Hallelujah

chapter fifty-four

I woke up in the front seat of the car and blinked the sleepiness out of my eyes. I looked around and found myself in a Starbucks parking lot. Josh was nowhere in sight and I was uncomfortable in my seat. My legs were cramped from sleeping in the car and my body needed to walk around. I reached for the handle to the door but when tried to open it, it was locked. I felt myself starting to panic but tried to remain cool. I pushed on the handle again but it wouldn't budge. My heartbeat started speeding up and I was shaking the handle now. I started banging on the window and I started to cry as well.

After about a five minute panic the driver's side door swung up and Josh got in. I was panting and out of breath by now, not to mention I was still crying.

"Whoa Alex are you okay?" he asked frantically. He set down two cups of coffee and grabbed my hands.

"The doors were locked and I was just freaking out because I didn't know where you were and I overreacted I'm sorry," I said quietly.

"Holy crap, I'm so sorry, I forgot the doors to my car are fucked up to where you can't unlock them from the inside! I'm so sorry Alex oh my god," he said pulling me into a hug.

"It's okay, I'm okay," I said quietly. We sat in silence while Josh situated himself in his seat.

"Shit I forgot straws, I'll be right back!" he said getting out of the car and running back inside.

His phone dinged and my curious self, looked over to see who was texting him. It was a text from a number without a name and the context of the text made my heart sink.

Unknown: You can bring her now

I quickly looked away and shifted uncomfortably in my seat. Josh got back in and handed me a straw. I put it in my drink and sipped away slowly. He pulled out of the parking lot and started driving down the highway. We weren't headed towards home and I felt myself on the verge of another panic attack. I tried my best to keep calm but eventually I started shaking.

"Hey Josh can you pull over at this gas station? I really need to pee," I said nervously. Josh nodded kindly and pulled off at the exit. "I'll be right back."

I walked into the gas station and locked myself in a stall. I took a few deep breathes then called Ryan.

"Hello? Alex? Are you okay? What's going on?" he asked frantically.

"Ryan I need you to come get me right now please. I was with Josh and while he was getting starbucks a random number texted him telling him that he could bring me over now and I don't know who it was ad I don't know where we're going. Ryan I'm scared you were right, I can't do this please."

"Alex stop. Take a few deep breathes. You need to go back into the car and just go along with it okay?" he said.

"Ryan are you fucking crazy? I can't do that!" I said scared.

"Yes you can, if anything goes even a little wrong text me the letter K and I'll be there in 10 minutes flat." Ryan really knew how to make me feel better when I was in tough situations but I gotta admit he was acting crazy right now.

"How will you know where I am?"

"Remember when I came into the bathroom while you were showering at Brendon's? I put a tracker on your phone," he explained. "Now Alex you go back out to the car and go with him. Text me updates. I love you be safe."

"I love you too," I said. I hung up my phone and walked back out to the car. I slid into the passenger seat and smiled at him. "Thanks," I mumbled.

"Anything for you," he said giving me a light kiss on the cheek. I shivered a bit at the kiss but quickly shook it off.

"So where are we going?"

"I'm taking you to meet someone!" he said excitedly.

I nodded and continued looking out the window. The ride to where ever we were going wasn't too long but it felt like forever. We came to a small neighborhood where some houses looked extremely run down. I felt my heart beat speeding up again and Josh pulled into a driveway.

"I'll be right back!" Josh walked out of the car and rang the doorbell of the house in front of us. I looked around the neighborhood anxiously and bit my lip while trying to keep my cool.

The door on my side of the car swung open and a man in his mid-30's grabbed my arm and pulled me out. I immediately let out a scream and felt tears rushing down my face.

Josh ran from the door step to where I was and pulled me into a hug.

"You've got a loud one there," the older man said. I peeled myself out of Josh's grip and backed up.

"Who is he!?" I screamed.

"Alex, calm down. This is my dad," Josh said calmly.

"D-Dad?" I stuttered.

"That is what he calls me!" the man said. "Sorry for scaring you there I just wanted to give you the big warm Dun welcome!"

"Um, it's um, it's okay," I said nervously.

"Josh has been talking about you quite a bit lately so I told him he should bring you over and introduce me to the most beautiful girl he's ever known," he said smiling. "I don't mean any harm. What do you say we start over?"

I nodded and smiled slightly at the both of them.

"Dad, this is Alex. Alex, this is my dad," Josh said introducing us.

"Nice to finally meet you Alex," he said. He opened his arms for a hug and I didn't reject it. Josh's dad's hugs reminded me a lot of how my dad's hugs used to be. I felt myself starting to calm down more and I grabbed Josh's hand with mine.

"Let's go inside I'll show you around!" Josh said guiding me through the door.