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Just being outside in the fresh air had a slight calming effect on Alice. She completely ignored the sight of Jack and Bella and continued on, hoping that they hadn't even notice her brush past them. Unfortunately, Alice did not get very far on her expedition before she felt someone grabbing her arm. She hoped that it was Adam, but the grip was far to light to be his. She turned around only to hear the sound of Skylar's voice.

"Alice wait."

And if I don't really feel like it? Alice decided to keep that thought in her head and hear out whatever Skylar had to say. Surely she was going to ask her not to leave. Claiming that it was much too dangerous for the group to split up and have anyone leave the lakehouse. "What do you think you’re doing? You need to go back to the cabin." No. The only thing that needs to happen is you going back inside and leave me be. Again, another thought better kept inside of Alice's mind. "You’re crazy to think that Adam doesn’t care about you. And I know Cailen still loves you. You need to go back where it’s safe."

This time, Alice decided to stop resisting and actually turn around and speak to Skylar. Even though Skylar had been friends with the group for a while, Alice still felt the need to explain something to her. She found her anger towards Skylar was starting to dissipate into more of an annoyance. Perhaps the fresh air really had done Alice some good.

"I don't think you get it," Alice began, trying to keep her voice as calm and steady as possible to avoid another explosion like the one that had just occurred inside of the lakehouse. "When Adam asked you to hang out... just the two of you. You didn't see the glance he gave me. He purposefully wanted me to feel like I meant nothing to him that he could just... move on. And I guess he succeeded in that, because there is no way I can walk back into house and even... look at him."

Suddenly Alice felt all of the rage she had felt moments before turn into an overwhelming sadness. After everything that had happened that day, having her heart shatter into a million pieces with just one simple glance was the point where she decided that she was just able to take no more. She could handle the fact that they were running away from some dangerous people, there was always the option to call the police. She could handle the fact that she'd been shot at, it didn't look infected and she could always go to the hospital; it wasn't anything fatal. She could handle having to break Cailen's... and her own heart, knowing that eventually it would mend. But adding all of the above plus the latest installment of drama pushed it over the edge.

"Everyone seems to think that Adam loves me just as much as I love him. But if any of you had witnessed the look he gave me. The look of 'I don't need you. I can get any girl I want, see?'... how could someone who cares about me like everyone says do that?" Alice almost felt like crying, but despite how many negative emotions flooded her, there seemed to be nothing left to leave her eyes. "I'm standing here trying to convince myself... maybe he's just upset. Maybe he thought I got back together with Cailen and left him in the dark. But then I wonder why he didn't bother asking me. You want to know what happened in that room? Cailen and I are over. Cailen even gave the green light on Adam and I dating. But anyone and their dog would know that acting right away would be so distasteful. I couldn't even look at Adam when I came back out because it hurt too much to know that I wanted him, that I could probably have him... but that I couldn't act on it."

After Alice finished her rant, she had to stop and ask herself why she just unloaded everything on Skylar. It certainly wasn't as if the girl didn't have her own problems. They were probably standing within earshot of Jack's car where he and Bella were currently talking. That had to be painful for her. Alice felt an enormous pang of guilt. Skylar wasn't to blame for Adam's actions. "Look... I'm sorry I flipped, but I'm not like you. I'm not strong like you. Sure I can handle a shot to the arm and a disease that's going to end up killing me one day - but I can't handle looking at someone that I would have given my heart to, knowing that all they planned on doing was tossing it on the ground and stepping on it."

As soon as the words left her mouth, Alice immediately wanted to take part of them back. A disease that's going to end up killing me one day. Alice had been talking about the HIV but this wasn't something that Skylar was aware of yet, unless Cailen said something. Alice didn't believe that Cailen would say anything about that secret without consulting her first, so this would definitely be news to Skylar. Maybe she thinks it's a relapse, that the transplant didn't end up working long term. If that's what she thinks... I'll let her think that for a while. Alice wasn't ready to tell yet another person about the cruel twist of fate that had befallen both she and Adam. Without another thought on the matter, Alice decided to switch the conversation to a new topic.

"And just as a sidenote... none of us even know if this location is really safe. For all we know, Harrison could be in on everything and be setting us up. If I leave and go call the police from the nearest neighbor that is actually home... I'll probably be safer. I don't want to be a sitting duck. I got shot at once, I don't feel like repeating the experience."

