She didn't leave her room and she didn't leave her bed.

She couldn't close her eyes without seeing Cillian standing before her covered in blood with a bloody cigarette in hand and hazy smoke clouding her sight.

Her phone hadn't rung, and her parents hadn't pressed her. No one was a bother, and that's what worried her. Taro was still radio silent and Cillian hadn't be heard from since their little visit.

With her thoughts rampaging through her mind and her curiosity growing with each passing second, she couldn't just stay in bed. She had read an article by the same woman who dared step foot into her house. She saw that Cillian's silent trial was approaching. If he was found guilty based on the miniscule amount of evidence they had on him... She shook her head, she didn't want to think of that. But then, no witnesses had come forth and his word was the only thing he had as any proof... there was no word of evidence found pointed towards Cillian don't anything other than having his prints on Owen's belongings that were found at the crime scene, so there might be hope yet.

What are you saying? He could be a cold blooded killer! She shook away her negative thoughts. She shoved away her sheets and jumped off the bed. "I need to know more. "

~ ~ ~

Several hours of internet surfing and reading and fake articles and hate blogs and facebook tirades, Arlo pushed herself away from the computer. "This is stressful." she pinched the bridge of her nose as she took a deep breath. Nothing says Cillian is innocent, but no certain proof shows he's guilty. "The hell do I believe?" her cell vibrated on the desk and she arched her eyebrow. She checked the time 1:02 pm. Huh, she hadn't eaten breakfast. Her cell continued vibrating until she picked up her phone to see Cillian's name on the screen.

Her blood went cold for just a second. She had forgotten she had given him her number after meeting him for a little while and now he was calling. She watched the cell rang, deciding whether to answer or not.

She slid the green button just before it stopped and put the phone to her ear.

She didn't speak a word of greeting, instead she just waited. Maybe he'd hang up if she didn't speak. "Arlo? I know you're there... but if you're not ready to speak with me, then I won't bother you again."

Her eyes widened and her panic slapped her back to her senses. "C—Cillian wait!"

"Oh, you're not playing silent then?"

"No... I just didn't know what to say."

"What did you plan to say?" he waited as she thought.

"I... I want to know the truth." there was a pause on his end as he held the phone right in his hand. "Cillian, I don't want to be in the dark about you anymore. All these things that I've read about you are scary and I just don't feel like I know you... please just tell me."

"I'll only speak with you in person. Expect a reply from me soon." the call cut off and the deafening tone rang in her ear as her whole being shook.

She stood from the chair and grabbed her towel and ran into the bathroom. When she finished she grabbed a black cross body bag, a towel and threw it to the bed. She pulled open her drawers and changed into a swimsuit. She put on a black short pants, a tank top and took an extra one and shoved it into her bag. She took her cell and her purse and put those into her bag as well. She pushed her feet into her flip flops and grabbed her things and headed for downstairs.

She got as far as the front door then a voice stopped her. "Arlo, where are you going?" her dad walked out from the kitchen with a towel in hand and flour over the apron tied around his waist and in his think red hair. "There's flour," she made a gesture to her hair, yeah, just the front."

"Thank you, where are you headed?"

"I felt like going for a swim."

"We have a pool."

"Yeah, I know."

He arched his brow suspiciously and swung the towel over his shoulder. "Then where are you going?"

She took a deep breath and thought for a second. "I'm going to the lake. I just wanted to be alone... Can't I go?" her father looked at her for a second longer then nodded unexpectedly. It kind of surprised her, but she didn't let it show.

"Okay, but I better receive a call from you every hour, or at least a text. She smiled and nodded.

"Thank you dad." she fixed her bag on her shoulder then took her keys and opened the door.

"Teenagers." he said shaking his head.

~ ~ ~

Arlo began her walk to the lake a good distance from her house. While she walked she pulled out her phone to text Cillian and ask him to join her.

He agreed and she slide her phone back into her pocket. This walk gave her time to think, she also had to make sure no one was following her, because she didn't trust that nosy out of place reporter.

The road was empty and the cars parked in the area where all cars belonged to her distant neighbors. She sighed at how suddenly her life had changed.

Cillian entering her world had made it difficult to go about her regular programed schedule. Taro hadn't made contact with her and she didn't feel like telling her about this secret meeting until they were face to face. Taro could be a bit judgmental and could jump ahead of herself sometimes.

She hoped that she was doing something right and that she wasn't getting herself tangled in a lie where Cillian was the liar, and she was the unsuspecting victim.

The tree line of the Bick Mills Woods began as she walked the path she remembered taking with Taro as kids. Her wind was cool and refreshing. Her skin felt alive with the forest. She smiled and walked on until she spotted the footpath and took a right turn. The lake was as beautiful as she remembered.

