This runs deeper than our blood

"Secrets aren't safe, keep them to yourself"

"How?" Not sure if my tone was nice enough.

"Well, from the looks of it you are the one we've been looking for although I can only be sure of that if you tell me your name..." I snorted.

"Your tactics are awful. If you really want to know my name, you could've used a better technique ya know," I start walking again, realising how stupid and ridiculous this conversation is. It doesn't make any sense. I'm just wasting my time here.

"Edward!" He calls out. I halt.

"My name isn't Edward," I say back to him, although I know very well what he meant by it. An exchange. His name for mine. I turn around slowly.

"Annie," I say cautiously. The flame, the spark in his eyes that I had seen earlier on when we were talking died down. Now they just looked pitless and brown.

"Oh." Was all that left his mouth.

"Not the girl you were looking for huh?" I teased. But internally, I had hoped for it to be me because when a rich looking dude randomly shows up on the streets where you live, it's got to mean something.

"Apparently not. The description fits though," Edward mumbles, although I'm pretty sure he was just pondering to himself and not actually to me so I didn't bother asking him 'what description' or 'who were you looking for?' Because it's none of my business.

"Who are you looking for then?" I asked because like I said, I have no morals. Edward still looks lost. He really must have believed that it was me who fit the 'description'. He's wearing a black suit and has tousled hair but he couldn't look more broken even if he tried. By now, I've completely forgotten about the people who were passing by and drooling over Edward and shooting me death glares. It's life. Specifically, my life.

"The people here don't like you much do they?" Edward finally broke the silence. It was strange, talking to someone who looked that good in the middle of a pathway. The houses that were lined up at the side of the path were eerily calm, sans one house from where a loud barking sound reverberated. Even the dogs in Signerone are vicious.

"Look at me and tell me that they might actually adore me," I didn't mean to sound bitter, really, but somehow, I did. But Edward mistook it for something else because his face calmed down a bit, as in, the tension from his sharp jaws and rosy cheekbones relaxed, and he almost looked human.

"I'm looking for an Avery...do you happen to know anyone with that name?" He asks, a hopeful glint in his eyes. My eyes widen and I drop to my knees. How did they find? How did they find? How did they find?

How did they find me?

"Annie? Are you okay?" I hear a voice over my head. I don't remember having a family. Why would anyone ask me that? I open my eyes and realise I'm on a pavement. Then I realise what had happened seconds ago, and then I glance up at the painfully beautiful, sun-lit boy standing above me and I scream. Not too loudly though. There are repercussions for that as well. Loud enough so I let out all my spiralling emotions.

"Tell me again, who are you looking for?" I ask, my voice throaty.

"Avery..." Realisation dawns upon his face, "Oh! Is she your best friend or something? Do you not want me to take her because then you won't have anyone? Is that it?" Stupid idiot. Although, the look on his face is priceless. He really does believe that I have a best friend.

"No, I uh... umm... I'm Avery," I confess. I'd changed my name when I came to Signerone to 'Annie', but the name I remember having first and always was Avery.

"You said your name is Annie," Edward looks at me as though I were a criminal. His gaze is accusatory. Then I realise that he thinks I'm changing my name because he said that he can 'do me one better.'

"It- It's the name I took on when I came to Signerone. My-my original name is Avery," I say, my hands shaking. No one, and I mean no one, knew my real name was Avery.

"I-uh...ok... well umm," he seemed to be at a loss of words.

"You don't believe me," I point out, squinting up at him.

"Can you blame me?" He exclaims, throwing up his hands.

"Yes, yes I can! If I remember correctly, you're the one who stopped me. And you're the one who asked me my name. You're the one who said you can 'do me one better'. So, I think yes I can blame you. I changed my name when I came here and I didn't think anyone knew about it. But then again, there would be a million Avery's out there so..." I trailed off.

"You don't understand," Edward said, shaking his head, "we've been searching for you for months. All of us. But every single Avery we've ever found had a last name. Avery Sinclair, Avery Wanchester, Avery Mellany and so many more. I- I have to tell the others." Edward suddenly said.

"Wha- What others? Hey. Listen, you- you tuxedo wearing, rich brat. You better tell me what the hell's going on here," I said, my eyes widening and my finger pointing at him.

"Sorry Avery. I will tell you, I promise, but for now, we need to take you to headquarters," Edward promised, holding up a phone to his ear. I push myself up from the ground, and hastily pull the rag further down my legs.

"I'm not going anywhere with you!" I yell.

"Reinforcements will be here soon," Edward says, putting down his phone after having whispered something into it.

"What-What reinforcements? You're a fraud! I-I'm going to scream now," I threaten him. I'd been safe for so long from the cops. But I was only in trouble because of my dad, and the felonies he had committed. I didn't know him much, but from my time running around as his daughter, I was in a shitload of trouble. And now, suddenly, here was this guy telling me to go with him to 'headquarters'? No way was I listening to him.

"I'm not going with you." I say, heftily.

"Sorry, you don't have a choice," Edward says, but his tone doesn't sound sorry at all.

"You-" But before I could finish that sentence, he shoves a cloth near my nostrils and the last thing I hear is a faint "I'm sorry" before everything goes pitch black.