Mesmerized

backpack and tossed in some clothes, cash, and the bankcard her father had given her.
     She called Jake. "The cops came for me, but I got out of it for now. I need to go. I'll contact you when I can." 
    "Wait for me. I'm going with you."
    "Jake, you can't leave for me." 
    "Of course I can. I'm on my way. There is nothing holding me here."
    "Okay. Thank you." Lily hit the ‘end’ button on the phone and held it in her hand for a minute. She was surprised that Jake wanted to go with her, but she certainly didn’t mind.
     
    For the first time in her life, Lily was really scared. Sure, there had been times when boys kissed her and passed out, but never something like this. Her eyelids burned with unshed tears. She didn’t like being this way. She didn’t want any of this.
    It wasn’t Ben’s fault either. He couldn’t help himself. But, why did he have to push himself on her twice. She was sure that’s what landed him in the hospital. Being exposed twice and the open mouth kiss. 
    Her mind drifted to Hannah. She hated to leave her. She’d text her when they were safely far away.
    “Lily?” Jake’s voice whispered on the other side of the door.
    She flung the door open and threw her arms around Jake. “I’m so scared.”
    “It’s okay. I’m here.” He held her tightly for a minute. “We should go.” He looked up and down the hallway quickly to make sure nobody was coming. Grabbing Lily’s hand, he led her out of the dorm. 
    They hurried across campus and into the woods nearby. Twigs crunched beneath their feet. Thankfully, the moon lit their path. She was glad Jake was with her. She would have been terrified running on her own. 
    “What are we gonna do, Jake?” Lily asked, her voice filled with panic. 
    “You told me your parents have some pull, right?”
    “Yeah, I guess.”
    “Let their lawyers handle it. Or let your mother handle it her way. In the meantime, we’ll stay out of sight. I'm used to moving around unnoticed.”
    “How far do you think it is to town?”
    “Another hour on foot. Then we’ll have to get a car and get out of the area.”
    Jake continued to lead Lily through the woods. Her legs were burning from the hills. Finally, she heard cars. Relief flooded through her—the road must be close. Five minutes later, they saw headlights. They stayed hidden behind the tree line as they followed the road. Shortly after, they came to a shopping center. 
    “You’re able to compel people, right?” Jake asked.
    Lily nodded. “I haven’t done it often, at least not knowingly."
    “You need to right now. Go tell someone to let us borrow their car.”
    Lily swallowed hard.  She didn't think it was right to manipulate people. But, she knew they didn’t have many options right now. She saw a man getting out of a dark-colored Honda Accord. She walked up to him, looked him right in the eyes, and said, “Excuse me."
    The man turned and looked her up and down. 
    "You will let me borrow your car. You will not report it stolen.” She didn't let her stare waiver. 
    “Of course, Miss.” He handed Lily the keys and walked into the store. 
    Lily was almost proud of herself. If the deed hadn’t been so sneaky, she would have been. She waved to Jake, who came sprinting out and she handed him the keys. “I’m too shaky to drive.”
    Jake took them and they got in the car. He started it up and headed south. He glanced over at Lily. She was biting on her fingers and her knee was bouncing up and down. “You okay?”
    “Mhmm.”
    He drove the speed limit so no cops would have reason to pull them over, and got to the next city a couple hours later. Parking the car at a mall, he wiped away their fingerprints. Then he grabbed Lily’s hand and they walked to a motel. “Lily?”
    She looked up and met his eyes. “Yeah?”
    “I need you to do the same thing to the clerk. Get us a room for the night. I don't have enough cash on me.”
    “I have a bankcard.”
    “We can’t use that. They’ll trace it.”
    “Oh.” She nodded and went inside.
    Jake could tell that she was very uncomfortable using her powers like this. He hated making her do so, but his money wasn’t close by. It would take a day to get to it.
    Lily emerged from the motel with a keycard in her hand. “103.”
    They walked into the motel room, which was dim, dreary, and smelled stale. It wasn’t anything like what Lily’s parents would stay in. Jake pulled the curtains shut.
    “What are we going to do