Part 8 | Little Liar

Topher lets out another ridiculous laugh before he says, "You just said you and Liam are no longer in touch. How would you have any idea where he is then?" I shift my weight so I am fully looking at Topher and I wish I knew how much time Liam needed before he's able to stick Topher with the remedy. I have no idea where everyone is and I am getting anxious.

"Well, Liam wasn't aware I'd  moved on when he tried to get in touch with me back on Halloween. He had left me some message saying him and Stephanie were no longer in Virginia and that he was making his way back to me, but I had no way of contacting him back. Then Stephanie decided to ambush me when she arrived back in Malibu and I told her I didn't want Liam to reach out to me, I asked her to tell Liam I had moved on and I didn't want to see him. But then she says that she didn't have a way to tell Liam anything and Liam had told her his plan was to come find me on Thanksgiving when I was back here in Highland Park. Which means he should be here this weekend. He should be here today." I watch Topher roll his eyes so I snap to him, "What?" He moves from the bar stool and comes into the living room. He plops onto the recliner and I watch Lisa flinch as he moves close to her. She doesn't look comfortable around him at all.

"What makes you think Liam is still trying to find you? He probably no longer cares if what you say is true, if you really have moved on." Lisa watches him as he talks and then they both look to me when I answer, "Well, I wasn't sure until Stephanie got in touch with me this morning. She told me that Liam still wants to talk to me. He wants to meet me tonight. Here, you can even read what she wrote me if you don't believe me." I dig into my back pocket to pull my phone out and my heart skips as I wonder where Liam is. I feel like I've stalled long enough and Topher doesn't seem to be buying my story. I am about to toss the fake conversation that Stephanie and I made up in case Topher wanted proof over to him, when something slides off the counter behind Topher and hits the stone flooring with a bang.

We all whip around in the direction of the noise and Topher leaps to his feet. I panic when Topher starts to get up from the couch. I don't see anyone so I try and distract him.

"What was that? What are you doing?" I lash out at him, hoping to convince him that I wasn't involved with the movement in the kitchen. Topher whips his head back to me,"Hush!"

"Look, I said I wanted a truce. That's all! Why are you scaring me?" I panic and it thankfully makes Topher stop moving toward the kitchen.

"I didn't do anything," Topher seethes and his eyes narrow at me, "So you want a truce Eleanor? And what does that mean? What exactly is it that you want?"

I'm annoyed that he continues to ask me this, I don't know what else to say to really convince him that I'm serious. I glance to Lisa who looks worried before answering him, "I've already told you. I want all charges against me dropped. I am going to school to become a lawyer, so if I want to get into a law firm like...ever I need a clean background. Criminal charges like this could ruin my career before it even starts. That and I want to make sure you will no longer interfere in my life and both of you will leave me the hell alone. Forever. I'm done with Liam and I want to be done with the both of you. Let me get back to my normal life. What I want more than anything is to go back to before I met Liam. Where no one knew of my abilities and I didn't know anyone that had abilities. Got it? In exchange, I will tell you where Liam is meeting me tonight. It's what both of you want right?" Lisa looks to me but I stay out of her thoughts. I don't want Topher to be able to sneak into my head at all and if I open it to listen to her, I may never get it sealed shut again. Topher folds his arms across his broad chest and tucks his chin in, thinking over my demands. I have no idea what to expect from him so I continue to dart my gaze between him and Lisa.

Suddenly my brain feels like it's on fire and I drop to my knees in agony. A fierce migraine spreads throughout my head and I remain crippled on the floor from the pain. I scream out in torment and when I shoot my eyes open I see Topher's black leather shoes coming toward me. He kneels down next to me and barks, "Don't fight me Eleanor. I just want to see if you're actually telling the truth for once." I try and keep my thoughts shielded but the more I fight the intrusion, the piercing in my head gets worse. It's like my hair is on fire and its burning my scalp.

"Stop! Stop it!" I shriek as I continue to fight him while struggling on the floor. He's still kneeling next to me, hoping to get inside my head but I continue to battle him. I knew it wasn't going to be easy, I just didn't think he'd get to physical pain so quickly.

"Come on Eleanor, I've been inside your head before. It's just the only way to see if you're lying. You're a little liar and I can't agree to a truce under false pretenses." I shake my head fighting back the tears that are now streaming down my face and I wonder where the hell Liam is. I can't fight Topher's mind games off much longer. The first time he broke into my head I was unprepared. But since I was solidly shielding my thoughts it's much harder for him to break into them.

The throbbing in my head is now making me nauseous and I fear that I might throw up. That or I fear my head will explode from the pain. I bring my knees closer to my head and I lay there screaming in fetal position.

Abruptly, my pain fades away and I pop my eyes open to see Topher standing up and whipping around. I see Liam standing behind him, holding a syringe in his right hand with his thumb on the plunger. The barrel is empty so I know Liam managed to stick Topher with the remedy.

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