Last year was insane! From me flirting with Daniel in school then having sex with a stranger at the time, aka Junior, then getting pregnant (I think), falling for Connor, getting kidnapped, nearly dying, finding out Andre is Tamz, being locked inside a safe house, running away, falling for Simon, Simon getting killed by Connor, going back to school after all that, Andre being kidnapped and having a complicated relationship with Connor. I can safely say not many 16 year olds would experience not even one of the situations I've listed.
I'm 17 now turning 18 and finishing sixth form in a few months hopefully taking a gap year, Andre is still "Tamz" running that business of his. He moved out of mums house as he felt he's getting older and there's no space there. Mum thinks Andre got a job at some firm in Hackney, but that's just where his HQ is located. He got a girlfriend now, Sarah, she's pretty, I like her. She seems so genuine, kind and funny. She makes Andre happy but there's one thing... She doesn't know he's Tamz. I'll leave that with Andre to deal with it. Junior and Daniel still work for Andre, Junior quit being a footballer and is working for Andre full time. When Daniel finishes school he said he's going to go through the training process to be Andre's cleaner. I don't know why he wants to do that but hey! His life. Junior and Daniel also have girlfriends, Leah and Issy. Leah is sweet, innocent and generous, she knows what Junior does for a living and supports him in every way. On the other hand Issy rubs me up the wrong way, she looks like Moanna- which is not the issue obviously but, she just seems stuck up and acts like a brat, I don't know what he see's in her. My mum finally found a firm she really likes, Vixen law firm, she says she's having a great time there and even managed to find herself a boyfriend, Max, he's a cool chap. Courtney went off to uni meaning I can have her room. Megan is about to finish secondary and apparently has a boyfriend which is quite depressing since I don't have one. Last but not least Connor. Well the sad truth is Connor got promoted by Andre... Which is good for him! I mean, I am happy for him but, Andre wants to expand his business resulting to Connor moving to Manchester. Which is quite ironic but Andre wants our home town in on the business to. Recently, I just found out that he's missing. Rumours have it that Trey has him to draw Andre in. Other rumours say he stole money from Andre. I don't know which one I believe, but all I know is that Connor is missing. Andre basically has a SWAT there looking for him. He can't go to Manchester because he thinks that would leave an opening for Trey to grab me or the family and kill us... A sticky situation.
Monday morning of the Christmas half term. I woke up early for some reason maybe it's cause I slept early last night. I lay on my bed checking my phone and get a message from Priya. It reads
"Hey Girlie! I just landed in Dubai with Rebecca, I'll be sure to send pictures and present, have a great Christmas holiday love you! Xoxoxo"
Rebecca is Priya's girlfriend, they've been going on for like a year now, they're so cute.
*Ding Dong*
Errghh I'm too lazy to get the door so I remain in my bed
*Ding Dong*
Megan: Lexi could you get that
She shouts from downstairs
Great! What now? I walk down the stairs sluggishly and slowly. When I open the door the Delivery man smiled but looked annoyed that I took my time
Delivery man: A delivery for Alexi Ford?
Me: That's me
He hands me a small box then leaves
I don't remember ordering anything. I open the box and it's full of foam... Great. I dig through it and find an shattered old phone. What is this a joke? I examine it and realise it's an Iphone 4. I used to have one of these phones but this one is broken, smashed into pieces and bits are missing.
Me: What the fuck?
I whisper to myself
I check in the box again and there's the charger for it.
What is this? Some pretty little liar shit?
I run to my room with the stuff and sit on my bed. I should charge this right? I mean it makes sense. Without overthinking it I charge the phone next to my desk ignoring it for the day.
The next day came and I felt like a prisoner in my own house so I decided to go out.
Coming back from the park Megan runs up to me irritated.
Megan: You forgot your phone, it kept ringing all fucking day!
Me: What?
You could hear the confusion in my voice.
Me: Huh? My phone? My phone was with me the entire day.
I dig in my pocket for my phone and it is right where I left it
Megan: Well there's an Iphone 4 in your room ringing. I thought you got rid of that thing.
She then storms to her room slamming the door behind her.
Oh my God. The phone rang? What the fuck. I run up to my room closed the door and grabbed the phone. It was fully charged and about 25 missed calls from an unknown number. What!? Who's calling me?
I stare at it for a while and noticed the background. Roses! I giggled as I normally put flowers on my background.
*RING RING*
I jump as my Iphone 6 starts ringing. I check the caller ID and its Andre!
