Rose
Dude! You were r
-Sam
4:00
I look at my phone in confusion before shaking my head annoyed. Sam was being weird again. I begin to type a response but Nathalie walks into the living room which distracts me. She was wearing a pair of basic jeans and one of my shirts with my beanie. She always looked cute in my things. "Who are you texting?" She ask curiously. I lock my phone before tossing it on the couch. "Sam. She's being weird again." I answer.
She look at me oddly but choose to not say anything. I know sometimes she think I am lying. But, I don't blame her because....why should she. However, I can see she's trying to trust me again and I'm making it difficult. My paranoia hasn't been helping at all either and I knew soon Nathalie would call me out on my shit. Nathalie breathe and take a seat next to me and ask calmly, "You've been acting weird lately, Rose. Talk to me."
I run my fingers through my hair. Nathalie chews on her bottom lip and watches me as she waits patiently. I wanted to tell her about Paul but I wanted to be for sure. Sam was already pissed at me for even considering he was a stalker.
Nathalie sigh and she looked disappointed. "My therapist told me I need to start being patient and all this stress is not good for my health." She then stand and grab her bag and keys off the table. I look at her in shock. "So, when you're ready to talk just call me and I will come."
"Nathalie." I call. "Don't go. I'm just a little paranoid okay and with my frequent panic attacks it's killing me."
Nathalie looks at me in worry. "Talk to me."
Before I could answer someone is knocking on the door. Nathalie roll her eyes annoyed and I hurry to the door to answer it. I look at the woman in confusion. She was standing in blue jeans and a blouse and her hair was pulled up in a sloppy bun and she looked really tired as if she has been up all night. "Uh. How can I help you?"
"Hello. I'm Ballie." She starts. "I'm so sorry to bother you... you're Rose correct?"
"Uh. Why? Who is asking?" I look out behind her my paranoia getting to me and my anxiety kicking in.
"I'm Paul mother." She explains. "And I can't get in touch with him. I came here because he said this is where his girlfriend lives."
"Wait what?" I say confused.
She doesn't answer me. She storms in my home calling for her son. Nathalie look at her weirdly from the couch and I grab Ballie shoulder and turn her around to face me. "Paul isn't here."
Out of nowhere Ballie breaks down. "You have to know where he is. It's been weeks and that's not like him. Call him. We had a fight but you're his girlfriend. He will answer for you."
Nathalie look at me for answers that I don't have.
"I'm not Paul girlfriend." I stress to her.
"You two broke up?"
"We never got together." I explain. "Ballie. Paul and I have never been in a romantic relationship. This is Nathalie...my girlfriend. Do you understand?"
Nathalie waves awkwardly and Ballie covers her mouth in shock before grabbing her cell phone and calling someone. "He is not here." She screams in the phone before hanging up. She then look at me seriously and say, "We need to find Paul."
{}{}
I give Ballie some water as she sit on my couch. She looked nervous as she wiggle her fingers and wipe her face of wet tears. I hand her some tissue and Nathalie rub her back. "Ballie. I'm sorry but Paul and I are only friends. I'm not sure what's going on. He could possibly be on campus...exams is coming up. That's probably why he hasn't called."
"No." She shake her head. "I know my son."
"Why would you think Rose and Paul is together?" Nathalie ask.
Ballie sips on her water and explains, "Paul came home a few months ago and I've never seen him so happy. He said he met someone and her name was Rose. He even had pictures. Later, he came home again and said that it didn't work out with you. I told him to keep fighting that it would get better and if not he would find someone else."
"A few weeks later... because my boy always make time to come home. He said you two were officially together."
I look towards Nathalie in shock. Why would Paul lie to his mother? He could have anyone. I didn't understand.
"I start to notice changes in him slowly. Then I got a called from his doctor telling me he hasn't refilled his prescription for his medication in weeks."
"Medication?" Nathalie ask. "Why is Paul taking medication."
"Paul suffers from Dissociative identity disorder."
I look at Ballie in confusion. I was about to ask what does Dissociative identity disorder means but Nathalie cuts me off and say, "Split personality disorder?"
"Yes." Ballie confirms.
{}{}
I dial Austin number but he wasn't picking up and that was very unusual. "Shit." I say. Nathalie paces the room and Ballie explains, "He's suffered from this condition since he was a child but it has never been this bad. The medication has always helped. He tells the therapist that the voices are gone."
"Voices?" Nathalie pushes. "I didn't know Paul went to therapy. He has always seem like the normal one out of all of us. Actually he always seem perfect until Rose came around."
"Yes. That is my son. He has to be in control and he wants everything to be perfect because he never wants anyone to know the truth about his condition and I respect that. People are mean and evil. This is why I pushed him to always take his medication and everything would be fine."
"Could he possibly suffer from obsession?"
"Rose!" Nathalie calls.
