The Chapter Where A Girl Is Banished To An Island

Leaving was for the best. Liane knew it.

As Sai led Liane away, never to see Claire again, he said, “I’ve picked out a place for you. It’s on the beach of a tropical island. It’s picturesque and backs up to a rainforest. I promise you’ll love it.”

Liane stopped. It sounded perfect. She knew he was right, she probably would love it, but she doubted she would be able to enjoy it.

Sai stopped when he noticed Liane wasn’t following. “This way. I’ve got a plane waiting outside. Or are you having doubts? I could let you say goodbye if it helps.”

“No.” Liane tried to follow Sai. “That’s not it.” She tried again to move forward, but it was no use. “I’m stuck. I can’t move my arm.”

“Stuck? You’re not stuck. I would know if—” Sai turned on Aurelia. She was watching from where they had left her with a knowing grin on her face. “Aurelia, what did you do? Wait, where is Claire?”

Aurelia’s grin grew wider. Sai scowled and snapped. The mall instantly returned in full force. Liane’s free hand shot to her ear. After being in the silent empty space, the mall was suddenly deafening and the crowd felt like it was choking her. Sai waved a hand and the ghosts vanished again, but unlike before, it wasn’t completely silent.

Liane winced. Without the crowd overwhelming her, she realized something was locked painfully on her wrist. She looked and found herself face to face with Claire. Her hand was clamped around Liane’s wrist in a death grip.

“Got you,” Claire said.

Liane tugged at her arm, but Claire didn’t budge.

“Aurelia told me you're trying to disappear forever, but I won’t let you go so easily,” Claire said.

“Aurelia!” Liane and Sai said at once.

“What happened to it being my decision?” Liane asked.

“As a System AI, I’m required to respect your decision,” Aurelia said, “but Claire doesn’t have to.”

Claire tugged on Liane’s arm, forcing her to look her way. “Why are you trying to disappear?”

Liane looked away. “It’s for the best.”

“Says who? It’s not best for me.”

“Dang it all. Aurelia, what did you do?” Sai demanded. “Why can’t I access Claire’s Second Sight?”

Aurelia shrugged. Sai growled at her. In Claire’s other hand, Liane noticed she was holding CP1 and keeping it behind her back where Sai couldn’t see it.

“She has CP1 in her other hand,” Liane said.

“Liane!” Claire and Aurelia exclaimed.

“Not that drone again,” Sai moaned. “You used that to shield her from me, so she could sneak up on Liane? Know when you’re beat, Aurelia.”

“My programming prevents me from giving up,” Aurelia said.

Sai groaned and turned his attention to Claire. “Claire, put the drone down and release Liane.”

“Not a chance!” Claire hissed. “Who the heck are you? The one trying to take Liane away? Try it if you can! I’m never letting go!”

“Claire, please. You have to let me go,” Liane said.

“No!”

“Claire, you have to.”

“Never! Even if you make me let go of your arm, I'll never let you go. I'll look for you, and I won't give up until I find you.”

Liane didn’t know what to say. If she disappeared now, would Claire really spend the rest of her life searching for her, wasting her life in the process?

“You… you wouldn’t,” Liane said.

“Yes I would. Please, Liane. I need you. Please don’t leave me,” Claire begged.

“You don’t need me. You have your farm, Adélie and Gaston, the Demisphere.”

“It’s not complete without you.”

“Why? If you want a human to share it with, Aurelia can find you one.”

“I don’t want to share it with just anyone. I want to share it with you.”

“I don’t understand! Why can’t you let me go?”

Claire suddenly pulled her close. Off balance and taken by surprise, she couldn’t stop Claire. Their lips touched for the briefest moment before Liane shoved her away. Claire’s vice grip pulled on Liane’s arm painfully, but it was the least of her concerns.

Liane’s hand clamped over her mouth. She was horrified with herself. Now she understood. Claire would follow her. She would look for her until she found her. Because Claire was in love with her. What had she done? How had she not noticed?

She looked at Claire. Her heartbroken expression cut straight to Liane’s soul.

“Why? I thought… Don’t you like me?” Claire asked.

Liane’s nails dug into her palms. She couldn’t let Claire follow her. She couldn’t let this charade go any further. “No. I don’t like you. I hate you.”

Claire looked taken aback, but quickly recomposed herself. “Liar!”

“It’s true!”

“I don’t believe you. Not when saying that makes you have such a pained expression.”

Liane turned her face away. Was there nothing she could say to get Claire to let her go? No, she already knew what to say. She just didn’t want to.

Liane gave a half-hearted tug on her arm. “Please let go, Claire.”

“No.”

“Just forget about me.”

“No.”

“Don’t you get it? It’s me Claire! It’s Liam, your dad.”

Claire stared, then she smirked. “You’ll need a better lie than—”

“It’s not a lie. Aurelia helped me get this new body so we could circumvent the System’s restraining order and I could see you again. It’s been me all along.”

“You’re lying,” Claire whispered.

“Not this time.”

Claire looked to Aurelia. She nodded without meeting her eye. Her gaze turned to Sai.

“I’m sorry,” he said.

Claire didn't move. She didn't blink. Liane’s arm slipped from her hand. Liane’s wrist was bruised where Claire had held on to her.

Liane opened her mouth to speak, but Claire beat her to it.

“Die.”

Liane’s heart staggered.

“I never want to see you again!” Claire cried.

She dropped CP1 then disappeared.

Sai was by Liane’s side in an instant. “It’s time to go,” he said.

Liane didn’t argue. She followed Sai out of the mall. A plane was waiting, as he had said. She walked on and sat down. She stared at a blank spot on the wall for a long time. Eventually, Sai sat next to her.

“I know it hurts now, but everything will be alright. When humans get upset, they often say things they don’t mean. Claire—”

“No,” Liane interrupted without taking her gaze from the wall. “I had just explained to Claire what happened when she said that the first time. She knew what she was saying. This time she meant it. She never wants to see me again.”

Sai tried to comfort her, but she tuned him out. Eventually, he gave up.

They flew for hours. Liane didn’t move until a drone told her they had arrived. She walked off the plane onto a beach. There was only one house, lifted on stilts and backing up to a green jungle, there was no mistaking it was for her. She went inside and found her bed. It looked comfortable, more comfortable than she deserved. She curled into a ball on the floor and sobbed.