CHAPTER 53 : LIKE FATHER, LIKE DAUGHTER
CEDRIC'S POV
I tore the sheet of paper in which I was trying to write something. I crumpled it in a ball and aimed it to the dustbin but like the last few paper balls, it didn't make it to the dustbin.
I groaned in frustration. I was going to kill you, again. Her voice was ringing in my ears. What did she even mean by kill me again?
I ran my hand through my hair - The way you run your hands in your hair when you have something in that stupid mind of yours. Every fucking thing reminds me of her. Every fucking thing.
I took a deep breath trying my best to calm myself. My phone started ringing and I saw Taylor calling me. I declined it. He has been calling me all the time asking me how I am. It's really getting frustrating now... and he calls me again. I declined it again and switched off my phone.
There was a gentle knock on my door after a few minutes. "Yes?" I said. The door opened and Mum stood there with a panic stricken face.
"What's the matter?" I asked her.
"Emma. Nobody knows where she is. We should go to her place immediately."
"What do you mean nobody knows?" I told her. "Ken would definitely know."
"He does not." Mum said. "It's a two hour drive Cedric, I guess we should hurry." I nodded.
***
"We're here." Liam said. We got out of the car and entered her house.
"She's not in her office?" Taylor asked Ken. Taylor was pacing around the living room, tension clear on his face. Ken shook his head.
"I told Kim to inform me if she arrives at the office." Taylor nodded.
"What about Sam's place?"
"She came at night, had dinner with us but then she left." Evan said.
"What about Mom's place? Maybe she's there." Olivia said. The house Kathleen took me to, where she told me all about Blake, where for the first time I found her true self. It was the best night.
"I already contacted Henry." Taylor said.
"We have looked everywhere. We can't find her, Taylor." Rachel said.
"She has even taken the car, Rach." Taylor said. "And she doesn't know how to-" He looked at me. "Cedric?"
"What is going on?" I asked him.
"We cannot find her anywhere. Usually Ken knows where she is but she didn't even inform Ken before going. And after what happened between the two of you...I don't know but have you seen her?"
"I saw her yesterday with a guy and we kind of had an argument so I just went back home."
"You two met yesterday?" Rachel yelled.
"Which guy?" Evan asked.
"I don't-"
"Harry." Ken said. "I asked him. He also doesn't know where she is."
Liam came from the kitchen with a bottle of wine in his hand and a glass. He sat on the couch and poured himself some wine.
Everyone was looking at him. I don't know what exactly happened between him and Kathleen but this isn't the way he should be acting at this point of time.
He looked up at us and raised his eyebrow. "What?" He took a sip from his glass. "You all don't expect me to be all worried about her, right?"
"Liam." Giselle warned him.
"She always does this. First she ran away from her father. Then she ran away from her mother," He took another sip from his glass. "oh you people don't know about the fight they had."
"Liam just shut up." Rachel said. Taylor's face was burning with anger.
"The one big fight before Eliza's death." He said, raising his glass. "Like father, like daughter." He shrugged.
"You should just stop talking." I said. He looked at me and chuckled.
"She walked up on you when you were in the hospital, Cedric." I was trying my best to be calm but I don't know if I could stay that way any longer. "Frankly speaking, I don't even care if she just died." A slap stung his cheek. Mum slapped Liam.
Olivia covered her mouth and Rachel and Giselle gasped. "How dare you, Liam Wilson?" Mum shouted. He looked down at his shoes. He actually feels guilty for saying that.
"Giselle, would you mind taking Liam to the room?" Dad calmly said. Giselle nodded and went to a room along with Liam.
"What if she had an accident? She doesn't know how to drive. What if-"
I interrupted Olivia "Nothing has happened to her. Nothing."
"Where would she even go?" Sam asked.
"No tickets were booked, no hotel reservations in her name. Not a single trace of where she went." Ken said.
"I have contacted almost everyone." Evan said.
"Cedric do you have any idea where she might be?" Mum asked me. I took some time to think about it. But I was completely blank.
"I absolutely don't know. I cannot think straight." Whenever she wants to escape she goes to people who make her feel at home. But those people are right here...well except-
"I think I know where she is." Everyone stopped doing whatever they were doing and looked at me.
"I know I misbehaved and all. But I think I know where she is." Liam said, coming out of the room, Giselle behind him.
"Her grandparents place." We said in unison.
"I'll just call and ask Grany." Olivia said.
"No don't." I said. "If she finds out that we know where she is then she'll probably go somewhere else."
"He is right." Sam said.
"I'll take you." Liam told me. I nodded.
"Text me when you find her." Taylor said. I nodded again and we left.
Liam started the car. I was looking out of the car. What if Kathleen isn't even there? My hands went through my hair in irritation. This girl will be the end of me for sure.
"So..." Liam started.
"You shouldn't have said that." I snapped.
"I know and I am really sorry for that." Liam said. "But she was wrong. She cannot just give up on everything because she is scared."
"Liam, it was between me and her. You shouldn't have let it come between your friendship."
"You needed her Cedric and she wasn't there."
"Exactly, I needed her-"
He interrupted me, "You don't understand, I also needed her. She is my bestfriend and my brother was dying. I needed her. She just gave up when you were in the hospital. The person who never gives up, gave up and that scared me. I thought I was going to lose you like I lost Kaira and I wasn't ready for it."
"Lia-"
"No, let me speak." He took a deep breath. He was holding the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles had turned white. "I went to her and she acted so cold. I went to her because I wanted to hear that you'll be okay but when I saw her, it was a completely different scenario. She was acting as if you were already dead, the way she acted when Eliza died. And that fucking scared me. She had no right to do that."
"You all really need to understand that she cannot always make you people feel good about things. She also has the right to actually feel what she's feeling. I don't even understand how has she kept up with you people. I'm sorry to say this but you all act very selfish when it comes to her. You all want her to understand every little thing going on with you but have you ever tried to actually understand her? When she makes a mistake, everyone gets angry, criticizes her but when you people make mistakes she acts as if you dumbheads have won an award."
Liam looked at me. "Oh fuck." He said.
"What?"
"You two are actually in love. My brother and my bestfriend. Wow. I thought this was just a mere attraction which was eventually end but- oh my god. I never thought you were Emma's type."
"Excuse me?" I asked, with a smile on my face.
"That's the truth, Cedric." He shrugged. I shook my head.
Liam stopped the car after a while. "We're here." He said.
"So I guess it's finally time to talk to her." I took a deep breath. I don't think I'm ready for this. "Let's go." I said.
"I'm not coming." Liam said.
"What, why?"
"You need to do this alone. I just came so that I could drop you and if Emma pushes you out of the house which she definitely will, you won't have anywhere else to go." He said with a cheeky smile.
"You know that I can book a cab. I actually know how to do it."
"But you won't." He said. I rolled my eyes and got out of the car. I was going towards their house when Liam shouted, "All the best." I turned around, saluted him and he drove away.