~~Young~~

Chapter Sixteen

   When Sera swung around the corner in the hall the sight in front of her had that wrongness hitting her again. There, not thirty feet from her was Lizzy, waiting with her back to Sera for the elevator. But…she had never visited Lizzy here before…but she had gone home with Lacy once or twice! That’s why she knew this place. It was Lacy’s building that Lizzy just happened to share, The Garden Lofts.

   The ding announcing the elevator’s arrival had Sera setting her feet moving again, a grin on her face. This was her chance to work out her problems with Lizzy. Just like with Dre- ­Jerry, Sera would be able to use this as a dress rehearsal for when she confronted Lizzy in the real world.

   “Lizzy,” Sera called cheerfully, “Hey Lizzy wait.”

   What she was expecting she wasn’t really sure, but the terror on Lizzy’s face when she turned around wasn’t even close. Of all the things in the world why would Lizzy be afraid of her? Sure Sera was a little ticked that she hadn’t answered any of her calls, but even Will knew she was in trouble, knew she needed help. Shouldn’t she have been happy to see Sera, to know someone was coming to help her?

   Apparently not because Lizzy leapt into the elevator and began pressing buttons furiously, her panicked gaze alternating between the buttons and Sera.

   “Lizzy wait,” Sera tried again, “I just want to talk to you-”

   “Get away from me Sera,” she shouted, “just…just stay away from me okay?”

   The doors slid shut before Sera could get her foot between them to stop them, before she could say anything else.

   She couldn’t help but rub at her chest again with one hand as she pressed the button to call the second elevator with the other. Her gaze went over her shoulder as she waited, looking back to the door that she couldn’t see anymore. Maybe it would be better if she just stayed inside, waited for Gage to come back. Being out here felt…wrong. Maybe it was too much for her mind to keep up with, the change of scenery and whatnot.

   That option was quickly taken away though when she saw who came out of the doors opposite of her. Three of her Uncle’s goons.

   Repeating Lizzy’s moves Sera was in the elevator and pressing the close button before they had the chance to turn around from locking the doors. She slid to the side and pressed herself into the wall waiting for the doors to close.

   “Come on, come on,” she whispered urgently. For fuck’s sake they closed instantly for Lizzy…

   Finally they began sliding together-

   “Just made it,” She heard the voice attached to the hand that caught the door laugh, “thanks,” he nodded to Sera when the other men piled in beside her.

   She could only stare at them, caught somewhere between terror and disbelief.

   “For trying to hold it for us,” he added seeing her uncomprehending expression.

   Sera just barely held in the burst of laughter that threatened to escape, “No problem,” she curled up the corners of her lips for him and turned back to the numbered panel in front of her. Not smiled, oh no, she was not capable of smiling right now.

   At least they didn’t seem to know who she was. Not that she looked anything like the self the world typically saw right now, but still being so close to the same men who had shot at her not a week ago had her nerves on end.

   God but this felt real, too real for a dream. The panic, the anxiety…dreams were supposed to be an escape. And an escape this wasn’t, no it felt more like incarceration.