Alice felt her heart begin to race when the one thing that Skylar commented on was the fact that she was sick. She knew immediately after speaking the words that it was a bad idea but it had been a complete case of word vomit. She hadn't even realized what she had said until it was much too late. Now she had a choice, she either told Skylar the truth or she made up a lie. Alice was veering towards the second until she realized the explaining she'd have to do if she were caught. She had spent enough time lying to cover up her night with Adam over the past few weeks - covering up something else about that night was not really sounding that appealing.

"It's... not the sickle cell," Alice admitted, searching her brain for the words that were going to come out of her mouth next, "Maybe we'll talk once all this dust settles. After everything... I just don't.... I didn't even meant to say that out loud."

Alice ended her answer on that note and wondered what exactly was going to happen next. Did she really want to go back inside of the lakehouse and have to face up to everything she didn't want to? She knew that if Adam was really just playing mind games with her that she wasn't going to be able to face him. If he didn't really feel the way that he let on, Alice knew that it was going to be quite a while before she would be able to speak to him again. There was the option of locking herself up in the bedroom and refusing to speak to him until she calmed down....

"Fine," Alice sighed, referring to Skylar's previous statement about going back inside. It was pretty dark out after all and she was in desperate need of just sitting down to relax. I'll go in the morning. I'll have a better chance of seeing anyone trying to sneak up in the daylight.

Without saying another word, not out of contempt, but just not knowing what else there was for her to say, Alice turned around and sulked back in the direction of the lakehouse. Once inside she immediately began to walk in the direction of the room that she was going to sleep in that night. She quickly walked past Cailen and Adam, catching a quick glance to see that Cailen looked confused and Adam... almost looked...sorry for what had happened. She didn't let that stop her and continued to walk in the direction of her destination.

Once inside the bedroom she closed the door behind her. Before flopping down on the bed Alice walked over to where she had dropped her sweater. She silently thanked Skylar for convincing her that she shouldn't go anywhere. Without her sweater it would have gotten quite cold quite fast. Tossing it aside, she made her way to the bed and flopped herself down. This was the first time during the entire day that she had one moment to herself to actually relax; it felt nice. Of course the moment didn't last very long before her thoughts turn back to Adam. What are you going to do if he comes in here and apologizes? Alice had to think about that for a moment before replying to her own mind's question. If that were the case... I'd drag him in here, pin him on the bed, give him a good smack in the face, tell him never to do that again... and then kiss him.

Now... what if he doesn't apologize? What if you really mean nothing to him at all? Shut up. This is relaxation time. I don't want to think about that possibility right now....

Hearing the sound of the closet door opening, Alice quickly turned her head - startled. For a moment her heart skipped a beat unsure of who exactly would be coming out from inside. She was certain that there was no one in the room when she entered it, and of course all Alice could think about was the possibility of it being Alexis. Maybe she had slipped in through an open window when no one was around. I knew this was a set up! I knew it! Now she's going to finish what she ... Adam?! Alice was surprised to see that he was the one who left the closet. Her initial wave of relief was replaced with the same angered emotion that she had felt prior.

"Ally...you probably don‘t want to talk to me right now..." No s**t... Despite the fact that Alice currently had no desire to listen to the words coming out of Adam's mouth - she decided to give him a chance to speak anyway. Perhaps he was actually about to apologize. "Yeah. I should have just f*cking asked you. But Alice, you give me this note. Then leave for a while, and come back avoiding looking me in the eye and being distant."

"Did you ever think that maybe it hurt too much... for me to look you in the eye? Neither of us want to hurt Cailen," Alice interrupted. She wanted to get more of her thoughts in, but Adam continued to speak so she decided to let him finish first. She listened intently as he explained that he hadn't intended on hanging out with Skylar as anything more than friends. When he mentioned that all he thought would happen was a smack in the face, Alice started to contemplate that it wasn't that bad of an idea. Maybe a good slap and he won't pull anything like this again. She told herself she would consider it, but his next line of speech started to melt away what anger she had left.

