Shift

Twenty

Ava

  Jace rushed into the suite and headed straight to the bedroom. “Jace,” I said, sounding slightly hysterical, I must admit. “Jace, what’s happening?” My mind was a post office, messages and questions shooting around. It really was quite overwhelming.

            What the **** just happened? Why did Jace leave? Does he know anything? How did this even happen? Is Sammy really alive? Did I imagine the whole thing; what about the weird sensation part? How it anything like this possible. Why haven’t I figured it out before? Did something trigger it; if so, what did? Why now? Why me? How? What is this… thing?

I followed Jace into the oversized, luxurious bedroom. “What are you doing?” He made his way over to the dresser and began tossing clothes into bags, which were opened on the bed.

Jace simply ignored me. “Jace? Jace, why are you packing? What’s going on? What was the point of getting this suite if we’re just going to leave? Where are we going? What about Alex?”

Jace

           It was the last one that did it, her asking about her friend, Alex. I spun around and kissed her right on her beautiful pink lips. She was surprised, as she hadn’t been expecting that. I pulled away, leaving her breathless. “This is bad enough as it is, okay? Please just… Cooperate for me?” I returned to grabbing whatever I could and tossing every article of clothing into the suitcases.

           “Where are we going?” she asked, voice low.

           “Florida.”

           “We’re taking a plane?” she assumed, sounding shocked.

           “Yes.”

           “What about Sammy?”

           I stopped. “Oh god.” Hadn’t thought about that. Nice one, Jace. Nice. One.

           “Is it better if we don’t bring him?” she whispered.

           I turned to find tears in her eyes. “No, we’ll find a way- I promise.”

           “No,” she said, “it’s better to leave him, and we both know it. I know a place he can go.”

           “Where-“

           She cut me off, “With Alex.”

           I didn’t like that answer. I didn’t like that answer one bit.

Ava

            I dialed Alex’s number on Jace’s iPhone. “Hello?” answered Alex desperately on the second ring. His voice was hoarse.

           “Alex?” I mumbled.

           I heard a gasp on the other end. “God **** it, Ava?” he demanded.

           My eyes were wet with the beginnings of tears. “I need a favor.”

Once everything was packed, I put Sammy on a leash and walked him out to the van we’d be taking to meet Alex, and then to Newark to get on a plane and go away. Forever.