"Morgan, wait!"

I could hear Trey's voice behind me, calling out for me, but I didn't stop. I knew that if I turned to face him, I would lose what little control that I had over myself. His eyes would make me crumble; I just knew it. So, I forced myself to keep walking, while still maintaining a normal pace so as not to appear conspicuous. I weaved in and out of small groups walking together and went in and out of crowded stores, hoping to lose my tails. Yes, Trey now counted as a tail. As far as I was concerned, he was just a member of a group that was after me.

The mall was insanely busy; even more so than normal. I vaguely wondered why that was, but then I decided that I had a lot better things to worry about and waste my time thinking about (and besides, I should be thankful for the large crowd; it's a spy's favorite scenario). Trey, the Circle, my parents….the list seemed to just keep going on and on and on. I felt overwhelmed, but I knew that I had to continue walking, so I did. I kept my pace and my focus as I moved easily through the big crowd. I finally felt like I was in my element, big crowds. Easier to lose myself in.

And now, all I needed was to lose myself.

All I wanted was to disappear.

I was invisible.

Or so I thought.

"Morgan," a hand grabbed my arm. His touch felt so familiar and safe. Of course he'd see me. He always sees me.

Because he's after me, I reminded myself, but I don't think that I was listening. Trey's face portrayed the pain that he was pretending to feel inside. His eyes were brighter than normal and his voice was soft, but honest. No, not honest. He isn't honest. Don't trust him. He lied.

He pulled me off to the side so that the crowds wouldn't jostle us. I don't know why I allowed him to. He could have been pulling me out into the open so that the other tails could see me. He could have been trapping me. But I followed anyway. Call me stupid, because that's exactly what I called myself. Get away from him, Stupid! Run! Do something! You can't trust him and you know it!

Do I?

YES!

My two sides battled against each other until my head spun. Trey's voice brought me back. "Morgan?"

"What?" I tried to sound harsh, but I just sounded like I had a hangover or something.

"Morgan, you have to believe me….."

"No!" I said angrily. "I don't have to do anything! And why should I believe you?"

His eyes were pleading with me to understand. "I was sent on that mission and then I actually met you and I just…..I couldn't turn you over. Morgan, I care about you so much and I think that maybe I-"

"Just stop," I said as forcefully as I could (which wasn't very much). My hands were shaking and I suddenly felt ice cold. People were milling about the mall on every side of me, talking and laughing. People's footsteps fell on the hard floor and music played from Hollister. But it was like I couldn't hear a thing, as if I'd suddenly gone deaf. All I could hear was the beating of my heart, unsteady.

"Morgan…." His voice was barely a whisper but I heard it.

"No, Trey," I said, my voice cracking. I took a step away from him and I watched the heartbreak in his eyes. Maybe he was telling the truth…No! He was lying to you and you know it! He's just faking!

Is he?

The tears in his eyes looked so real.

"You hurt me, Trey." I don't know why I decided to state the obvious. Maybe because I was hurting more than I'd ever hurt before and I just wanted to hold him accountable for my pain. Maybe I just wasn't thinking right. But I said it, and I watched as he drew in a shaky breath.

After a moment, he whispered. "I know, Morgan. And I'm so sorry. I really am."

I almost felt like believing him. But there was still that one little part of me that wouldn't yield. I shook my head slowly and I stepped back again. He took a step forward, "Morgan…"

"Morgan?"

That was a different voice.

I turned my head and saw my mother and father, each one holding a twin. Something inside of me screamed, "Busted!" but another side of me was too hurt to care. I felt numb inside.

"Morgan? Sweetheart?" Mom asked me, taking a step forward. "Are you okay?"

No, I'd never been less okay in my entire life. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Trey was still standing by me. He hadn't moved. "Morgan," he whispered. "Please, just…"

"No!" I said sharply, looking at him. "Just stop, okay? I can't believe I was ever so stupid!" I should have run a background check on him or something. Of course, it would have taken a while to hack all of the government systems, but if I had set my mind to it, I could have done it.

"Morgan…."

I turned and fled, not caring if I looked completely stupid to the civilians. All I knew was that I couldn't breathe and I just had to get out of there. "Morgan!" I heard someone –Trey, I think- call me, but I didn't slow down or stop. I just kept running.

I didn't know where I was going until I was already there. The woods where I'd first made out with Trey haunted me and comforted me all at the same time. I sank to the ground and sobbed, no longer caring.

I thought he cared about me.