Chapter 27. Elizabeth

-What does he want," I said as soon as I saw him appear in the middle of the forest.

-Calm down, girl," said one of his bodyguards threateningly.

-The man standing in front of me stopped him.

I took two steps backwards, these people really knew how to make others feel fear, and I don't say that because of their appearance, even though I was afraid of them.

I don't say that because of their appearance, although it's also a bit scary.

-So? -I insisted again- this was not the deal we had.

-You really don't know anything about life, girl," Mr. Lodge spoke this time, "here you do what I say and when I say it," I said.

I say and when I say it.

He looked at me defiantly, I tried not to let all the fear that was invading me at that moment take over me, and I decided to be as defiant as he was.

and I decided to be just as defiant as he was. "I know, bad choice."

-And what if I don't do what you want," I dared to ask, "Will you take my wrists away," I mocked him.

I mocked him, making reference to the comment he made telling me as a girl.

-If you play with fire you will get burned, and unfortunately you already got burned when you came with me," he said cynically.

cynically, "and you have no way out of this," he pronounced each word with a calmness that would be difficult to describe and that

that would be difficult to describe and that in a certain aspect was somewhat desperate.

-Oh, of course I do," my heart was beating a mile a minute, "Did you think I would come here if I didn't have something to defend myself with?

I tried not to flinch when I said it.

-I made a video confessing what they forced me and other people to do, if I don't come back now, that video will be released to the public.

If I don't come back now, that video will be released to every digital platform on the planet.

I wish that were true, but the reality is that I had just made that up, I'm really good at that.

good at it. At creating things.

-Oh and I recommend that you don't look for me anymore, because if you do, the video will be released anyway and before you tell me another and before you tell me anything else, I don't care what happens to me because of that video.

I spun on my heels, started walking into the darkness of the forest, praying that they wouldn't do anything to me, panic was already

I prayed they wouldn't do anything to me, panic had already taken hold of me.

-No, let her go," I heard as I walked away from the place.

Apparently everything I had thought of had worked, thank goodness, because if it hadn't, I would have no real way out.

I would have no real way out.

-I almost died because of you," I gave him a few small blows on the chest, I was still scared, but the fear turned into hatred when he said to me, "I was afraid.

I was still scared, but the fear turned into hate when I saw him.

-But what happened?" he said as if he didn't know who I had dealt with minutes before.

-Are you serious Rick," I hit him again.

-Yes, really," he had no idea what I was talking about.

-I asked you for help, and what you did was to send me to a mobster, and if it wasn't for my

incredible imagination, I'd be dead by now for sure. Possibly I wouldn't i mentioned in detail at the time, but Rick was part of the process in which I got back in touch with that guy who called himself 'Mr. Lodge'.

with that guy who called himself 'Mr. Lodge'.

-I warned you Elizabeth," he said putting a piece of pizza in his mouth.

-But of course you didn't, you just told me that he could give me what I needed and even more, but that it was a bit risky.

more, but that it was a bit risky.

-There you go," she took another piece of pizza, "it's risky," she said as if it was no big deal.

thing.

-But that doesn't mean anything, he could have easily owned a casino or something like that.

or something like that.

-But of course not, there's no risk in that.

-You know what... forget it," I left more furious than when I came in.

Even though it was a long way, I decided to walk back home, but this time, I did it where there were more people, so I felt safer.

people, so I felt safer. It took me a few minutes to get home, but I was safe.

I was safe, I could be calm. I was still a little nervous because of what had happened with that and at that moment the only person who could make me feel better without having to explain anything to him was Tyler, so I called him.

was Tyler, so I called him. Pray to life that the call didn't go sideways.

Video call

-You're back!!!" exclaimed that boy smiling, he had a twinkle in his eye that mesmerized me.

hypnotized me.

-I told you I would," a laugh was heard behind him and he turned around.

-Oh yes, Beth, this is Carla," I looked directly into her eyes through that screen, for a second I started to feel jealous.

second I started to feel jealous-my best friend.

-Your... Your best friend? I felt a little relief to hear it.

-Yes, our other best friend's bastard didn't want to come," mentioned the girl with red hair, "or he couldn't come," she said.

Or he couldn't come," Tyler spoke this time.

-And how did it go?" asked the boy who kept looking at me and downplaying the importance of what his friend was doing behind me.

what her friend was doing behind me.

-With what? I forgot what I had told her before I left.

-Oh no, your girl is already cheating on you," I heard her say to her best friend.

-You shut up..." Tyler took what looked like a pillow and threw it at her head. It was kind of

funny to see him do that. I was already starting to get nervous, my cheeks were already starting to turn a soft red, but

but in a few minutes they would be redder than an apple.

But to tell you the truth, I liked the sound of that.

-What!!! You still haven't told him?" Carla looked at Tyler as she asked.

-Tell me what?" I interjected into the conversation, hoping it was what my mind was already

I hoped it was what my mind was already imagining.

-Seriously, you're the worst in the world," Tyler scolded his friend and then cut the call off in embarrassment.

call very embarrassed.

End of video call

I kept thinking about what just happened, what her friend said and how he reacted,

I could swear he liked me or something like that, and that would be amazing since I liked him too and I liked him more and more every day.

I liked him too and more every day, but I didn't want to get my hopes up too high, because then the fall would be very painful.

painful.