"Gabby?" I said into the phone but the line was already dead.
I didn't know what to do. I was confused for the first five minutes and then in shock for another ten.
I tried to call back but the number was blocked.
Gabriella is in trouble.
And the worst part is she's not alone.
She said us.
Could it be possible that my mom and dad were there?
But then why would she call me?
I had a bad feeling in my gut which only intensified when I realised that she had actually called me.
On my phone. Which I got not too long ago.
How did she even get my number?
Something wasn't right here. Nothing was adding up in my head. I was still in shock.
Oh no.
I hope they're okay.
She screamed. Of course she isn't.
Is she being tortured?
Did someone kidnapp her and now wants ransom? From me? I don't have any money! Why would they call me and not the police?
It can only be that who ever has her made her call me. But why? Why call me?
What kind of trouble can they be in? What did they get themselves mixed up in?
After two years? I finally hear her voice again and it's to tell me that she's in trouble. Am I dreaming or did I just hallucinate the entire phone call? This is too unreal.
I can't believe it.
All the bad memories come swarming back.
The rejection.
The hate.
The pain.
And the tears came streaming down, I didn't notice them till they had assembled at my chin and started free falling onto my laps.
Would my life always come down to this?
Tears?
Why on earth did they phone me?
What the hell am I supposed to do? What can I do?
Help her?
How?
I don't even know where she is.
Let alone how to get there.
Why?
I was hoping that this was just a prank call, and that she's okay, that our parents-, well, her parents are okay. And nothing bad is happening. Or I could just ignore it till it goes away, till it isn't my issue anymore.
A prank call though, addressed directly to me? I was definitely missing something. I don't need this right now, I sincerely don't.
This is frustrating.
Just then my door flew open.
"Adriane, my mother said she's wa-... are you crying?"
Damon stood at my doorway arms crossed, face hard.
I quickly dried the few stray tears away suddenly remembering Latifah's request for me to help her with a cake.
"Oh yeah, I'll be down in a second." I said trying to sound normal.
I thought he would turn around and leave but he didn't.
"Adriane, why are you crying?" He pressed, his voice firm.
"Uh, I got something in my eye." I hopelessly lied looking down and trying to look busy by opening my nightstand and rummaging through it, mentally willing him to go away.
Nice one.
I went as far as retrieving a white cotton handkerchief to wipe my eye with in attempt to rid it of any foreign material. At least I pretended to, while my face remained neutral. I hoped.
But Damon's hard expression as I looked back at him proved to me that he wasn't buying it.
But instead of pressing on he just clenched his jaw and walked out. I didn't miss the flicker of emotions in his eyes though.
The guilt.
He probably thought I was crying because of him. Maybe that's why he dropped it and left. He didn't need to hear me say it, all he knew was that I was crying and that he'd caused it.
Well, for once, he wasn't actually the direct cause. But I wasn't ready to tell him that just yet. Because I wasn't ready to tell him about my phone call either. Maybe it was all just a misunderstanding and I was just overreacting. I have been super emotional lately, that's why the tears escaped my eyes in the first place.
Nothing serious was happening.
That's how I convinced myself.
I went to my bathroom quickly wiped my face, making sure all dried tear stains were gone. Then I headed downstairs to do some baking, trying to look a bit relaxed and not at all on edge.
"Adriane?" Latifah called.
I turned my attention away from the meat I was slicing to look at her.
The cake was in the oven already and we were getting started on dinner.
"You seem a litttle distracted, is anything wrong?" Latifah asked with a warm smile as she turned the oven down.
"Uh, no, I'm, I'm okay." I managed quickly.
"Are you sure, because that was the fourth time I called you." She said as she stood right beside me.
Fourth time?
It couldn't have been the forth time.
Surely.
"Damon told me you were crying in your room." She stated.
Why that little tattle tale.
Can't keep his mouth shut.
"I know you're still hurting and that you'll need a lot of time to heal, but please, don't shut us out."
I studied her.
Huh, she also instantly assumed that whatever state of distress I was in when Damon saw me, was caused by him and his actions. I guess that suits me in a way.
"I know it's hard, but please come to me," she said reaching for my hand. "You can cry on my shoulder or on my lap, just let me be there for you. The thought of you dealing with everything alone breaks my heart. You're not alone." I stared at Latifah's calming blue eyes. She was emanating so much motherly love and I found myself craving for it.
I nodded at her and she pulled me in for a hug, rubbing my back a bit.
After she, and I, felt my body relax she let me go and she looked at me.
"He's actually worried you know." Latifah said with a sad smile on her face. Like she was trying to convince me of his feelings for me.
