Reason to be - Harry Styles ✓

51. Final truth

I shrugged and took a few steps back, while getting my phone out of my pocket. I may have let April go, but I was done being a marionette in Management's hands. This time, I knew what I had to do.

When she picked up, her voice didn't sound tired at all, which made me wonder if she had remained where our last concert took place, in Sankt Petersburg, or if she had ran away as soon as I got out of the picture. But that wasn't important. I cleared my throat, knowing that she would agree with what I was about to say as much as I did.

"Melanie? It's time."

April's POV

"WAKE UP!"

I let out a shriek before I found myself falling off my bed and on the floor. My blanket also followed me, landing on my head and leaving me blind to the attack started against me.

"Are you up?" Liz asked, jumping on me and shaking my shoulders. I dragged the blanket off my face and stared at her with annoyance.

"Apparently." I croaked, struggling to release myself. Eventually, she let me crawl further, watching me with a big, psychotic grin.

"Happy birthday!" she beamed, watching me as I sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Thanks." I said sarcastically, before letting my head fall back on the pillow. "Now, good night."

Suddenly, the pillow disappeared from under my head and kicked me, as I fell flat on the mattress. I screamed, trying to fight Liz attempts of hitting me with my pillow, but she succeeded in making me fall off my bed again.

"It's noon, April. You can't waste your eighteenth birthday in bed."

"Yes, I can. It's my birthday." I pointed out, attempting to crawl back up until the pillow hit me again, "Stop that!"

"Your late breakfast is ready. If you don't come downstairs in five minutes, I swear I'll come and drag you on the stairs." Liz threatened, ignoring my protests and leaving me alone in my room.

I sighed, not even bothering to go to the bathroom or change my pyjamas. As I obediently made my way out of my room and down the stairs, I was surprised to hear a knock at the front door. I narrowed my eyes and, going to open the door, I was shocked to see the last man I expected standing on my doorstep.

"Mr. Andrews!" I exclaimed, just before he dragged me out of the house and closed the door after me. Why was everyone so brutal today?

"I got what you asked for." he whispered with a serious tone, handing me a brown envelope. Then, I understood,

"Oh. Thank you, I appreciate it." I murmured, looking at him nervously.

I waited for him to leave, but he looked at me in expectancy, so I narrowed my confused eyes at him. Until I remembered.

"Right, um, wait a second." I mumbled, turning around to enter the house. I hurried to the drawer where my grandma used to keep some things that belonged to my mother, such as clothes, books and other small things, where I ironically decided to deposit the big pile of money I got in possession of recently. Her money. I quickly grabbed the amount I needed and closed the drawer, when I heard a loud voice calling me from the kitchen;

"April? Who was at the door?" Liz asked and I froze, but soon I recomposed myself.

"Just someone trying to sell some sort of a hair product. I'll get rid of them." I shouted back, immediately feeling like slapping myself. Hair product? Really?

I went outside and gave the money to the man waiting for me. He counted them quickly before turning around leaving as soon as he came, leaving me there all alone in the cold winter air. But even with the protests of my shivers, I stood there, opening the envelope and revealing the papers I had asked a private detective to get for me. They were copies of hospital files, ones that belonged to my mother on the day she gave birth to me. Recommendations. State. Allergies. And then, there was one paragraph which was highlighted. I read it, already knowing what it would say, but I couldn't help trembling even more as my eyes scanned that one paragraph over and over again.