"I love you Alice, I ******** mean it when I say it, and you should know that I wouldn‘t really have hung out with Skylar like that." After his apology, Alice remained silent unsure of what exactly she wanted to say. She wanted to forgive him right then and there and tell him that everything was okay; everything would work out fine in the end. At the same time, she wanted to keep her distance - her heart still weary of what might happen the next time there were mixed signals between the the two of them. What if this happens again? Am I going to have to constantly explain myself in every single situation to keep myself from hurting him, and then getting hurt myself? Before she was even aware that Adam was in the room, Alice had wanted nothing more for him to come in and apologize for everything. Now that he had done just that Alice wasn't sure if that was going to cut it. She full-heartedly believed that he meant every word that he had spoken. She no longer had doubts about him loving her or not. Somehow Alice found the will to actually get up off of the bed and walk over in Adam's direction.

The thought occurred to her to perhaps give him the slap in the face now that she had previously considered. Alice even raised her arm ever so slightly in attempt at acting on it. Of course, in the end she wasn't able to do it. "I suppose smacking you in the face won't solve anything," Alice attempted to make a joke of the situation to try to lighten the mood. Even despite the fact that she was sure her unease was painted as plain as day all over her face.

"I'm... not too sure what to say," as soon as Alice spoke the words, she realized just how pointless it was for her to say them. Of course she didn't know what to say and surely Adam realized that by the fact that she had been silent. "I forgive you. I suppose I could start with that. But... I guess this is already starting to feel like my relationship with Cailen did and we aren't even dating," Alice began to explain, "like I told you before - being with him, I was constantly wondering if he was going to go back to gambling. Now... I'm wondering if you and I were ever to actually date... would situations like this happen? What happens if there's another miscommunication? Is this how it's going to be?"

Just speaking the words felt like thousands of needles travelling up her throat and exiting, leaving tiny incisions all over her lips. It was definitely sounding like she no longer wanted anything with Adam - but that wasn't entirely the truth. She did still want to give it a try, knowing that neither of them would be able to completely deny their feelings. She was just... scared. Scared would be the best way for her to put it. However Alice knew that she had been scared before especially today. She had stared potential death right in the face and still somehow managed to find the will to move past her fear and fight back. That particular battle wasn't easy and she managed to make it through. Maybe she could do that again.

She took a few steps so that she would be standing closer to where Adam was and took his hand in her own. "I won't make you promise never to do it again. I tried that with Cailen and we all know how badly that went. I just want to make sure I say that right now it's something I can forgive. A second occurrence? I can't be so sure of that. What I am sure of is that...." Alice paused, realizing that the next words out of her mouth were about to be 'I love you'. She knew for certain that was exactly how she felt but it dawned on her that she couldn't remember actually saying the words. Well no wonder he thought I got back with Cailen.... She'd spent the entire day saying that she still loved Cailen and that she didn't want to hurt him. Even though she made it clear to Adam that she had very strong feelings for him, she could not remember actually saying the "L" word. Without giving herself time to over analyze and decide it was a bad idea or not, Alice took a final step closer to him closing whatever gap was left between the two of them. "What I am sure of right now is that I love you," Alice whispered before leaning forward to plant her lips upon his. Everything around them seemed to be insignificant in that moment. For that moment Alice was no longer concerned with the fact that they could potentially all be sitting ducks waiting for the slaughter, she was no longer figuring out how to prevent the suffering of others by denying her own happiness. Knowing that as soon as the kiss ended, everything would come flooding back. She knew that as soon as she took a step back the danger of the situation would return; as soon as she took a step back she would have to go back to worrying about what the others would think. She would have to keep her distance from the person she wanted nothing more than to be with in order to save feelings of others. Alice knew that the moment should end, but she didn't want it to. We're alone right now... there's no harm in being... just a little bit selfish.

Instead of ending the kiss which was probably what Adam was assuming would occur, Alice wrapped one arm around his waist and used her other hand to caress the side of his face and turned what was supposed to be a simple peck into something much more passionate. She allowed her lips to part his for only a mere second so she could speak. "Yes I'm being selfish and yes I know this is such a bad idea... but I don't care right now. I just... I love you." All of a sudden she found her mind flooding with flashbacks of the night that started this entire ordeal. Ignoring the voice in her head that was trying to tell her just how reckless she was being, she motioned herself so that she was now grabbing onto Adam's hand once more - this time, slowly backing up in the direction of the bed that she had just been sitting on not so long ago.