His feelings for me.
That's something that I haven't given much thought to because for the most part of my knowing him, I thought he hated me.
And now here she was, trying to convince me that he cares enough to be worried about me and my silly crying fit earlier.
I stared at her.
Really?
You don't say.
I didn't like where my thoughts were headed, that was a whole new issue for another day, so I changed direction a bit.
"He's been acting weird lately." I tried to shrug her statement off.
"Yes. He has. Good weird. And its because of you."
Me?
What did I do?
"He's changing." Latifah told me with a slight glow in her eyes. She just looked so hopeful.
"Things will get better I just know it." She said it like she was trying to reach my heart.
Too bad I wasn't even listening.
I was just glad I was able to avoid telling her about the phone call.
Because believe it or not this little lady can press on for information.
"Uh huh." I said absentmindedly and resumed slicing my meat. My mind wondering again if that call was really cause for alarm.
We had all sat at the dinner table delving into the delicious meal Latifah had prepared for us. Even though I knew the food tasted divine I couldn't feel anything.
I was far off in another universe.
Only when Latifah drew my attention back to the table did I notice Damon's intense glare. My face kinda heated up under his gaze so I did my best to ignore it.
I really wasn't successful.
But alas, a phone call saved me and I excused myself from the table.
I had a weird feeling about the call so I decided to step outside on the lawn to receive it.
I picked it up and immediately the person on the other line spoke.
"Hi, Adriane remember me?" A female voice rang out at the other end of the line.
From her tone I could tell that she was expecting to be recognised immediately, but voices usually sound alike on calls. I couldn't actually make her out at once with just that one line.
"Who is this?" I simply asked.
"Ugh, are you kidding me? I haven't been gone that long." Now this statement did ring some bells for me, because I recognised not only her voice but her condescending tone.
"Cassandra?"
"The one and only." I could literally hear her smirk on the other side of the line.
How was she calling me right now?
"I don't have time for this, how'd you even get my number? what the hell do you want from me?"
I heard her tutting from the other end of the line.
"Adriane mind your language, there's a little girl here and you're on speaker." She admonished, but I could tell that she only said it to taunt me.
Little girl.
Little girl.
Gabriella?
It can't be. But it only made sense as to why she was calling me now as well.
"Gabriella? Why do you have her?" I growled at her.
I heard her let out a sinister chuckle.
Well I guess someone's been idolizing way too many movie villains. That laugh is creepy.
"More like them. Mummy, daddy and little Gabby."
She has them all?
"What do you want from them? What do you want from me? Let them go." I could feel my temperature rising.
I couldn't help it. I still loved them.
Deeply.
And I couldn't bear the thought of any one of them hurt.
"Want them? Come and get them. And don't even try to involve Damon in this because I'll know and I will have their necks slashed and their heads shipped to you. I have eyes on you Adriane. I'll send you the address. Come alone, it's you I want."
Then the line went dead.
I silently cursed at the phone.
"It's you I want."
I surmised as much already.
My chest felt tight. She's got eyes on me? My eyes unconsciously flitted from left to right, wondering if I'll actually see eyes on me at the moment.
All I know is that she left Damon's house that day, but now that I think about it, I haven't seen her around in a long while. Not even once I think. Either she's not here, or she's avoiding me. But she's still got eyes on me?
That's probably how she got my number.
Does that mean someone I know is actually helping her try to hurt me?
But why though?
I had no idea what to do.
What was gonna happen?
Minutes later my phone buzzed with a text message.
"Type in the following address in your GPS and I'm sure you'll be fine cupcake.
See you soon.
Wilsburg lake house,
Laden Street 22,
Richester."
I sighed and locked my phone.
This can not be happening.
Obviously, Cassandra is deranged and wants me probably to settle some stupid 'score'. I'm just not sure if she's deranged enough to actually hurt them if she notices that I've told someone.
I thought about them for a while. All those years in a happy little family. Biological or not, for those sixteen years they were my family and I was happy.
Well, technically twelve years, but that's besides the point.
I decided then that testing Cassandra's mental state isn't worth letting them get hurt over. I won't risk it.
I thought about telling Damon.
How would he go about it? Would he help me? And would he be able to help me without getting them hurt? Did I trust him enough to help me?
What if he's Cassandra's eyes?
Shut up, it's not him.
Okay, what if it's Marcus? Or James? Or someone else close to us that would easily find out and report back to Cassandra?
But I can't do this alone, that'd just be stupid.
Forget everyone, it's me and you.
It could also be a trap.
I mean, why else would she want me to come there anyway? And alone. She's using them as bait to get to me.
