SEAN WENT OUT when I had already gotten myself together, having to be just by myself even if I knew that my friends were waiting outside while he went home, getting some clothes for tomorrow since I was getting discharge tomorrow morning.

            I didn't want to see anyone. Except Alex.

           Which is why he's inside my room, his arms crossed on his chest as he stared at me. "So, I called mom right after I got you here."

           "And?" I sat up, shaking my head at Alex's disappointed look. "Alex, I just lost my own mom, and right now, I know that Max is alive, and from the looks of it, you know it too. Will you just tell me what she said?"

           With a sigh, he started, "they're going to do rounds of the place. They already talked with your doctors and nurses, made sure that it's all kept confidential. You really weren't going to tell anyone, weren't you?"

           "I couldn't," I spoke. "Everything was going great, Alex. I didn't want to worry anyone. Especially my brother. I mean, mom is gone and what am I supposed to do? Tell him that I might die tonight? Tell him that Max is alive? Tell him that he's going to kill me no matter how much I try to avoid him?"

           "Yes!" He replied, his voice getting louder each word he spoke. "You could've at least told me! God, Sam, you just can't do anything by yourself, anymore! Look what happened the last time it did! Remember that night?"

           Of course, I did. I spent a lot of time trying to suppress that moment. All throughout that pain, I had managed to call the one on my speed dial which was still Alex. When I called him, I told him that I was at Max's place and later that, I screamed, trying to get away from him by crawling because I was having a hard time walking properly.

           That night in the hospital, I wasn't with anybody but Alex. Sean had to take mom home, forcing her to get in the car because she needed to rest. Alex was the person who was by my side everyday as I tried to get better.

           He even helped me at the nightmares I had on the times I spent lying down on that hospital bed.

           "You could have trusted me enough to tell me," he said, softly.

           My eyes closed, I just couldn't handle the pain of everything anymore. "It's not that I didn't trust you. It's just I would've wanted you not to worry about me all the time. I thought that maybe I could do this by myself. Alex, I don't want you babysitting me every single time—you have to give some time for yourself. I mean, have you dated anyone yet all these time that we weren't together?"

           He scoffed, jumping off the bed like it was on fire. "I'm going to strangle you!"

           My brows furrowed, confused. "What the fuck did I do, now?"

           "The reason I haven't been dating anyone was because I still love you, idiot!" He threw his hands up in the air in frustration. "You've known me for a long time, Sam. You know damn well that I am not the type of person that will simply give up in picking up girls just because I was "babysitting" you."

           He...

           Did he just say he still loves me?

           "I love you, Sam."

           Yup, he just did.

           I was speechless because what was I supposed to say to him? He had hurt me that night and the next day I had acted like we didn't just breakup and he wanted to get back together but I couldn't do it. So, we decided that it was best to keep everything professional at work and stay off as friends—we would be with each other's side no matter what still.

           But, now, look what the hell just happened.

           He noticed the look on my face when he said it and so he started speaking again. "It's okay if you don't feel the same. I'm just letting you know this because I couldn't just keep it inside me anymore. I know, I screwed things up for whatever the hell we could bring up from that night but you've got to understand that it was all a mistake."

           "A mistake would be putting white clothes in the same laundry as the colored ones, Alex," I replied. "A mistake would be mistaking someone for you while their back is facing me. Having someone's tongue shoved down your throat and you doing the same for her wasn't a mistake, Alex. I was also partly drunk that night; did you see me kiss anybody?"

           He shook his head. "You don't understand what happened that night, Sam. You didn't even let me explain what happened. But that doesn't matter now—what matters is that tonight, I'll be part of my mom's team in keeping you safe and I'll make sure nobody finds out about Max, okay? I will always make sure that you're safe no matter what happens."

           And I knew, somewhere inside me throughout our struggles with each other, that he was going to keep that promise. This guy would take a bullet for me.

           I couldn't let that happened.

           Tonight, I was going to escape. Keep everyone safe while I lay low somewhere that nobody could find me.

Eventually, Alex had passed out by the sofa next to my bed, thinking that I was going to be sleeping throughout.

           Pulling out my IV from the back of my hand, changing clothes, and getting out of the room was easy. What wasn't easy were the nurses and agents that Ruvée had placed on were making rounds and every fifteen minutes, they would knock on my door, make sure that no one was hiding under my bed or in the bathroom ready to take me, so I knew that I had to act and think fast.

           As I closed the door slowly behind me, I immediate run but I'm stopped when I see him.

           Travis, sitting by the reception of the hospital, his elbow on top of the armrest as he made a fist and rested his face on it. He looked so tired, like the last hours had an affect on him.

           Just run, Sam. Don't mind him.

           I had already passed him when I a thought crossed my mind about how he's going to be here, looking for me when they finally inform him that I managed to run away.

           Fuck. Why can't I just leave?

           I walked back to the receptionist, but not before checking if there were agents about to notice me. When I was sure there weren't any, I forced a smile at the nurse in front of me. "Hi," I pointed at Travis with my thumb. "How long has this guy been waiting here?"

