Love Lines

35: Matter of Perception

"So what do you think? Not my usual snapshots, I know, but she's always photogenic. I think it really captures her vulnerable side."

"Chris...I..."

"Yeah, yeah. I know. 'You don't understand why I'm doing this, how could I hurt one of my friends, she never did anything to me.' I get it but what you don't seem to understand is at this point it doesn't matter. None of those people matter. All they are to me are potential pawns to use against you. So get it fixed in your brain that I'm not who you thought I was. Everything you thought you knew is wrong."

I stared down at the carpet. It was rather ugly, forest green and coarse against the bare foot. "Just don't hurt her anymore than you have."

"There's the brave girl we all know and loath! So I'll see you there? Wear something nice. Bye, Nat."

After I hung up the phone, the room remained silent for maybe a few seconds before they busted out arguing. I couldn't do much more than sit down on the bed and run through it in my head. Chris kidnapped Allie...he gagged her...he was threatening to hurt her...he already had hurt her...

Could Allie be the person I saw in my vision? That thought was enough to send shivers down my spine, shot fear into my heart, and make my mind up about what I was going to do.

"I'm going."

"No," Cecil turned to look at me, "you're not."

"You can't tell her what to do," Andrzej said.

"Oh so now you want her to go?"

And they did that until it got to the point that I couldn't listen anymore. I stood up and got in between them. They both stopped arguing and took a step back, Cecil took my hand as a sympathetic gesture. At least that's what I thought it was. It could've meant anything really. It was all a matter of perception. Everything that was happening right now was a matter of perception.

"I'm going. There's no point in fighting about it. I'm not going to let him hurt her and the only sure way to keep that from happing right now is to do what he says and show up."

"Tally, you shouldn't go. I know this involves Allie but...Andrzej and I can handle it. All of this smells like a trap, he literally said it. Stay here and we'll find her."

"If I don't show up...something bad is going to happen. I know it. So we're going. The three of us. Ok?"

"Not in heels, you're not. You're more likely to twist an ankle than do any real good." Andrzej crossed his arms. "Trade in the dress and shoes for some actual ass kicking attire."

I looked over at Cecil and he shrugged. "He has a point."

"My best friend's life is on the line and we're discussing what I'm wearing? There is no way I'm leaving this room in order to change. You'll leave me behind."

Andrzej snorted. "You do have a brain under that blond hair."

"You're not helping," Cecil said.

Andrzej just shrugged. I slipped off my high heels and neither of them said anything as they watched me walk over to my suitcase. A clean pair of skinnies were folded up on top since I'd contemplated just going casual for this dinner date. I grabbed them along with a shirt and bra. When I turned back around to face them, they were both looking at me like I was crazy.

"What are you doing?" Andrzej asked.

"I've had to change for P.E. every year since middle school. Do you really think I can't change in front of you?" I slipped on my pants, only hiking up the skirt of my dress when everything was covered. Even though they couldn't see anything, both boys quickly turned around when it became blatantly obvious I was doing this. "So, where is this party exactly?"

I continued to get dressed as Andrzej answered the question.

"It's in New York this year. And from what I heard the place is going to be packed."

"Great," Cecil muttered. "That's probably what he wants. The more crowded the better."

"I haven't been to one of these parties in years," Andrzej commented as he walked over to the closet which was directly in front of him. "Anyone have a plan for what we do when we get there?"

"Try to enjoy ourselves, I guess. He didn't exactly give instructions on what to do after we got there. Just that we had to show up," I said as I pulled my shirt over my head. "You can look now."

To my surprise, Cecil was blazer-less and was no longer wearing a polo but a black tee shirt. Wonder where he got that. Maybe had it on underneath...

"An evil doer without a plan. It's like a bad episode of Batman. The one from the Sixties," Andrzej commented as he looked over my closet door.

"I never knew you were into superheroes," I joked. "It explains why you're so sarcastic."

Cecil was trying really hard not to laugh. Not that he had any room to talk. Batman used to be his favorite superhero followed by Spiderman. I can't tell you how many animated TV shows I had to endure when I would spend the night at his house. Saturday mornings were filled with them and every time I tried to convince him to turn it to My Little Pony or Care Bears he would glare at me and hug the remote to his chest.

"It explains why I'm always prepared." Andrzej opened the closet door and stood off to the side. "After you."

"Does that mean you have an invisible utility belt on too?"

"Just the belt buckle," he said as I passed. "Maybe if you're lucky I'll show it to you."

"Maybe if you're lucky, I won't punch you in the face," Cecil chimed in.

"And there ya go getting territorial again. What did I tell you about that?"

I shoved Andrzej through the glowing door so he couldn't say anything else. Last thing I needed was them arguing again. Personally I would rather forget what he said last night concerning who I did and didn't belong to but apparently it was a topic neither of them were letting go.

"Ready?" I asked Cecil.

"Yeah." He sighed, obviously not wanting to go. Maybe he had a bad feeling about this too. "Tally...are you sure...?"

For a few moments, I read into that unfinished statement, all the meanings it could possibly hold. This was THE Elite party. The one I had bad history with. The stakes were high because of Allie. Chris was Elite...

"You and Andrzej will be there. I'll be fine."

"We can handle this. You don't have to go..."

"If I don't show up...he could hurt Allie. He's obviously not the person I thought he was...the Chris I knew could never, ever do this...he wants me there for a reason. Besides, it's just a party. What could happen at a party?"

He gave me a look. "You really have to ask?"

"Besides that." I gripped his shoulders and shook him a little. "The only person I would even consider going into a dark unknown room with is you so we know that particular incident isn't going to be repeated."

"True." He wrapped his arms around me making me feel safe even though we weren't even there yet. "You're not leaving my sight or the wolf's until we figure out what Chris wants."

"I have a name, you know." Andrzej poked his head back through the door and tugged on the back of my shirt. "Come on, Super Woman. We're holding up the doorways."