A/N: I am so, so tempted to make a CYOA right here. But I won't. So maybe it warrants an alternate ending starting from here. Just maybe, if I have the bandwidth, which I highly doubt. So unfortunately, we are stuck with Tori's choice.
And uh, thanks for being one of those who reads and likes the screwed up shit I write.
Jade and Beck returned some time later, carrying two large brown paper bags each. They were huffing and look out of breath as they open the door. As soon as they lock the door and put down the groceries, they begin to argue.
"Fuck, Beck. We've got to leave now. Did you see the sudden increase in the number of patrolling cop cars on the streets?
"No, I disagree. I think we should stay here and lay low for a while, wait for this shit storm to pass. Let them widen their search parameters and move off into other areas before we leave. It's safer that way."
"What makes you think they would stop searching here, the site where Tori disappeared from, if they didn't find her? If we drag our feet any longer, they'll start knocking on our doors, and by that time, it'll be too late to run."
"I still think we should sit and wait for them to move on to the next town before we even move. It's too dangerous right now. Both of you are going to be in deep trouble if you're captured, especially if you're caught together."
"No! If you haven't realized, they are already starting to put roadblocks at every exit. We only bought like what, five days' worth of food? A week if we ration it out. What makes you think that things would get better by then? How long do you think it would take before they start suspecting the strange new faces in their little town?"
They both turn to me. "What do you think?"
"Um…"
I stare at them both, unsure of what to say. Both of their arguments make sense, and I am scared since I get the final vote. What if I make the wrong choice, screwing all of us?
"Come on, Vega. Pick a choice. Remember our top priority, which is to get you out of here as soon as possible."
"Tori, keep in mind how important our safety is in this entire process. If we make a wrong move, we'll just be back to square one. Or even square zero, in the worst case scenario."
Biting my lips, I think about the logic behind both their points. I'm not sure how hard they would search to find me, but considering that my life has been ruined by becoming a high school dropout, forgetting everything and everyone I've ever known, and disappearing off the face of the earth for the past four years, I think it should be a pretty thorough manhunt. Laying low now could be a good idea, but two extremely attractive people, especially a beautiful lady, suddenly appearing here in the middle of nowhere would definitely attract eyeballs, even more so with a missing person case thrown into the mix. Therefore, the best solution is to leave as soon as possible?
"Let's get out of here, the earlier the better."
Jade's fingers make circles on the back of my hand as I lay my head on her shoulder while sitting on the orange couch, the brown quilt draped over our bare feet. We are moving slowly along the roads in the vehicle. After she used fresh gauze to wrap up my arms again, neither of us had said anything.
She breaks the comfortable silence. "Vega, we have not seen each other for so long. You've forgotten everything and everyone. I know it's stupid and unfair to ask this, but I want to hear it from you before I start imagining all sorts of things in my mind. Am I… Are we… Do you still…"
I sit up, looking into her beautiful eyes. They're almost cerulean now. She looks almost… frightened. Unsure. Insecure.
"Jade. When you first burst in through the hospital door, you made my chest flutter and my stomach felt funny, even though I had no idea who you were. I could not take my eyes off you, and you just stole my breath away. I know this sounds so wrong and I am going to sound like a pervert, but when you cleaned my um, cleaned me down there after taking out the pee tubes, I felt… aroused. Even though now I still cannot recall anything about you, about us, you are so beautiful, and I feel so attracted, so drawn to you. I just…"
She muffles my next words by slamming her lips onto mine. The faint scent of her jasmine perfume, intense heat from her mouth and the taste of her slick tongue entangled with mine overwhelms my senses completely, and I find myself melting into her soft, warm arms.
Our intimate moment, however, is shattered by the sudden braking of the vehicle. Jade presses me tightly to her torso as we hear a car door slam and loud, gruff voices speaking from just outside the window.