𝔈𝔫𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔫𝔱𝔢𝔡 𝔉𝔞𝔱𝔢

𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕻𝖗𝖎𝖈𝖊 𝖔𝖋 𝕮𝖔𝖒𝖕𝖆𝖘𝖘𝖎𝖔𝖓

"My family owns a small cabin deep in the woods that should be deserted this time of year. No one will find you, find us, there," she said, opening the glove compartment and pulling out a map marked by the fairy, indicating the location of their safehouse. "Look here." She positioned the map so Ted could see it.

He briefly studied the map, committed the location to memory, and then refocused on the highway in front of them, nodding slightly in acknowledgment. "Got it, thanks," he said, pressing harder on the accelerator. He kept glancing in the rearview mirror to ensure they weren't being pursued. Despite trying to hide it, the pressure of evading the police was clearly getting to him.

He briefly glanced over at the young woman with long dark-brown hair seated comfortably next to him. She had one elbow resting on the window sill and her head cradled in her hand, seemingly admiring the scenery outside the window. She looked to him and when she noticed him looking her way, she blushed and quickly turned her gaze back outside.

Raising an eyebrow in amused suspicion, he asked, "Why are you helping me, anyway? You broke me out of jail, and I'm still not sure how you managed that," he muttered the last part more to himself than her, before continuing louder, "And now you're offering me a safe place to hide from the police?" He was still unsure about fully trusting her. Could this be a trap? But then, why free him in the first place? Moreover, what choice did he have but to hope this cabin was as real and safe as she claimed?

The young woman now turned her gaze back to him, locking onto his captivating, piercing blue eyes, nervously twirling a strand of her brown hair around her finger. "It just felt right, you know?" She shrugged slightly. "It was so unjust for you to be wrongfully condemned to death. I can't even begin to imagine how awful it must have felt, to be so wrongly treated by the judicial system. You deserve a brighter future than a life behind bars, for something you didn't even do."

His gaze seemed to bore into her, as if trying to read her thoughts, discerning whether she genuinely believed her own words or was trying to deceive him. "So, you believe in my innocence?" His voice was calm, but the skepticism in it was palpable.

"Of course. Shouldn't I?" She looked up at him with large, innocent eyes, tilting her head slightly, but a teasing smile briefly danced on her lips.

He let out a surprised huff, refocusing his attention on the road ahead, but for a brief moment, a smile tugged at his lips. She certainly had some nerve. She was undeniably brave. But was she genuinely naive enough to believe in his innocence? He had always been confident in his abilities, but it seemed his intelligence and charm hadn't been enough to save him from conviction, which irked him more than he'd admit. Could this girl truly be someone convinced of his innocence? And if so, how could he continue to leverage that? He had many female admirers, and he had to admit, despite his inherent mistrust, he relished having found someone he'd apparently convinced and who believed in his innocence. Or at least claimed to. Ted was not one to trust quickly; he knew people lied, and one shouldn't readily believe others. But did she genuinely think she could toy with him, deceive him, betray him? If she tried, she wouldn't be doing it for long; he'd see right through her soon enough, of that he was certain.

"Absolutely. The whole trial, and especially the verdict, seemed completely unjust in my eyes. I'm sure many others feel the same. You are innocent, yes," the young woman now also looked ahead at the road, giving a slight nod, as if to reinforce to both herself and him that she believed in her words. "I mean, you're so intelligent, charismatic, and handsome. You had it all, and you could've had anything you wanted, so why would you commit such heinous crimes? It's absurd," she chuckled softly, trying to make her laugh sound genuine. "You could truly be anything you aspire to be— an actor, a politician, a psychologist, a lawyer. But a serial killer? I don't buy that," she dismissed with a wave of her hand.