Page 87 of How We Fooled

“Nothing! I’m only eighteen! Check my ID!”

He raises his eyebrows at me like I’m lying to him more. “You’re only eighteen?”

“Yes! We came for dinner, and they let us stay. I literally had nothing to drink. I promise. She did because she’s over twenty-one. Go find the waitress! She’ll tell you we were together!”

The guy rolls his eyes with a huff. “You sit here. I’ll be right back as I get the story of what really happened from the bartender.”

He slams the door shut, and I’m stuck, sitting here, watching him walk away, then staring at the door, making sure Liza doesn’t leave.

I sit here for what feels like an eternity, living in my own personal hell, having no clue what’s going on, but not able to do a damn thing about it. I’ve never been so pissed off, scared, and helpless in my entire life.

I now understand what the phrase caged animal feels like.

It’s worse than hell. In hell, I would think you have a fighting chance. Me? I’m stuck here, literally watching my life unfold in front of me with no hope of being able to save it.

The two police officers finally exit the establishment, and I perk up, hoping to see Liza walking out with them, but fall completely flat when I don’t see her anywhere in sight.

When they open the door to where I’m sitting, I instantly start asking questions. “Did you find the waitress? Did you talk to Liza?”

“Yeah, we spoke to Liza all right. She told us you’re her student at the high school she teaches at and you followed her here. She said you’ve been stalking her and asked that we take you to jail.”

“No. No. No. That’s not possible.” I shake my head from side to side. “She’s not okay. Something has happened. Go to where we’re staying at. They’ll tell you!”

The words slip out, and I instantly kick myself for saying it. I told the hotel I’m staying alone because we were trying to hide any sign of her being with me.

“Where’s the waitress? We’ve been here for hours. Someone saw us!”

“Everyone from the diner side has gone home. The bartender said you just came in from out of nowhere, yelling,” another cop says.

“Wouldn’t you? If you were having dinner one minute, and the next, your girlfriend is sitting on some guy’s lap, how would you react? I’m telling you, something is going on! Something is not right! Why aren’t you believing me?”

“Sorry. You’ll have to tell it to the judge on Monday.”

They go to shut the door just as Liza walks out with the guy.

“Liza!” I yell out with every ounce I have in my body.

I’ll die if she leaves with this guy.

“Liza! Tell him who I am! Tell him who we are!”

Liza makes it two steps before she bends over and starts throwing up. The guy jumps away from her instead of trying to comfort her.

“What the fuck?” I hear him yell as Liza continues to throw up.

One of the cops walks toward her. “Are you okay?”

Liza calls out in sobs, breaking my heart completely open and ripping it to shreds. “No! What’s going on?”

She drops to her knees as she heaves some more.

“Call an ambulance!” I scream out, helplessly kicking my legs against the car seat, making sure people can hear me. “Something is not okay with her. Call a fucking ambulance!”

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

Liza

What is going on? Who are these people? How am I outside? Where’s Eli?

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