           "Oh, he's been here since that girl that was found and brought here," the woman looked about in her mid-thirties as she gave me a smile back. "Poor boy. He's been asking nonstop a while ago if he could come in or just get some news about his girlfriend but we couldn't do it because she didn't want any visitors aside from family. Then, he sat there and somehow fell asleep ."

           Why am I such a huge asshole?

           As I gazed back at Travis, I couldn't help but feel my heart hammering in my chest so strong that I felt like it was going to jump out. This was a new feeling—a feeling of never wanting to leave him, and not wanting to hurt him like this.

           But this was just another reason for me to leave. To keep him safe. To keep them all safe.

           "Bye, Travis," I whispered, turned, and walked out the front door and ran.

* * * *

A LONG TIME AGO when I got out of the hospital after suffering from Max's abuse, mom made sure that if anything went wrong, I could go to a place where nobody could find me and she had made sure that the address was engraved in my mind. We couldn't write it down because any paper trails would just give them the answer where I was.

           The house was three hours away, which meant that I was as safe as it could get because they wouldn't think to look for me there. Most likely, everyone would think that I was only in a close proximity and I knew that Ruvée would have cameras from the road check for my face.

           So I bought a wig, a hat, and some glasses in all different stores just so nobody could remember me—just a normal customer.

           I made sure when I had worn all those things, to grab a taxi and give them the address.

           When I had gotten there, I walked up to the house—as I got closer, I could hear talking from behind the door but it was just mumbles, I couldn't make out what it said. Whoever was living here, I was sure that they had someone inside.

           Knocking on the door, I waited up for the door to open and when it did, my eyes widened as I saw who answered it.

           Adriana Morales stood in front of me with a smile on her face but that smile disappeared slowly when I had taken off the sunglasses. She knew who I was even with the wig and the cap. "Oh my God, Sam."

           "Hi, Adri," the corner of my lips lifted up, seeing my old best friend again.

           Nothing changed about her except her hair. She used to have brown hair, now, she had blonde highlights, and she still looked beautiful with it. She was wearing a sun dress that hugged her small, petite figure, and it matched with her beautiful hazel eyes and her heart-shaped face with cupid's bow lips.

           So this is where my mother led me, huh?

           She widened the door, letting me inside. "Go, quick. If you're here, then it means that something bad happened."

           Oh, trust me, Adri, you do not know the half of it.

As I settled in her couch, she re-introduced me again to her little sister, Catalina Morales, who still greeted me with a smile but I could tell that it was forced before she went upstairs and had slammed the door, locking it.

           "Don't mind her," she waved dismissively before I could even ask. "She's just having a little problem with everything that's going on. Okay, just tell me what the hell happened. Condolence, by the way, your mom was the sweetest. She helped me set up this house for Catalina and I when I turned eighteen a year ago."

           My brows furrowed. I had never known that mom was talking to Adriana. She was always so secretive and yet honest. I guess, this was a secret that she never told me unless it was really necessary.

           Right after the small talk was finished, I had started with the real story why I had turned up in their doorstep in the middle of the night.

           "Oh my God, Sam," she replied. "I can't believe this is happening all over again."

           "I'm sorry, by the way," I immediately blurted out. "It was unfair of me to make you think you did something wrong. It's just that when mom got sick, I was in this headspace that I should be the one to take care of everything and—"

           She held my hand, stopping me from ranting even more. "It's okay, Sam. I forgave you a long time ago. I understood a long time why you did it."

           My brows furrowed. "Where's Mr. and Mrs. Morales?"

           Her eyes were downcast as soon as I asked. "They, um, passed away just months when we moved away. Mom was first and three months later, it was dad. Mom died from a car crash, apparently, she experienced a brain aneurysm behind the wheel and it was too late before anyone could do anything—she crashed into a huge pole, the airbag was jammed, and she went head first from the windshield."

           Oh my God.

           I couldn't say anything—what was I supposed to anyway? Sorry your mom died? I knew better than anyone that Adriana was the type of person that never liked anyone saying sorry out of pity because she didn't want any. She was always stronger than me and that made her everybody's rock, even my own.

           "Dad drowned himself in alcohol," she continued, her voice breaking. "and then one day, Catalina got back from school, and she found him hanging from our living room. Normally, any normal person would break down and cry for help but she raised himself and cut dad down from the rope, tried to revive him back but it was already too late. Anyway, soon later, your mom contacted us and helped us in any way. If it wasn't for her, Catalina and I would be separated and living in an orphanage or foster homes."

           "Why didn't she tell me this?"

           She shook her head. "I didn't want to burden you so I asked if she could keep it a secret in exchange that if anything happens to you, you're free to come here and be safe. After everything she did for us, and for the fact that I still treat you as my best friend who is my sister from different parents, I would always be okay with you staying here."

           Mom never said anything about them; but, I'm glad that she made sure I went back here and fix everything with Adriana.

           I love you, Mom. Always.