I clutched the all to familiar hand in mine, my fingers wrapping around her rough but delicate hand as if making sure She couldn't fall away. My heart racing like that of a horses, running at seventy miles per hour on a circular racetrack. My footsteps echoing with the rest of the group's in the hallway. She still smells like lavender... I smiled.

"Go, Go, Go! We don't have much time before everyone's realized what's happened." Eric informed.

"Just down this hallway, and to the left. We can exit through the ventilation shafts. It's the quickest most efficient way down to the main floor." I directed, my gaze fell on Lily who ran beside me, not even casting a glance at me. I didn't blame her. She had more important things on her mind...

She was always on my mind...

At first I'd always wished that she wouldn't be on my mind that much-that that would go away as a fifteen year old boy. Even thirteen. But now I just accepted it. I accepted it and fell in love with the idea of her. She's everything to me. My best friend, my-

Lily turned her head and glanced at me after we turned left at the corner of the corridor into a small supply room. I was mesmerized for a moment when she looked into my eyes. I shook my self emotionally out of it as I walked into the room,"Me and Eric already have a cable into the vents set up, it's how we got down." I told her as Eric, Felix, and Liz shuffled into the room. Felix immediately shut the door, in a quite manner.

"We got the files." She mentioned, Liz handing her pack to Felix to carry as she started making her way up. Eric showing her how to work the cable.

"I figured you guys did. Otherwise I'd probably be holding you back right now saying we needed to go and just leave them." I couldn't help but let my lips curl in a small grin, amused at my own words. She smiled back, standing next to me as we waited our turn.

"How did you guys shut down the projector, and technology before you entered the room?" Felix asked, joining my other side as Eric got ready to go next. Felix was grinning,"because that was nifty how you tuned it just right-like a Liz type level of hacking." He said, his tone full of teasing.

I gave him a questioning look, slightly confused about what he was talking about."What do you mean?" I asked, gaining Lily's attention again as she also looked up at me curiously, both of us still holding each other's hand. It felt right. Her hand fit right into mine. I hadn't even realized it.

"The projector, it went black right before you shot the lock on the door." Lily added.

I glanced at Eric who had paused before going up and shrugged, he copied me,"we didn't do anything with the electrical systems." He said simply before taking the cable up into the vents.

I nodded with his words and looked back at Lily and Felix who traded glances.

"That's odd..." Felix spit out before stepping over to the cable up into the vents. Hooking his foot through the loop of the black cord and then pulled on it as the cord reeled up into its wheel in the vent shaft.

I watched him but flinched hearing voices outside the hall. My eyes widened and I turned to Lily who did the same and let go of my hand. I had been grateful none of my teammates had a chance to point out the fact we hadn't let go till now. I was almost surprised myself having expected her to let go. But she didn't.

"Their searching rooms..." she murmured and looked at the door, a hand on her Glock.

"Go next, I'll cover you in case." I declared, grabbing my pistol as well, but didn't have a time to turn before she looked at me as if I were crazy.

"What?" I inquired, completely taken off guard and confused.

"No. You will not. Come on, we need to make this fast before they do find us. We can just double." She explained walking over to the rope. "Like how they taught us in basics."

I eyed her, as I watched and listened, then followed her over."I just thought-"

"Well you thought wrong." She told me flatly and handed the cord to me."Take it. Your the stronger of us both." She ordered.

"Yes, ma'am."I smiled and nodded, taking it and clasping my palms around it with one hand. She didn't look amused but I did manage to earn a smile. I raised my arm up and around her waist, pulling her close, and keeping her tight. She stepped closer with me, and I could feel her tense up under my hand.

The closeness catching both of us off guard, my heart thumping in my chest, and no doubt she could feel it. She glanced at the door before looking back up at me, one of her arms around the back of my neck and the other resting on my chest.

My foot still stable on the loop of the rope, keeping my balance and shifting a little not wanting to drop her. I pulled on the cord in hopes to distract myself from the urge to kiss her, as I held her close, and my feet lifted off the ground as did hers. But as soon as she leaned closer into me when the ground beneath her seemed to sink, it all fell apart, like everything else had crashed down and it was just me and her.

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Ayyyy! Ohhh my goodness! I'm dying, the struggle of being an author is real... it's blissful... it's beautiful! And I love it so much! I'm so thrilled and ecstatic I was able to get another chapter out! I thoroughly enjoyed writing this way more than I should have, and hope you all love it as well!

It is awe-inspiring to have reached 1k reads! I cannot explain how that made me feel when I got on and saw I reached 1k! I couldn't have done it without the help of you beautiful readers! I was on cloud 9! Thank you so so much!!

Love,
GlitzyDiamond