Me: Hello Andre
I say in the most sarcastic tone
Andre: What up little sis? How you been?
Me: Alright I guess, what about you?
Andre: Drowning in work to be honest. Me: You should take a day off
Andre: Not part of my contract I'm afraid
Me: Ohh come on at least just dinner.
Andre: No can do Sarah's busy all week
Me: Well have dinner with me tonight, we can catch up
Andre: Oohhh can't do tonight
Me: I can't do tomorrow I'm working all day. Wednesday?
Andre: No can do, I have training
Me: Thursday?
Andre: Hmmm I'm assessing the recruits
Me: *sigh* Friday?
Andre: Going out with the lads for my birthday
Ohh shit! Fuck! His birthday! I completely forgot! Fuck!
Me: Fine! Tomorrow night then
I groan annoyed that I have such a packed schedule.
Andre: And that's why I love you.
*DING*
The Iphone 4 vibrates as a message comes through.
Andre: What was that?
Me: N-nothing! I have to go, I'll see you tomorrow
Andre: WAIT! Lexi
Me: Yea
Andre: You'll tell me if you're in trouble won't you?
I hesitate for a moment
Me: O-of course, I really have to go bye!
I hang up and flop onto my bed.
My heart is racing what the fuck! Do I read the message? What am I doing? Of course I do. I walk over to the phone and slid to unlock. Who ever this phone belongs to could be my twin. The way the apps are arranged is how I would arrange them, rainbow order.
I open the message from an unknown with a shaking finger and read it.
"Hey"
What! That's it? Hey? That's all it said. This better not be Andre pranking me again! I bet it is! Ahhh it is him pranking me what the fuck! He always does that, that's why he asked that stupid question before he hung up. Well I'm not going to play to his games and not reply. I lock the phone and ignore it for the rest of the day.
It's the next morning and I'm abruptly woken by Megan screaming in my face.
Megan: LEXI WAKE THE FUCK UP MAN!
Me: W-what do you w-want?
I said sounding like a man!
Megan: On my God! There's a delivery for you!
What? Again? I didn't order anything! Ahh must be Andre again! Ahhh
Megan: I swear you need to stop ordering shit if you're not going to get the door
She says as she leaves the room.
Groaning while getting up I head to the front door.
Me: Morning
Delivery man: Ordered quite a lot today
He says while bring the first box into the house
Me: I didn't order anything actually
Delivery man: Well I'd say you have an admirer then
He says while bringing another box
Me: I guess
Rolling my eyes knowing Andre is behind all of this
Delivery man: Well that's the last of it
He said while placing the last box stacked on top of the others
Delivery man: Could you sign here please ma'am
Me: Here you go
I hand back the board to him, signed
Delivery man: Have a good day miss
Me: Umm do you have any clue where these orders came from might I ask?
Delivery man: Sorry miss I have no clue, even if I did I'm not allowed to disclose that sort of information
Me: Ohh okay, thank you anyway
He then leaves the premise.
Megan ascends from the kitchen all dressed up heading for the door
Megan: Woah! You got loads of shit
Me: Probably a prank from Andre
Megan: Haha
Me: And where do you think you're going?
Megan: Out with a friend
Me: Boyfriend?
I say playfully
Megan: Oh my God stop soo embarrassing
She says while closing the door.
Me: Might as well open these boxes then
Saying to myself
The first box was the same as the yesterdays, full of foam and at the bottom was a shinny item I dug deeper and realised it was a knife.
Oh my God! While shaking uncontrollably I picked it up and acknowledged the dried blood stain on it. Frightened for dear life I dropped it back in the box and ripped the other boxes open. The others contained a walkie talkie and room key.
I'm so confused what are these! What does this mean! I start to cry as I realise that this is a repeat of last year.
*DING*
Run up the stairs while carrying the boxes. I check my phone but there's no messages.
*DING*
It's not my phone, it's the Iphone 4. I slowly walk towards it and check the message. It's from the unknown number
"Morning Lexi, got my presents?"
"I need to see you"
My heart pounding so fast I could barely breath. I sink to the floor unable to stand. Oh my God! This isn't Andre's doing. He's not this sinister!
*RING RING*
I jump to the sound of my Iphone 6... It's Andre
Me: He-hello
I said obviously sounding weak and terrified
Andre: Lexi? Lexi are you alright?
The concern is evident in his voice.
I couldn't help it, I just broke down and started crying.
