Paths Cross

{6}

That Sunday, Jesse sat outside of the dressing room at the mall as I tried on some cute outfits just because. We were having a good time, and that's what mattered, right?

I walked out of the dressing room with a short, royal blue dress on, the waist lined with sequins and matching royal blue Mary Jane-style platform heels. Twirling around so that the skirt of the dress flowed, I smiled at Jesse and collapsed in his lap.

He kissed my forehead and held me bridal-style, though sitting down, and pushed back my hair. "You are so beautiful," he told me, studying my face. "It doesn't matter what clothes you wear, or what makeup you put on. To me, you're still beautiful no matter what."

I smiled softly and sat up, burying my face in his neck. "I love you."

"I love you, Nina."

Everything between us was so perfect. With him, I forgot all my problems, and he remained the only person in my life.

But when I looked up from where my face was buried in the place between the nape of his neck and his shoulder, behind him I saw several police officers walk in, scanning the area.

I gasped, standing up and taking the front of Jesse's shirt, dragging him into one of the dressing room stalls.

"What are you doing? This is the women's dressing room!" Jesse protested, but I covered his mouth and told him, "shhh..."

He took my wrist and pushed my hand down, uncovering his mouth. We met eyes, and I started to explain the situation as quietly as possible.

"Listen. The police are looking for me, and if I don't hide, they will find me and take me to jail. They might even kill me, because of what I've done. I've stolen an ancient scribe, the plans to start World War III. You can't --"

"Nina, why would you want that? You could've stayed out of trouble if you just didn't steal them in the first place! Now you're in double trouble for stealing those and escaping Alcatraz!" Jesse whispered furiously, staring at me intently. "Do you want to start another war?!"

"Jesse, they're going to --"

"Do you want to start another war?"

"No. Of course not."

"Then why did you steal that scroll?" he asked, but I pushed him against the the back wall and covered his mouth again. The police walked by the stall from the outside, their boots padding against the carpet.

Jesse's breath was fast under my palm and where my elbow rested on his chest, it moved up and down quickly. He stared at me, his blue eyes wide and intense.

When they came back our way, they knocked on the dressing room door. "Hello? Is anyone in there?" one of them called, a gruff man's voice. Knocking again, he called, "Hello?"

Finally, he swung the door open, shining his flashlight around. I could see his shadow on the ceiling from where we were standing in the stall beside the one the officer just broke open, the one we were just in a minute ago.

As the one officer's feet came over our way, which I could see under the stall door, I fumbled for my phone and unlocked it with shaking hands just to open up the web, but in several codes and reach a restricted site with a soundboard with one button in the center of the screen.

I clicked the button and my phone emitted a loud squealing alarm that pierced the human ears. The police were all yelling, and Jesse covered his ears, gritting his teeth.

There were several small explosions outside the door, and I couldn't help but grin. My plan was working.

The alarm disabled everything on police's belts, including their guns, and caused them to self-destruct.

Eventually they ran, and as soon as they did, I broke out of Jesse's grasp in the dressing room and ran to the door.

"Nina. How did you do that?" Jesse demanded, sprinting over to me.

"It's called hacking," I sighed breathlessly, turning to run out.

"Nina!" Jesse repeated, taking my arms and spinning me around to look at him. "Wait! Where are you going? I thought we were going to go get lunch."

"I'm sorry, Jesse. I have to leave."

"What are you talking about? That was just --"

"No, Jess. I have to leave. Right now. Otherwise, I'm dead."

"Nina!" Jesse yelled again, but despite his protests and the sales clerk calling after me saying, "come back with my clothes!" I took of my heels, brandishing them aside and ran out as fast as my feet could take me. I wanted away. And fast, before the police could find me.