her.

Chapter Seventeen; Thank U, Next

I dialed the number again, hoping for some sort of change. Praying that she'd answer. But like last time, my call was sent to voicemail. I groaned as I waited for her voicemail to finish giving me the prompt for leaving a message. I've listened to this a lot over the past couple of days. I was going to leave her another message. Probably one of a hundred. (I was more than over exaggerating) 

I sniffled just as the beep sounded then cleared my throat. "Shyla, please." I pleaded into the phone. "I need to hear and see that you're ok. Please call me back or come to my house. Please." I closed my eyes before telling her another quick please and hung the phone up. I sat my phone on the bed beside me and let out a sigh, rubbing my eyes.

"She still hasn't answered?" Tyler asked me from behind me. He was sitting on the other side of my bed, making calls seeing if anyone has seen her or anything. But so far, no one has seen her. It's like she disappeared again. I really hope she didn't run away. I can't lose her again. But I think that's exactly what is happening. She's always running and I fucking hate it. I just want her to be by my side, I want to help her through her hard times and struggles but she's being difficult. 

It's been a couple of weeks since I had last seen her. It was at her mother's funeral. She didn't talk much during the funeral or after the funeral. During the repass and everything of that sort. I don't blame her. She was going through a lot and she was processing it all. Everyone processes things differently, I know. But I need to make sure she's ok.

"No," I grumbled finally answering Tyler's stupid ass question. I had just left her a message telling her to call me back when she gets this message, so obviously I wasn't talking to her. Obviously, she didn't answer. Sometimes I wonder why Tyler and I are friends. This bitch is stupid as fuck. 

"Why are you acting like that?" Tyler asked I knew he was staring at me like I was crazy but I didn't care. All I really cared about right now was finding Shyla and making sure she was ok and everything. 

"She's missing again and all I want is for her to be safe. I think I have every right to sit here and act like this." 

"You're acting like an old married couple." Tyler pointed out, just as someone came down the steps. They were running pretty fast so I know it wasn't my mother or father so it left Nick or anyone else. And knowing who was allowed in the house and all that shit, I knew it left Natyra. 

"Hey, loves," she said, confirming my thoughts. I felt her sit on the other end of my bed and plop something down beside her. More than likely a book or something but I didn't feel like looking up to figure out what it was.

"Hey." Tyler greeted while I didn't say anything. Not wanting to talk anymore, I just kept my head down. 

"Someone's upset," Natyra said in a quiet voice like she didn't want me to hear her but I heard her. I didn't say anything about it, since like I mentioned before, I don't feel like talking right now. I'm not in the mood and I still don't know if Shyla is ok. All I want to do is to make sure she was ok. The last time we didn't speak, she told me she cut herself. I don't want that to happen ever again. 

"Fuck off," I told her as I stood, walking to the bathroom. I slammed the door behind me and sighed before turning the shower on and got ready to take one. As I was about to hop in, I heard a phone ring outside the door but ignored it, just wanting to get in the shower and wash away my pain/worries. But I wouldn't have washed it all away since I still don't know if Shyla is ok or not. 

I stepped in the shower and let the water wash over me. Relaxing my muscles and relaxing me somewhat. Then I let the water run across my face. A couple of seconds later, I heard the bathroom door open. I backed away from the water slightly and looked towards the door. "Your phone was ringing so I answered it." I heard Tyler say. I furrowed my eyebrows and pulled the shower curtain back slightly, just enough so I could see Tyler and Tyler could see my face. 

"Who is it?" I asked. 

"Just put the phone to your ear and say hello."

"My fucking ear is wet, asshole." I snapped at him. He rolled his eyes before putting the phone on speaker. He motioned for me to say something before leaving the bathroom, closing the door behind him. 

"Hello?" I answered with a sigh, playing with the water a little bit as I waited for the person on the other end of the phone to answer or something. 

"Noah," I heard a soft voice say making me stop playing with the water and look back at my phone. "Are you there?" I heard her ask. I turned the shower off, drying my hands off quickly then grabbed the phone, putting it to my ear. 

"Yeah, I'm here," I told her, hesitantly, holding onto the phone for dear life as I waited for her to say something else or anything at all. I needed to hear her voice some more. I haven't heard it in a while and just hearing it was making my day a whole lot better. 

"I miss you," she whispered into the phone. 

"I miss you too, Shyla." I heard her sniffle and sob quietly, but still loud enough for me to hear her. "If you come back, we wouldn't be missing each other." I scolded her, jokingly. 

"I can't come back," she said quietly. 

"Why not?" I asked. 

"Because I can't." 

"Shyla." I pleaded, the vulnerability laced in my voice. I know she could hear it.

"I'm sorry, Noah. I'm really sorry." 

"Shyla, please. Please come back."

"I'm ok," she told me with another sniffle. "You said you just needed to make sure I'm ok, and I'm calling to tell you that I'm ok. So you can hear my voice like you asked for." 

"I also asked to see you." 

"Is hearing my voice enough?" she asked. 

"No. It's not the same. Yeah, I wanted to hear your voice, but I want to see you too. Let me see your face. Please." I pleaded again. 

"I can FaceTime you." she offered. I chuckled, dryly shaking my head. 

"It's not the same," I told her. "Where have you been staying?" I asked her, trying to make sure she's ok. 

"Don't worry. I'm fine. Where I'm at is treating me well." 

"That's not helping my nerves," I told her. "I mean it is, but it's not helping a lot." 

"I know but I think this is best. For the both of us."

"What are you talking about?" 

"I told you before I can't come back and I'm not coming back." she told me. 

"Shyla, please."

"I'll text you every so often to let you know that the baby and I are ok. But this is for the best. For me and for you." 

"That's not the best for me, Shyla and you know it. I need you here with me so I can make sure you're safe and no one is harming you."

"No one will ever hurt me ever again. I promise." 

"Shyla." 

"I want to thank you for everything you did for me and the baby. I appreciate you forever and always. But I'm going to go. It's for the best." 

"Stop saying that. It's fucking not for the best, Shyla. You're doing this because you're scared. But you have no reason to be scared. I'm not going to harm or hurt you. Stop fucking running away. I want to be there for you and the baby. Just let me be there for you." 

"I gotta go. I'll text you a picture of the baby when she's born."

"You're having a girl?" I asked, more tears coming down my face. 

"Yes." she said in a whisper. "Thank you for everything you did." 

"I love you, Shyla." 

"Thank you, bye Noah."