Look out for the <>!

I spent time on my computer as I waited for Carter to come pick me up. As I surfed the web I remembered that I hadn't been on a laptop in days. I clicked on a pop up and suddenly my screen turned black.

With fear creeping into the back of my mind I resisted the urge to run. I wasn't about to jump into this side mission anymore. Auggie got shot because of it, they were after me because of it. What B26 was asking me to do was dangerous and I didn't feel like risking my life or others for the cause. B26 could find someone else for all I cared. I was not what he was looking for.

"Annalise" white letters appeared on the screen.

"What do you want?" I typed back angrily.

"I haven't heard from you. I was starting to get worried. I told you not to tell anyone," it typed back.

I had enough. I was getting lectured by a computer. I had no idea how he found out but about that I was starting to believe that B26 had as much power as MIA. I didn't want to participate in this turf war. I needed to break ties completely. He didn't need me. He could find someone else. "I thought I could trust him," I typed back.

"You know better now. You found the people?"

I almost forgot about that conversation I had with Raffaele. He said that MIA was dangerous. He was scared of them, living life in hiding. I didn't believe him, but now I did. I saw MIA's power and danger with my own eyes. "Yeah."

"Find out anything?"

"Yeah"

"Why are you just sitting around for? Do something then."

I shook my head. No. I wouldn't. I was done. I would find something else to make my grandmother proud. This was asking too much. I couldn't go forward with this. This should be someone else's job, not mine, a girl that no one took seriously. "I give up. It's too dangerous."

"WHAT! YOU CAN'T GIVE UP!"

I raised an eyebrow, a computer yelling at me, this was a first. "Who's going to stop me? You're not my father." I typed back angrily knowing that my father was laying six feet under in a local cometary.

There was a pause then he typed back. "I need you."

He could find someone else, someone that was better qualified. He needed someone with more skills. Honestly anyone in my department was probably more qualified then I was. "If you know so much why don't you do it yourself?"  I responded then turned off the PC then walked away.

I paced around the kitchen in anger. I ran my hand through my messy hair. Who were they to tell me what to do? So what if they needed me, they could find someone else. I didn't understand why they wanted me. Just like MIA wanted me. Was it because I was the grand daughter? Well, they should know that she didn't care about me as much as people though she did.

Breaking me from my thoughts was a knock on my door. I ran to answer it, looking for any distraction to clear my busy mind. On the other side of it was Carter with a large smile.

"Hey," I said and brushed some lose hair that fell out of my bun behind my ear.

His smile wavered. "Hey. I didn't bother did I?" Carter asked.

I shook my head. I rather be with him then talk to B26 any day. "No. I was doing nothing," I said as I gestured him to come inside.

He put his hands into his jean short pockets and smiled again. "Good. So I was thinking about going out to eat," he said once he came in.

I nodded. "Ok where were you planning?"

"This place called 'The Loft'," he said as he scratched the back of his neck. Suddenly he looked so unsure of himself, as if this wasn't the best move he could make.

I smiled as I remembered a time when I used to go there when I was little. Grandma must have told him about it. I haven't been there since my parents died. "Sounds good. I'll just my shoes on and grab my purse," I said then ran up stairs to get my purse and some sneakers.

I looked at myself in the mirror. I didn't look put together. I was bruised and I had bags under my eyes. My hair was slightly greasy and my lips were chapped. I felt ashamed that I went out in public looking like this. But now, I felt more motivation to pull myself together. I ran dry shampoo through my hair and smeared some bright lipstick on then ran back down stairs to join Carter

Within minutes we parked in the lot of the restaurant. I felt anxiety creep into my mind as I looked up at the log style cabin. This was the last place I went out with my parents before they died and memories came flooding back to me.

My parents took the week off of work and we spent it as a family. The Loft was the last day off that week. We laughed and played pool until almost midnight. As a 14 year old girl, there was something in the air that last night that I couldn't place. But now looking back at it, I could see that it was regret. They knew something was going to happen but yet they didn't tell me.

"Annalise? Are you ok?" Carter asked as he shook me slightly. I looked at the ground, I didn't realize I wasn't moving.

I looked up at him with a fake smile. "I'm fine."

Carter frowned, although didn't say anything. He knew I wasn't. "Want to go home?" he asked kindly, as if he cared.

I shook my head. I thought I moved past all my demons from when my parents died, but I guess I was wrong. I thought that if I went here, it would help me to move on better. Because honestly, I wasn't sure if I would ever fully move on from my parents death. "No, lets go," I said as I took a step forward. I followed Carter into the restaurant and looked around.

<>

The Loft was big but it had a homey feel to it. The smell of fried food and poppy music welcomed us instantly. The wood floor was worn and slightly sticky from split drinks. The bar to the side was filled and the tables were half full with families. This place looked exactly how I remembered it.

Girl at the front desk flocked to Carter with a flirty girly giggle, "hey, Carter."

I crossed my arms over my chest as she looked at me from head to toe. Her voice was the most annoying thing I have ever heard.

"Hey Alice. Table for two please."

I watched as her smile slide off her face. She glared at me as if she already claimed him then turned to get some menus. "Follow me please," she said and started to walked more into the restaurant.

