Uncovered

Lucas is home when I get back, so I know it must not have been him back in the forest. I want to conclude that it was Liam back there, but I don't want to have high hopes.

"What's happened to you?" Lucas asks with his hands on his hips, stopping me at the entryway. Since when he's acting the way Aiden would?

"Nothing," I say, rushing upstairs.

"Where have you been?" Lucas pulls my hand. I turn my body to face him and keep my gaze on the floor. I know he's about to give me a lecture about ditching practice again. He reminds me of everyone at home sometimes, and it annoys the hell out of me.

"I'm sorry," that's all I can say until Lucas lets go of my hand. I hide in my room for a moment before taking a long shower and skipping dinner.

I can't sleep, and I can't get my mind off of that stranger in the forest. He's probably not a stranger because I could hear him calling my name, or maybe I was just imagining things in my head. I shouldn't have counted the chickens before the eggs hatched. Well, every cloud has a silver lining, maybe it will lead me to something else if it's not Liam's whereabouts.

Lucas is suddenly banging on my door, waking me up in a grumpy mood. I could finally fall asleep around 4 in the morning, and now my head hurts so bad from thinking insignificant thoughts the whole night. I look at the wooden crafted clock on my bedside table, and it's barely 7 am.

Lucas was about to bang on the door again when I open it furiously, "what do you want?"

"Get up!" Lucas is already dressed up for the day, and he's holding a cup of coffee in his hand.

"I'm not going out of this room," I swing the door closed, but Lucas pushes it back open.

"And why is that?" Lucas says, now standing in the middle of the entrance.

"I'm feeling a bit under the weather, Lucas. Now can I go back to sleep, please?"

Lucas puts his hand over my forehead, and I swear under my breath for still have Obel's blood in my veins.

"Fuck, you're cold! That means you need to go out there and get a little sunlight," Lucas says with a smirk on his face.

"Ugh, but I'm tired! Why can't you just let me rest for today?"

"I told you, if you can't bite off more than you can chew, you should've just gone back home, Ava! You can stop pretending like you can keep up with us. Now get dressed, or I will do it for you!" He backs away from the door frame, and I take the coffee from his hand before he can turn around.

"What the hell..." but before Lucas can take his sizzling mug back, I slam the door right in his face. I hope I hit his nose and break it!

After a small breakfast that I don't find comforting anymore, I come to Savannah's swordsmanship practice. Savannah doesn't teach us any techniques anymore, and we jump into instant sword fights. I can't seem to focus all day, and my whole body is itchy to go back to the forest.

After the practice that feels like an eternity, I rush up to the diner that surprisingly is open! I pack a sandwich and a bottle of water and then go directly to the forest.

I was a little bit too late when I got to the forest. I had to leave more trails like yesterday, and it took me almost an extra hour to do so.

The pickup truck has already been parked at the same spot as yesterday. Instead of walking to the tree trunk like yesterday, I hide in a shrubbery bush ten feet away to the right of it. I can see a clear pathway that can fit a vehicle from here. So that's how they can get through the forest pretty easily.

He is there, wearing the same jacket as yesterday with fish in the traps he set up. His back is on me, and I take a step forward to get a better look. Moving from the bushes, I hide behind one of the trees on the left side of where they are so I can see his face better.

He glances back in my direction like he can sense me staring at him. He did that too yesterday! How long did I actually stare at his back? How can he sense my gaze that easily?

I quickly crouch down in between the trees when he catches my eyes. He's walking even closer now, and I can hear the sound of splashing water.

Shit.

I thought the creek was deep! He's not swimming toward me, is he? It's too cold for that, and he can suffer from hypothermia. Unless he's a Rebel, he will probably just boil the water. Ugh, I need to stop exaggerating things. Wait, is he one of the Fighters from the camp?

I push myself upward a little bit to see where he is now.

NO...

He definitely catches my eyes again, staring straight at me.

Tears prickle in the corner of my eyes once again. I can't stop thinking and hoping that he is Liam because he looks so much like him. His pale skin, even though he cut his hair short and is covered by a thick beanie. I still can see that familiar golden hair, and of course those green eyes I can never forget!

I don't want to give myself the benefit of the doubt, or maybe I just don't want to prove myself right. I'm not sure what I want to believe right now, and I'm too afraid to jump to conclusions. I don't want to be disappointed because I know deep down in my heart I'm still wishing for Liam to come back. But if that person is not him, I will be so crushed. More angry and disappointed than knowing my name is on the 'Test Subject' list.

"Ava, is that you?" his voice is so close to where I'm hiding, I can feel the nostalgia reverberating in my ears through my whole body.

My heart flutters in my chest when he calls my name. I have to cover my mouth with my hands in case I instinctively respond to that familiar sound. No, it's just my head playing tricks on me like always! There is no way Liam is here. It's probably one of Lucas's friends who already know my name. That voice doesn't sound like Liam at all. After all these years, I have forgotten how his voice sounds like, and it's probably him, all grown up.

"Fumbly?"

No!

That is definitely Liam, who else would call me by that name except him? I want to get out of my hiding and run towards him, but something restrains me two feet to the ground. Is it happiness, anger, or probably fear? Maybe it's all of them in one.

I want to run up to him and slap him so hard, and I want him to feel the pain I have had to endure for these past seven years without him.

I open my hands in front of me, and they turn bright red and sweaty. They're shaking uncontrollably. I have to get up! I have to show him that finally, I'm here! That I am alive... and no thanks to him for leaving me dying in the depth of the ravine.

"Liam!" someone shouts from afar.

My body reacts in a strange way to that name. It is him. It's Liam. My Liam.

He's walking deeper into the stream further away from me. After that, I hear murmurs from across the stream, and then a vehicle engine starts rumbling.

What am I doing? I might not be able to see him again. I have to catch him before I miss the boat.

I stand up too quickly, and it makes my eyes blur. My head hurts, but that doesn't stop me from revealing myself from behind the tree.

When I get to the shore, the car is already moving away. But Liam is there in the back of the pickup truck, sitting with his dead fish, and staring right at me with his mouth hanging wide open.

I can see he's about to jump off, but he holds back. I fall down to my knees, and I can feel sharp pebbles scraping my skin. I just cry there until the sun is setting, blaming myself for being such a coward. Why didn't I run up to him when I still had the chance?

"Liam," I whisper to the fog around me. "I finally found you."