Andre: Stay put I'm on my way.
He hangs up and I crawl into a ball.
A few minutes past and I could hear Andre burst into the house.
Andre: LEXI! LEXI!
I stay quiet, to scared to speak.
He bursts in the room and see's me on the floor broken and frightened.
Andre: Lexi are you alright
He hugs me tightly to calm me down.
Andre: Tell me what's going on? Are you hurt? Did someone hurt you? Were you robbed? LEXI SPEAK!
Me: Yesterday I got a package and- and
I say inaudible
Andre: Lexi you're going to have to speak up
I took a deep breathe and proceeded
Me: Yesterday, I got a package in the mail, I didn't order anything but I still didn't think anything of it. I opened it and saw an old cracked IPhone 4 with a charger. At first I thought nothing of it again, I didn't want to over think things. So I charged and left it. I went out and when I came back Megan said that the phone was ringing none-stop. Checked it and it had like 25 missed calls, when I was going to investigate you called and we chatted for a while and thats when you heard a loud ding in the back ground, it was the phone. Anyway after our call, I checked the message and it said "hey". At first I was shitting my pants but then I thought it was you play around with me.
Paying no mind to it I ignored it for the rest of the day until this morning where I got 3 packages. One had a knife with blood on it, the other had a room key and another had a walkie talkie.
I pointed at the bed where the items were and he walked towards the bed examining them.
Me: After all of that bullshit I got two texts from the same unknown number saying "Morning, I want to meet".
Andre took the phone and checked the message. I could tell he was angry, angry that I didn't tell him about this sooner.
Andre: Lexi, why-
Me: I didn't want to worry you
I said answering his unfinished question
His fist clenches and realises it once he breathes out
Andre: What will worry me is if you don't tell me shit. I knew you was at distress cause you sounded nervous towards the end of our call. Please don't keep something like this from me again.
I nod and stare at the floor.
Andre: Lexi,
Me: Y-yeah?
I look up
Andre: *sigh* This is your phone.
Me: What do you mean?
Andre: This Iphone 4 is yours... As in your old one.
What? It can't be?! What the fuck. I shoot up making myself dizzy and grab the phone. Looking at the background, I recognised it, roses, I chose it because they were my favourite.
Andre: What did you have at the bottom of your old phone that made the speakers stop working
Me: Ruby Red nail varnish
He nodded and stared at the phone. Tilting it sideways making the charging slot visible, there it was, my ruby red nail varnish that I accidentally spilled on the phone.
I started breathing frantically
Me: How? HOW COULD THIS BE!? THE LAST TIME I HAD A PHONE LIKE THIS WAS WHEN I RAN AWAY FROM THE SAFE HOUSE...
My tone changed as I had an epiphany
Me: ...And threw my phone out the car window when Simon was driving me away from the safe house.
Andre: That explains the cracks.
I'm frozen, just staring at Andre at this point.
Me: No! I'm not believing this! I can't
Andre: Lexi
Me: No! For the entire year it's been drama free
Andre: Lexi!
Me: I haven't been disturbed, your business hasn't affected me
Andre: Lexi calm down
Me: Why now? Who is doing this?Why?
Andre: Someone who clearly wants to mess with you and wants to get on my bad side.
I fall to the floor crying my eyes out.
Andre: Lexi! Could you think of anyone who would want to get to you
I don't answer but continue crying
Andre: Lexi you have to help me out here, in order for me to have a lead.
Me: I-I-I don't know
Andre: Anyone from school
Me: *sniff* No, no on-
Andre: Who Lexi Who?
Me: Moanna, she hates me, still does. She thinks I stole Daniel from her
Andre: Well you kinda did
I punch him on the arm
Andre: Haha alright alright We-
*Ding*
The sound of the phone interrupts the conversation and we both sharply face the phone in my hand.
Andre: Read it
Me: Bu-
Andre: Read.
He's strict now, think it's cause he doesn't want anyone hurting me or me being unsafe.
The message read " Can we meet?"
Andre: Reply yes!
Me: What are you insane
Andre: Look if she wants to meet then let her meet you
Me: You really want me killed
Andre: We will be there in disguise
Me: I don't want to
Andre: You want this to end?
I nod
Andre: Then meet her. Most likely she'll be with Trey so we can take him down to. Kill two birds with one stone.
I groan and reply " yea". It wasn't even a minute and she replied back. "Meet at the docks near your house. 11pm. Come alone or I walk."