Abduction

31: Pleading

We sat down on one of the park benches and didn't speak. I knew he was upset with me because I had been pushing him away and blamed him for the incident at school with Jacob last week. I continued to shiver from the cold night air, when he noticed he put his arm around me and pulled me closer to him.

"I'm sorry." I mumbled as I put my head into his chest.

He ran his fingers through my hair and sighed, "Can you tell me what's going on? I'm just so damn confused."

"It's just been so confusing. Whenever I feel like I'm figuring out this new life, a curveball gets thrown at me. Everyone seems to be against me now, and I have no one but myself to blame. Jacob and Steve won't even speak to me, Annette is too ashamed to talk, Elizabeth is angry about everything, you're distant because I have been pushing you away, Becca is ignoring me because of the stunt I pulled going to Mike and Lisa's motel, and-" I began to explain before he cut me off.

"What," he questioned as he pushed me off of him and looked me in the eyes,"you never told me about that."

Shoot. I forgot he didn't know I went there.

"Oh, right. Um, I met up with Mike the night that everything went down. I stole some of his things for a paternity test. Annette doesn't know though. That's why I got grounded."

"You told me you were grounded because you sassed her about the Steve thing." Josh frowned. I shook my head and looked down in shame. He told me, "You have to stop lying and hiding things from me if you want this relationship to work."

I nodded and hugged him, "I really am sorry. I just don't want to burden you. There's so much going on."

"Hey, it's part of my job description to be here for you through everything." He joked as he shoved my shoulder.

I laughed and confessed, "I really miss Jake."

"Why don't you just go see him then?" He asked, clearly confused.

My eyes widened, "Wait, you've been talking to him?"

"Well, yeah. I've been hanging with him a few times this week." He replied.

I jumped up from the bench, "You what? You have to take me there. They won't answer us, we haven't even known where they've been."

"Okay, lets go." He smiled.

---

On the way, Josh explained they had rented out a two bedroom apartment. It came pre-furnished, ready to live in. They were leasing by the month so they could leave any time. That was good news at least, it meant they weren't intending to leave permanently.

Apartment #321. That's where they had been staying. I felt uneasy at the sight of their door. I didn't even know what I wanted to say to them.

Josh knocked hardly on the door and a few moments later, Jacob answered it.

"What's she doing here?"

Those were his first words when he saw me. It hurt knowing he wasn't happy to see me.

Josh crossed his arms, "She's your sister, dude. You need to drop this whole tough guy thing."

"Maybe she isn't." He commented. That stung.

I frowned, "Jake, regardless of who is actually my biological father, we still have the same mother. That makes us half siblings at least."

"Listen, I don't really want to talk to you. I think you should just leave." He told me as he began to shut the door.

I took a leap of faith and stuck my foot in the doorway, "No. This is ridiculous. I love you, J. You're my brother, I'm your sister, Steve is my dad, that's it."

"Let her in, bud." Steve's voice boomed from behind Jacob. He sighed and pulled the door completely open, motioning for me to come into their apartment.

Steve looked different. He hadn't shaved, so he had awkward stubble on his face, he was wearing some stained T-shirt and sweatpants, overall just had a sad vibe.

I walked over to him and smiled lightly, "Hey."

"What're you doing here?" He asked getting straight to the point.

I sat down on the couch next to his recliner, "I really miss you guys."

"I miss you and Elizabeth too." He responded.

I frowned, "Please just come home. Talk this out with Annette. You two love each other and we need you guys."

He cackled, "Need us? If she needed me this wouldn't be happening in the first place."

"There's more to the story you don't know." I argued.

"All i need to know is that your mother cheated on me and the girl's i thought to be my daughters aren't even mine." He concluded.

Without thinking, I blurted out, "I got a paternity test."

All eyes landed on me. No one said a word. I couldn't even imagine what was going through their minds right now.

"With Mike? How on Earth did you get his DNA? Did you see him?" Steve worried.

I sighed, "Listen, just come home with me and I'll explain everything. Annette doesn't know about it yet so I need to tell her too."

Steve looked over and Jacob, who nodded before telling me, "Okay. I'll go back home with you."

Question for the Reader: Who is your favorite character so far?