But what did she want from me?
And how sure was I that she'd let them go once I was there?
What if she was going to hurt them just to punish me?
Maybe if I get there on time, I can ambush her, or at least distract her long enough for them to run away.
I'd have to distract her, because she'd feel me coming anyway, ambush is not an option.
I don't even know how the place is, she could have motion sensors and cameras and would see me coming from a mile away.
She could even see me if I happen not to be coming alone.
What would she do then?
Flee? Or attack? Or hurt someone?
If I go alone, like she wants me to, I could assess the situation safely, well, safe-ish, and know how to distract her, and help them get out.
I could tell someone. But who can really help?
Damon could.
But would he care enough about my family to make sure they don't get hurt?
And if I tell him about my plan, would he allow me to go?
He didn't have control over me like that but I didn't want to risk it.
He could follow me, even if I insisted, and he might be too early and Cassandra could decide to abandon ship, or sink ship, with my family in it.
I didn't want to risk their lives.
I could go alone. Be the distraction and get them out.
First things first. I need transportation.
How would I even get a car without anyone noticing?
I can hardly even drive.
I'm not too perfect at it yet.
Worse still.
Damon would definitely notice I'm gone. If he finds out before I make my escape, he'd stop me.
But if he finds out only after I'm long gone and conveniently follows me as back up, which incidentally I don't actually need since I'm a strong woman therefore I can handle Cassandra, that would be good.
Yes. You definitely can handle her. Like you did the first time you and her went at it. And you ended up without a functioning arm for four days.
You're not really helping me right now.
"Screw this." I huffed and threw my phone to the ground and held my temples.
I shut my eyes in order to prevent the moisture from escaping from my eyes.
I cry a lot, yes. I know I'm a mess. I cry when I'm sad, when I'm angry and even when I'm frustrated, like now. The tears just naturally make their way out of my eyes.
But I didn't let them fall this time.
I wanted a clear mind. I needed to think.
"Why?" I mumbled to no one in particular. I don't even think that I was asking myself.
"Why what?" A cool voice came from behind me.
I spun around and came face to face with Damon.
He was so close that I almost hit his chest.
And we were actually face to neck because of his height. The fact that he came out and was standing right behind me without me having noticed him even once should have told me I'm in no position to do this on my own. Yet still.
He looked down at me with a straight face. And I looked up at him with probably slightly glossy eyes.
"Why what?" He demanded again.
I just remained silent and shook my head.
What would I tell him now.
What could I tell him?
I didn't know what to say. I didn't even know if whatever plan I had cooked up could even be considered one.
He stood before me, tall and towering, and I realised that I wanted to tell him.
I did.
But I wasn't sure.
I opened my mouth but no sound came out.
He clenched his jaw.
Then he opened his mouth to speak and then he closed it again.
We both couldn't speak.
I tried again. "Look, I-" a buzzing sound cut me off.
I forgot all about my phone that I'd thrown on the ground. I quickly picked it up and placed it in my pocket, but not without flashing the screen briefly before my eyes.
I had a notification.
And I shut my mouth again and swallowed.
'Don't', was all that was texted to me.
But I knew where it came from. What it meant.
Ignoring Damon, I looked around. There's something wrong. Was there someone here?
I couldn't feel anyone.
Someone has to be watching.
"Is someone here?" I found myself suddenly asking Damon.
"What do you mean?"
"I don't know, uhm, are we the only ones out here?" I tried to look around, on the search for anything suspicious. But I really had no idea what to look out for.
"There are guards all around, but aside that, there's no one actually here. What's wrong?"
Guards. Guards. Of course they're guards patrolling the pack. Could one really be helping Cassandra out? Who would it be?
And what if she's lying just to get into my head?
No, the message was timed too well for that. Or is she psychic now too?
I sighed and looked back up at him.
"It's nothing, I'm fine."
He didn't look convinced.
"I'm fine." I said again, maybe a bit too quickly though.
He sighed.
His look softened.
He also looked lost, like he didn't know what to do with me now.
I didn't know what to do with me either.
He leaned in.
His face stopped a couple of inches from my ear.
I felt his hot breath against my neck in great contrast to the chilly outside air before he placed a soft kiss on my temple.
"Please don't do anything stupid Adriane." He whispered.
And with a slight gust of wind he was gone leaving me completely astounded and derailed.
He still thought that my current state of distress was caused by him, and so he's scared I'll do something rash again. Maybe it's better this way, maybe I need to do this on my own.
I had only one thing left to do.
Don't do anything stupid Adriane.
If only you knew that I was going to do exactly that.