The lush greenery that surrounded the large lake like a protective barrier and the clear waters of the lake were a welcoming hello, it was as if she had never said goodbye.

She took it the blanket she brought and opened it on a flat patch of grass and sat down with her bag. She leaned back on her hands and watched the calm water. The wind blew and then a few leaves fell from the tree and dropped into the water making rings that spread out over the surface of the lake. She smiled at the serenity of being there.

She took out her cell and saw a text from Cillian. "I'm on my way." the time it was sent was a few minutes ago so he might be close. She left it marked as read but didn't reply, instead she looked around and thought to herself, that this forest is the one Cillian was named after. She bit back the uneasy feeling in her gut and tried to think of something else.

She laid back, her eyes slipping shut, her world moving on its own, the forest alive around her, the birds making merriment in the skies and the silence of the wilderness enveloping her. Just as her mind was at ease a branch cracked. Arlo sat up with lightning speed and whipped about, she grabbed a branch that she had found on the way up and held it like a gun towards the brushes where she came.

It rustled and her heart constricted. "Whoa!" wide blue eyes stared at her as she made an attempt to swing the branch only to stop when she saw it was Cillian. "I didn't mean to startle you."

She didn't reply, her nerves too jumpy to calm down. "Can you put the stick down, now?"

"Can I?" she asked, her eyes burnt as her grip tightened. "Am I safe with you?" his eyes looked back into hers and she held the branch to his chest. "Am I safe with you?" she repeated.

"I don't know. There have been people who want to harm me for the alleged murder. I don't know whatsafe is anymore Arlo... but you can trust that I won't let you get hurt because of me."

She took a second to take in his words and exclaimed in frustration and flung her arm out, sending the branch off into the bushes. The tears that she held back burnt as they left her eyes. Cillian hesitantly stepped towards her and slowly held her shoulders as he pulled her against him. She heaved out and gripped at his hoodie as she wept.

"I'm so sorry. Thi—this is just all so surreal." she cried into his hoodie as he rubbed his hand over her back.

"I know. I'm sorry that I got you involved with my mess." her sobbing subsided and she shook her head. She looked up at Cillian. Brown eyes joining with blue eyes as he reached down and brushed away a few curls from her face.

"You're so divine. A girl as special as you shouldn't have tears in her eyes. I'm sorry."

The hue of her cheeks changed and the brightness in his eyes grew. She looked away and he smiled, they were two very different humans from both very different lives but together something felt right, he felt right and she was right.

"Come on, let's sit. I'll tell you anything you want to know."

She bit her lip. "Owen? He didn't look away when her eyes begged.

"The whole story is complicated Arlo. I'm under strict orders to not disclose any of it to the general public... even you. I can't afford for anything to get out. My lawyer is very serious about this and my sister isn't so sure about you." he stopped then took her hand in his and guided her to the towel "Sit." he waited for her to go first and then he did too.

His attire was different, he was in a gray sweat suit and black converse, his hair in a small bun ontop of his head and his neck tattoos were on full display with the vest he wore underneath his hoodie. "I've never seen you without suspenders and a jacket." he chuckled and his dimples showed.

"You're seeing the real me." his smile fell, "slightly. "Arlo, I'm not a social person, I don't make friends easy and because of my parents and their criminal nature, a lot of people didn't want their kids around me..." he looked off towards the lake then looked back, "Owen was different... he didn't let anyone change his mind. He became my friend after seeing some kids bullying me, and he never left my side. We were inseparable." he stopped, and sighed. Arlo wanted to stop him, to tell him to not go through this, but some part of her kept her from telling him to stop talking.

"He made me come out of my shell, his parents believed that I was a good kid who was unlucky and they welcomed me in, they took care of me while my parents were running from the law. I don't—I don't know why people just wanted to hate me, but they did and I couldn't tell them otherwise. Owen was outgoing and he was the reason why I wasn't dead." she gripped his hand and he smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. "He saved me from myself. He was the only human being in my life to ever love me and be there for me no matter what." he closed his eyes. "I can't tell you anything more without you being witness to my statement. I'm sorry."

She leaned against his shoulder. "It's okay. I believe you."

"His memorial is two days from today. I was invited, but I don't want to show up alone."

"Are you asking me to come with you?"

"If I were, would you say no?"

She shook her head. "Maybe, but my parents might say otherwise... my mom is a lawyer." she looked at their hands folded together, and smiled. "Alana Gage-August."

"I've heard her name before. I heard she's quite powerful."

"Yeah, she's scary when she's in the court." her head was telling her something, but she didn't want it to be true, so she brushed it off. Her mother worked as a defense lawyer in criminal cases in a private law firm, she defended those who were charged with crimes, but were innocent or wrongly accused.

"So... anything else you wanna ask."

"I have a million more questions for you mister... but a few I can't ask." he chuckled.

"The sun is bright, so proceed."