She gave us a seat next to the bar and pool tables, probably the loudest table in the house but a faint smile came to her face as she looked at me.

Why you little prissy piece of crap. She did this on purpose. If only she knew I had no intention on dating him. Trust me, if she knew, she could have him.

We both sat down and she turned to Carter and said, "If you need anything just say" and with that walked away.

She hated me and she didn't even know me. "She's nice," I said sarcastically when she was out of ear shot. 

"She's.... flirty," he said and laughed.

"So I'm guessing you come here a lot if she knew you're name."

"I've been going here since I was a kid," he said explained as he looked over the menu.

I nodded as I picked up the menu. Maybe gram didn't have him bring me here. I wondered if watching me was even a mission or was he here because he wanted to. "So you know that girl?" I asked as I thumbed to the waitress.

He frowned slightly. His eyes said that there was a story between the two. "Yeah."

I learned forward in my wooden chair with a smile. "Well, there has to be a story," I said eagerly, waiting to learn more about him.

He sighed as he put down the menu, he was debating whether or not to tell me. "I used to date her in high school. We broke up senior year. I let go but she didn't," he admitted shyly.

I smiled again. "The truth comes out." I picked up the menu again and looked through it, quickly picking out something that looked good to me.

Within minutes the waitress came back and refused to talk to me. She looked at me with a frown then flipped her bleached hair over her shoulder. She giggled as Carter picked his meal and was silent when I picked what I wanted.

The food came out within minutes. As we ate, I convinced him to talk more about his past girl friends. It was mainly me making fun of him. As the night wore on, he realized that he had nothing to make fun of me with so he decided to smear some of his chilly on my cheek. "Opps," he said and smiled.

I frowned, I probably deserved it. But I wasn't going to let him win that easily. "Ha ha very funny Carter," I said whipping it off with my napkin. 

"I guess I missed my mouth," he said and shrugged as he took another bite of his meal.

I took a fry and popped in into my mouth, two could play at this game. "Your mouth is so big, I find it hard for you to miss it," I said and smiled sweetly.

He chuckled, "oh you're going to get it," he said getting ready to smear more chilly on my face.

This escalated quickly. I had to think of something to distract him before this ended as a food fight. "Wait, why don't challenge me in a game of pool," I said looking at the pool table by us.

He put his spoon back in his bowl. Great, I stopped the man from becoming a monster. "Oh you're on. But first let's finish our meal."

I nodded, fair request. "Yeah, but this time try not to miss your mouth."

"It's hard sometimes," he said sarcastically.

We finished diner quickly as pool was our main motivator. When my parents were alive my dad got me into pool. We use to play here sometimes. Back when I started, I was so small I had to use a chair to see over the table but as I grew, so did my skills. Since my parents died though, all the hobbies that I had with them died as well. I hadn't played pool since but I was still pretty sure I could win.

We set up the game and Carter said, "We should play with stakes."

I had a feeling this wasn't going to end well but I didn't want to back out now. "Ok. What are you thinking?"

"How about if I win I get to take you out on a date."

Oh, things just got awkward. Carter was a great guy but I didn't like him like that. He wasn't going to be anything more than a friend. Could he just please move on with his life? "Alright, but I win you have to wear one of my shirts to work." I said and looked up at him and smiled.

"That's not fair. Yours is more risky then mine," he pouted like a child.

I put my hands on my hips with a faint smile. "Then you can change your states," I suggested, hoping that he would.

He thought about it for a second then sighed, "fine, if I win you have to go running down the street in your underwear."

If only I could wipe that smile off his smug little face. Great. I CAN'T lose. "You got yourself a deal," I said regretfully and grabbed a pool cue, sealing my fate.

I looked the table and aimed. I took a deep breath in and let it out slowly like I would before I fired a gun. I pulled back my cue and hit the white ball with force causing two stripped balls to go into one hole. I smiled, maybe I still had it. "Yes!"

"Lucky shot," he mumbled as he set up his turn.

"There wasn't luck involved. It's just me," I said trying to rub it in.

He shot me a look. The next two of his shots got him no where. On his third shot, he got one in. I chuckled a little as I watched him struggle. He glared at me as I set up my turn.

"Hey it's not my fault you're not good," I said raising my hands in act of innocents. I counted the balls I had on the table and smiled. Only two more and I could win this.

"Shut up," he mumbled as he took his turn and got the black ball in one of the holes.

I smiled. I won automatically. "HA! I won! That means you have to wear one of my shirts!" I said with a smirk as I put my cue back on the wall.

"Don't rub it in," Carter said as he looked at the table as if that would make him somehow amazingly win. 

"I want you to wear it tomorrow. Don't worry I'll pick out a good color for you. I think blue would look nice with your hair," I said and smiled as I ruffled his blonde hair lightly.

"Yeah, yeah, Ok," he said putting back his cue on the rack.

I took a step forward, not seeing that the rug I was standing on was folded over. I tripped on it and fell on my face. Totally ruining my moment.

Carter turned around to face me and started cracking up. "Wow, Annalise," he managed to laugh out.

I quickly stood back up. "Yeah yeah, laugh it up."

"I'm sorry, sorry, I just wasn't expecting that," he said after he was done laughing. "Are you always this klutzy?"

There was no hope in hiding the truth. "Sometimes."