Page 2 of The Alien's Runaway Bride

“Ready to make like a banana and split?” Maya asked, her green eyes sparkling with mischief.

Raelee couldn’t help but laugh, the sound a bit hysterical even to her own ears. “God, your puns are terrible. I don’t know why I keep you around.”

“Uh, because I’m amazing and I come bearing gifts of freedom?” Maya retorted, motioning to her backpack. “Now, let’s turn you from America’s sweetheart into America’s most wanted. In a good way, of course.”

From her friend’s pack appeared a fake ID. “How do you have this already?” she asked Maya.

Maya snorted at her. “Really? You think I don’t know you? I’ve had this and everything else ready the day you told me you were being forced to marry some jerk.”

Raelee hugged her best friend tightly. “I would die without you.”

Maya hugged her back. “Don’t go all drama queen on me. Just don’t ask me how I got it.”

Raelee mimicked zipping her lips closed. “Never.” They giggled for a second then Raelee put away the ID with the cash from her secret stash, then Maya handed over an untraceable phone.

“All right, Houdini,” Maya said, zipping up the duffel bag. “What’s the grand escape plan? Should we tunnel out? Zipline from the balcony? Ooh, I know, we could build a catapult!”

Raelee rolled her eyes, but she was grateful for Maya’s attempts to lighten the mood. “I was thinking something a little less medieval. There’s a service entrance near the kitchens. The night staff should be minimal, and I know the blind spots in the security cameras.”

Maya nodded, her expression turning serious. “Okay, we get out, then what? Where to?”

“We leave town,” Raelee said, the plan forming as she spoke. “We need to lay low and figure out our next move. I’ve got enough cash to keep going for a while, and I know some people from my racing days who might be willing to help.”

“Sounds like a plan, Stan,” Maya grinned. “Or should I say,Emily?”

Raelee groaned. “Emily? Is that my new name?”

“Hey, beggars can’t be choosers. Now, let’s blow this popsicle stand before your dad decides to do another ‘fatherly’ check-in.”

As they finalized their hasty plan, Raelee’s gaze fell on a framed photo by her bedside. Her family smiled back at her, frozen in a moment of manufactured happiness. Her hand hovered over it, torn between sentimentality and the need for a clean break.

In the end, she left it behind. She couldn’t bring herself to erase them completely, but she couldn’t carry the weight of their expectations any longer.

The estate was quiet as they crept through darkened hallways, avoiding the watchful eyes of security cameras. Raelee’s heart pounded so loudly, she was sure it would give them away. But they made it to the service entrance undetected, slipping outside like shadows.

Raelee’s car sat waiting in the furthest slot of the multi-car garage, a sleek machine built for speed and freedom. Her fingers trembled as she inserted the key, and the engine roared to life, full of promise and possibility.

“Last chance to back out,” Maya said softly as they sat in the idling car. “You sure about this?”

Raelee’s grip tightened on the steering wheel. She thought about the life she was leaving behind—the privilege, the security, the predetermined path. Then she thought about the life that could be—one filled with choices, adventures, and the freedom to be herself.

“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life,” she said, her voice steady and determined.

They peeled out of the estate grounds, leaving behind tire marks and the only life Raelee had ever known. As the lights of the Arison estate faded in the rearview mirror, Raelee felt a wild mix of terror and exhilaration.

Maya glanced at her. “Where to, boss?”

Raelee took a deep breath, the first one that felt truly free in as long as she could remember. The road stretched out before them, dark and full of unknown possibilities.

“Anywhere,” she said, a smile spreading across her face. “Everywhere.” Her eyes slid toward Maya, who gave her a fierce, encouraging nod.

“Sounds good, but how about a real destination,” her best friend replied.

Raelee had no answer. God, this was such a doomed idea.

“How about my family’s lake house?” Maya said. “We need to make a few more changes before you hit the road for real.”

Raelee nodded, her grim expression replaced by a look of determination. “Smart thinking. Let’s make me disappear completely.”

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