't do anything to avoid it.

I couldn't do anything to stop it.

I saw that he was surprised to hear that and I quickly closed the computer, cutting off the video call.

call. I didn't let him have a choice to show me any reaction on his part. Even though they were things that were starting to happen to me involuntarily, I couldn't help but feel a pity that ate at my soul.