"I'm serious." I say. "Maybe I've been the problem all along. Paul has been trying to get with me for a while now. At first I thought it was his pride that is why he did the things he did. But, now that I think about it... he continued to do horrible things to us. He exploit our secrets. How could he know about you and Viv?"
Nathalie look away in shame but I didn't care about that right now. "Did Viv tell him?" I ask her.
"No. She wouldn't." Nathalie answers.
"That mean he has been watching us." I conclude. "The pictures that was sent to the press has Paul name all over it. Why would he spend so much time trying to destroy us?
"So, he could have you." Nathalie answer. "He hasn't done anything to hurt you Rose. He loves you."
I swallow in panic.
Someone knocks on the door and Nathalie hurry and answer the door and Miranda Grayson walks in with grace and elegance. She was wearing her typical pants suit and she didn't look happy at all.
"Where is Sam?" She growls annoyed.
"She's not here." I say but Miranda storms past me and look into all the rooms. I roll my eyes annoyed. What is with everyone thinking everyone is at my place. I follow behind her and say, "She isn't here."
Miranda fold her arms impatient. "She is not at home and I keep calling her and she's rejecting my calls. So, I came here."
"Wait." I pause. "How do you know where I live."
"Don't be ignorant." Miranda say. "I've known where you lived since the first night we've met."
I swallow in fear. I did not like the idea of Miranda knowing where I stay.
Nathalie gives me an apologetic smile and Miranda roll her eyes and look to her daughter and sneers, "Where is Sam? You know what... I don't care. Tell her I said if she wants to be childish then fine but do not think about coming home tonight and I'm leaving for New York in the morning."
Ballie look at Miranda in confusion and fear. Miranda scoffs and tries to leave but Nathalie grab her mother shoulder and say, "Sam hasn't been with you all day."
"No." Miranda answers. "She was gone this morning when I woke. We had an argument last night but that gives her no reason...
Nathalie ignores her mother and try calling Sam but the redhead also ignores her calls. "She never ignores my call."
"Austin is still not answering." I say.
Miranda look between all three of us and ask, "Can someone explain to me what's going on and who is this lady with the sad and outdated shoes."
Ballie looks offended for two seconds before she ignores Miranda. I finally explain, "This is Ballie. Paul mother."
Miranda looks Ballie up and down. "Explains a lot."
"Mom." Nathalie starts.
"Don't try me, lady. Today is definitely not the day." Ballie scowls.
"Everyone shut the fuck up!" I hiss. "Sam and Austin could seriously be in trouble."
{}{}
Once I get everyone under control Ballie explains the story again for Miranda and she finally show her messages between her and Paul.
She seems really sweet.
-Ballie
Yeah. I really like her. Hopefully she likes me too. I'm taking her out tonight. :)
-Paul
"That was from a few months ago." Ballie explain. "You guys went to a underground motorcycle competition?"
"Yes. We did."
She then scroll on her phone and show a few more recent messages.
How's your girlfriend doing?
-Ballie
She's great. Stressed out about school. Her father is a dick and I keep telling her she needs to surround herself with better people.
-Paul
Why do you say that? She's a big girl Paul.
-Ballie
You don't understand mom. We continue to fight when she's around them. I think I'm slowly losing her but I won't let that happen.
-Paul
What are you talking about?
-Ballie
You're not comprehending mother. Rose and I are thinking about getting married and having kids but I'm losing her to some cunt. I can't let that happen.
-Paul
Son. Are you taking your medication?
-Ballie
Don't call me son. You only do that when you think I'm going crazy. You always thought I was crazy and that's not fair. I'm not crazy, mother!
-Paul.
I swallow in fear. Paul was fucking nuts.
"When he calls me mother that is when I know he is not being himself." Ballie explains.
"Your son is insane. He needs professional help." Miranda say. "You need to strap him down."
"Mom."
"Don't you dare talk about my son like that." Ballie scowls.
Miranda clenches her jaw. "Two people are missing and you're here because you know your son has gone insane. Sam is very important to me and if anything happens to her I will make sure Paul will never see the light a day ever again because I will bury him so deep underground."
Ballie scowls and I try to separate the two. "We don't have time to argue. Sam....Fuck Sam." I hurry and unlock my phone again and look at her text message. Miranda snatches my cell phone out of my hand and read the message.
Dude! You were r
-Sam
4:00
Miranda look at the time on the message and then her expensive watch. "It has been over an hour."
"Right." I conclude. "She was saying I was right."
Everyone look at me in confusion.
"She's with Paul. The message says, 'Dude! You were right!' Sam probably went and confronted Paul."
Miranda frowns, "I'm going to kill him." and grab her purse before storming out the house. Nathalie screams her name before following behind her and Ballie yells, "Don't you dare think about touching my son."
I breathe in slowly and hope Sam and Austin is okay.