Secret Spy Diaries #Wattys2016

Frenemies?

Light floods the room and I suck in so much air that it's a wonder that there's some left for Amy and him to breathe. My blood starts boiling the moment I see his face and confirm my suspicion. I should have guessed.

"Vanessa?"

I know that voice too well.

"What do you want now, Luke?"

All anger and disgust that I can muster up goes into saying his name.

Luke Waters.

The very same person who led me to believe that he was my best friend from high school.

He looks tired and beaten up, his light green shirt torn at the sleeve, and corduroy pants soaked in mud. His hair is disheveled, and I see that his right arm is bleeding.

Serves him right.

He flinches when I say his real name.

"Y-you know?"

All my ability to think straight flies right out of the room.

"Of course I do, Luke! You're good, but not better." I say, giving him my best glare.

"Says the woman who is tied up? Sweet." He says, smirking a little.

I open my mouth to tell him how wrong he is when it hits me.

He is right.

No matter how many glares I give him, it won't change the fact that I am tied up and he is not. It won't make a difference even if I spat venom through my words, he will still have the upper hand in this situation.

Anguish flows into my heart as I look up to him and imagine my death that will strike any moment now.

After what seems like centuries of staring, I do something I have never done before.

I sigh in defeat.

"What do you want, Luke?"

Wow. What an intelligent question. Do you think he wants you safe? How dumb can you be? Really?

I try to block my overwhelmed inner self as I stare at Luke, as his smirk slowly melts into a serious expression.

"I am here to free you."

Um. What?

I think I am just too dazed because I heard him say that he is here to free me.

"Wha-"

"I know you don't believe me,Vanessa. But you have to."

"Why in the world do you think I'll do that?" I roar at him. "After what you did to me? After you---"

"Shhh!"

His eyes suddenly widen and resemble saucers as he shushes me and listens for a couple of seconds, when something suddenly occurs to him.

Then I hear them too.

Footsteps.

I look back at him as he quickly flicks the light off, and searches frantically for someplace to hide until he finds the broom closet. He darts in, closing the door just in time before the the light is switched on again.

My instincts tell me to close my eyes, and to act like I am still unconscious. Because if whatever Luke said is right, if he really is here to 'help' me, and he is hiding from these people, they definitely should not know that I am up.