Okay, so I have to deliver some unfortunate news. As we near the 60th chapter, I have decided to finish this story. I can't tell you which chapter will be the last, but this story definitely wont make it to chapter 65. On a good note, this story wasn't even supposed to make it to 30 chapters, I originally started writing it just so it would be short and sweet, but damn was I wrong. Two of the main reasons I've decided to stop writing this is because I've come across a lot of writers block and I've never had to deal with that until the most recent chapters, but also because I don't want this story to never end and seem like it is going on for too long. Thank you for everyone who has personally messaged me, voted, or commented, logging onto wattpad to see them always made my day.
Anyway, here is the next chapter!
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The second we arrived at the hotel from Blackwater Prison we got off the bus and went to sleep.
That was a day ago. Since then, out of all the guys I had only seen Aaron and that was only because he bought pizza and had to leave his room to pay the delivery man.
I hadn't seen Zak at all, but I knew he was alive. Every once in a while, I would hear him shuffle through his room and close a few doors, other than that—nothing. I wasn't mad, but I was sure tired of being stuck in a hotel room for more than 24 hours. All I wanted to do was go home and sleep in my own bed and go float in the pool, and I missed Gracie.
I was under my warm covers watching a movie when a sudden knocking at my door made me jump in my bed. I quietly walked to the door and looked in the peephole to find Zak, fully dressed, and standing outside with his arms crossed across his chest. I quickly threw my bed hair into a bun and slowly opened the door.
"Yes?" I put my body into the opening of the door, not allowing him to see the inside of my room.
He raised his eyebrow at my secrecy and looked me up and down and gave an amused look.
"Are you still in your pajamas?"
I looked down at myself without shame. "Yes. Why aren't you? I thought we were staying in this hotel until the end of time" The sarcasm was evident.
Zak rolled his eyes. "Really Charlie? The bus was having some problems so we had to stay a little longer until we could leave. Didn't anyone tell you this?"
My eyes widened. "I haven't seen anyone since we got back here from the prison. Wait, no I've only seen Aaron and that was for like a second. After we got back from Blackwater it was like you guys vanished"
The mention of Blackwater made the amusement on Zaks face turn into seriousness.
"About that—"
"Nope" I cut him off. I was not talking about what happened at the prison.
"C'mon Charlie why won't you tell me?"
On the bus ride back, Zak gave me about 15 minutes before asking me about what he saw in the prison, but I refused to tell him.
"Can I at least ask why you won't tell me?"
I gave him a stern glare while I thought about exactly why I wasn't telling him.
"Because"
Wow Charlie you're a real genius
"Because?"
"Because"
Zak threw his head back and groaned. "I don't understand why you won't tell me. Why can't you trust me?"
I looked down at the ground and shuffled my feet a little. "Because I'm afraid you'll look at me differently"
Without any warning, Zak let out a loud, heartfelt, laugh.
"Charlie, I could never look at you differently. You're my daughter. You're my everything."
My heart swelled.
I let out a deep sigh and opened my door enough to let him in, and when he did he let out a gasp.
"Charlie" I rolled my eyes at his dad-sounding tone.
"I know, I know. I'll clean it up later" I looked at Zak who stood in complete shock as he looked at the complete and utter mess of my hotel room.
The mini bar was completely raided, resulting in far too many chip bags and candy bars wrappers to be laid astray throughout the room. My clothes were thrown everywhere, and I mean everywhere. Not to mention the bathroom. It looked like a war zone.
"What happened here?"
"I may or may not have dropped my foundation and it may or may not have exploded" I looked up at the ceiling, which had a splash of dried brown foundation on it. I was silently praying he didn't see it.
"You aren't this messy at home. How-How?" He was so shocked by the disaster in my room he forgot how to talk.
"I don't live in my room. Plus you always have a maid around. She tends to clean up a lot of my messes"
Zak extremely uncomfortable around this mess. His arms were tightly wrapped around his body; as if he were going to contract a deadly virus if he touched anything.
"Dad, it's not that bad" I didn't think his eyes could go wider.
"Charlie. You are going to clean this"—He pointed all around the hotel room—"immediately. And when you're done we are going to have serious conversation about what the hell happened back at the prison. You hear me?"
Sometimes I forget about how much of a neat freak my dad is.
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After a solid hour and a half of cleaning the hotel room, I was finally finished. Within that time I also managed to make myself look more than slightly presentable and make my disgusting bun into a stylish messy bun.
I stepped into the hallway and closed my door behind me. Then I walked over to Zak's door and lightly knocked. Within seconds he answered, looking the exact same as he did an hour ago.
"You cleaned the room?" I nodded. "The whole room?" I rolled my eyes and made my way inside his room.
Zak sighed and closed the door behind him. "Sit down on one of the couches" He pointed to an area with two sofas facing themselves with a glass table in between them.
I sat down on the nearest couch and crossed my legs. Zak took the couch opposite of me, looking at me with an emotionless face.
I felt like I was talking to my old shrink that social services made me talk to when I was younger.
"I'm just going to break to ice... what happened at the prison? What the hell did I see?"
I looked at Zak for a few seconds, choosing my words wisely.
"Well, what did you see?"
He sighed and shifted in his seat. "I came into the prison because Jay said he swore he saw you go back in there. So, I went in and I saw you talking to this... thing. I don't know how to explain it, but it was in front of you and it was like everything around was blurry. All I could see was you talking to this grey blurry blob, but that's not the crazy part, no. I saw the wall turn into some kind of doorway. It was like a chunk of the wall changed into this bright light, but then the blob was gone and so was the doorway. Then you turned around and saw me. Charlie what happened?"
I sat back into the couch and sucked air through my teeth.
"I'm sure you have an idea. You're a paranormal investigator, an expert paranormal investigator, so you tell me what you think it was"
He thought about how he was going to respond, but then he dropped the bomb.
"I think you helped a spirit crossover, didn't you?"
I pursed my lips. I didn't think he was going to guess right. When I didn't responded he gave a light laugh.
"I'm right aren't I. Ever since you got out of the hospital there's been something different with you, and I know the whole psychic thing must have a giant play in this, yea?"
I looked down and nodded.
"Why didn't you just tell me? There's nothing that should make you ashamed about this"
I looked up at him, and the second we made eye contact a tear rolled down my cheek. "I don't even understand this. I'm scared of this. That's why I went missing in the prison, everything paranormal wants me, and I- I'm scared dad! I'm so, so scared" My voice cracked as more tears came.
Zak rushed over from the other couch and crushed my in a hug.
"I'm here Charlie; I will always be here for you. Okay? You will always be safe and okay as long as I'm alive"
"But I still ended up in that cell! I can't—"
"And I got you out of there" He cut me off. "Yes, you were in danger, but I still found you, and you are still alive. Yes you're hurt, but now you're okay. Look at you, you're okay now" He hugged me tighter.
After about five minutes of silent hugging I let go. Zak made sure to wipe away and stray tears that were on my face.
"Stop withholding stuff from me, okay? Not telling anyone anything could put you in serious harm"
I nodded and leaned my head on his shoulder. "I can't help it. I grew up learning to not tell anyone anything"
He sighed. "But that isn't your life anymore."
"I know"
We sat there, without any words on the couch for a while. Once my neck began to ache from being on such a weird angle, I decided to lift my head up only to find out Zak had managed to fall asleep. I was shocked, he wasn't even snoring.
I quietly stood up from my spot next to him and looked at him. He seemed so peaceful when he slept, but then again so did everyone else. After creepily staring at him, I quietly whispered my goodnights and left his room and walked into mine.