𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐎𝐂𝐈𝐄𝐓𝐘- a labyrinth sequel

𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑

𝐀𝐔𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐀 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐀𝐋𝐋-𝐓𝐎𝐎 𝐅𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐀𝐑 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐅𝐄𝐀𝐑. On most days, it wrapped around her like a suffocating cloak, tightening to the point where it felt as though she could not breathe. It was an ever-present companion, lurking in the corners of her mind, ready to pounce at even the slightest hint of uncertainty. The anxiety she felt most of the time was suffocating, and sometimes it felt like it controlled her. Every time her father was away and the phone rang, she'd suddenly be struck with the overwhelming fear that it was Derek calling, just to tell her that her father wouldn't be coming home. 

To hear Xander say those words to her, only confirming her greatest fears. That something had happened, and there wasn't anything she could do about it. 

"What do you mean?" She choked out. Aurelia barely cried. She'd been the one who was always calm in the most chaotic situations. She was the level-headed one, the one who was always there for everyone else. Lia was supposed to be the one who thought with her head and not her feelings, because that was what she did. Always strong, always understanding. Always there for everyone else but her. "Is he okay? I mean, do you know anything? Who called-"

"Your mom called my dad," Xander interrupted. "She said for me to take you home," he explained. Aurelia didn't need any further explanation. She didn't fight Xander when he took her bag off of her shoulder, complaining about how heavy it was as he walked her back to his car. "I don't know anything else. That's all they told me."

Aurelia shut her eyes and took a deep breath, willing herself to calm down. She needed to get it together. She refused to break down. Not now. Her first priority was getting more information. Xander was so incredibly vague, that maybe she didn't even need to worry. But what if she did? She had no idea about anything that was going on, and she needed to just call someone who could give her even the slightest bit of information- 

"Shit," she muttered out loud, feeling the pockets of her blazer and coming up empty. She reached into her bag and felt around, hoping that she'd somehow find her phone in there, but nothing was there. Which meant it was probably still on her desk in English class, and she'd forgotten to take in while she was hurrying to get out of there. "What's wrong?" Xander questioned, glancing over at her practically turning her bag inside out, hoping it would magically appear. "My phone," she told him. "I left it at school."

"Do you want me to turn back?" He offered, already signalling into the left lane, preparing to turn around when Lia shook her head to stop him. "No, it's fine," she sighed. "I need to talk to my mom. Besides, anyone important would know that if I don't answer the phone, that you're the next best person to call. They'll call you if it's important." She'd her get her phone tomorrow morning, or Xander would, if she decided to go to school at all. 

"Can I borrow yours?" She needed to call her mom, and hopefully catch her before she left, presumably before she got on a flight to go visit her dad. Xander reached into his pant pockets and handed over his cell phone, and Lia dialled her mothers number from memory, and she picked up on the first ring. 

"It's me," she said quietly as soon as she picked up. "Xander told you-" Her mother started, her voice cracking halfway through the sentence. "He told me something happened, but he doesn't know anything else. What happened?" She demanded, trying to stay calm. Her mom was clearly frantic right now, and it was her job to stay strong and be there for her. Someone had to be. 

"I don't- I haven't been told all of the details, but Emily called, and she said he'd been shot," her mom's voice cracked on that last part, and Aurelia felt her entire body seize up. Of course her father got hurt, it was apart of his job. She'd been here so many times before, and it never got any easier. "I don't know what kind of state he's in. They said he was brought into surgery before they called, but we won't know for a few hours. Seb's letting me fly out there now, so someone's there when he wakes up."