Identical Imposter

Chapter Thirteen

[Chapter Thirteen]

(Gabriella's P.O.V.)

  We all looked at each other with concerned expressions plastered to our faces.The footsteps had stopped, and the rustling in the woods had turned to silence almost as quickly as it had started.

"You heard that right?" my heart raced as I looked at my two confidant's for answers.

  They both nodded, eyes not leaving the wooded area. Just as we thought someone was in the forest, a small squirrel ran into the road. We all sighed in relief as the helpless creature scurried away.

"I thought it was going to be her." Tommy sighed, running a hand through his bronzed hair.

"Me too." I agreed, searching my bag for my car keys.

  We stood there awkwardly for a moment before anyone said anything.

"I should get going, I don't need a dead body to be found at my house..." I laughed, as if I was shrugging off the entire situation.

  Neither Leah nor Tommy gave me any satisfaction.

"Be careful Gabs. She's mega dangerous." Leah sighed, pushing her loose curls out of her eyes.

"I'll meet you in the car, Leah." Tommy shooed, throwing her the keys. "I think you should call the police, and tell them everything." he sighed, slipping his hands into his pockets.

"I think she's more . . . diabolical then we're giving her credit for. She's always one step ahead. . . " I tugged at my sweatshirt sleeves.

    The thought of Elsie always being ahead, and even the police not being able to stop her, killed me inside. I would never be safe.

   Tommy seemed to notice, he gently lifted my chin, so I would look up at him. His eyes were devastatingly beautiful, the way they twinkled in the sunlight, and had a spark of mystery too.

"Then we'll just have to be two steps ahead of her-- beautiful." he grinned, pulling my chin closer to his face.

   I had to stand on my tippy-toes just to reach his lips. We kissed for a moment, and I swear there were fireworks bursting. Sadly it had to end, with Leah beeping the horn at us.

"I've got curfew, you love birds." she yelled outside the window. Her aviator sunglasses hid the tension behind her voice. I think she knew it wasn't safe being in the middle of nowhere.

    I felt my face reddening, and I bit my lip in embarrassment. "See you, later." I smirked, flipping a stray hair out of my eyes.

"Soon?" he asked.

"We'll see." I responded flirtatiously.

   As they pulled away, I waved and beeped my horn before pulling away as well. It felt good to have other people knowing the truth.

~

   After Tommy had turned off the highway to take Leah home, I suddenly felt very alone on the open roads. I kept checking my rear view mirror, to make sure there wasn't anyone following behind me.

   Tommy's voice kept ringing in my head, "Then we'll just have to be two steps ahead of her, beautiful." He called me beautiful. Beautiful. I don't recall ever being called beautiful. Gorgeous, sexy, hot, pretty? Yes. But, beautiful had a different meaning. Not something to describe just my looks or my confidence, instead, me as a whole. I liked that. Those other adjectives were nice momentarily, but it wouldn't last forever. Something as simple as being called 'beautiful' seemed to make my tummy fill with butterflies. A simply lovely feeling.