CHAPTER ELEVEN
Oliver had been trying to talk to me every day for the past week, and each time he tried, I kept walking away. There were still rumors floating around about he and I having a thing going on which made Brody break up with me, and people were still talking about my brother. To put it lightly, school was a living nightmare.
It was the end of the day, and Melissa were at the mall getting our nails done. We hadn't talked in a while, and she asked me about everything that was going on to me. I summed it up to her and told her everything, leaving out the part about Rodney and Oliver introducing my brother to him. It wasn't that I didn't trust her enough. It was just that I didn't want her involved in it.
I was in the middle of drying my nails when I got the phone call. My mother sounded frantic on the other end, and with her quick words, I couldn't understand what she was saying. I told her to calm down and speak slower so that I knew what she was saying.
"Adam is gone."
Those three words took me off guard, and at first, I didn't know what to say. "What are you talking about?"
"Adam isn't in rehab. He snuck out."
Adam snuck out? That wasn't possible, was it? They had a bunch of security that it made it nearly impossible to get out. Honestly, this rehab facility my parents took him to was worse than prison.
"What do you mean he escaped?" This wasn't happening. "There's no way."
"Just come home." She hung up.
Without saying anything else – Melissa pretty much figured it out – I payed for my nails, making sure to leave a tip, and left. But not without a quick apology to Melissa. I got in my brother's car and drove carefully, but quickly, home. Didn't want to keep my mother waiting.
Mom was in hysterics when I walked inside the home. Dad was trying to comfort her by rubbing the back of her hand, telling her to be quiet and that everything was going to be okay. They didn't even acknowledge that their daughter was home. I stood there, leaning against the wall. Honestly, I didn't even know what to say. Or how to feel. There was so much about my brother I didn't know, that this little bit of news didn't even surprise me.
Finally, my mother lifted her head. Her eyeliner and mascara was smeared under her eyes, strands of hair sticking up everywhere, pupils dilated. Her eyes were red and puffy. She had been crying for a while now, that much I guessed. She ended up pulling me into a hug, where she started crying again.
As many times I had ever cried in my life and had people comfort me, I didn't know how myself. But, as she sobbed into my shoulder, I couldn't help but cry too, especially when realization of what happened finally dawned on me. My brother had escaped rehab, and nobody knew where he was. But there was one person who had to know, but I really didn't want to call Oliver. I was still very much angry at him.
Dad slipped off into the kitchen, where he soon returned with a box of tissues and some water. My mom and I pulled apart and grabbed some tissues, and we both wiped out eyes. She grabbed the water from my dad's waiting hands and took a sip, and then offered me some. I shook my head.
"We got the call thirty minutes ago," my father stated, guiding my mother to the couch. They sat down and she rested her head on his shoulder. "They're making a police report."
"Why?" I asked, my voice hoarse.
"Since he's not eighteen yet, they still count it as a runaway. He's not emancipated," my mother croaked. "We called Oliver, but he has no idea where he is or where he could be."
For some off reason, I didn't believe that. Deep down, a part of me felt like Oliver knew. He and my brother were best friends. Adam would call about him about something like this. After all, Oliver hid for over a year that my brother knew Rodney and was on drugs. It wouldn't be a surprise if he was helping my brother hide.
I was still confused as to why my brother would run away from rehab. He had already been there for a month. What was another five months going to be? Then again, I didn't know how they really treated him or how any of that worked, so I couldn't really judge him. Yet, I did. Because I knew that now that he was no longer there, he wasn't going to get back into a hard stuff, and it worried me.
What if Rodney found him before anybody else did? What if Adam went back to him? So many questions, and I didn't want to think about and know about any of the answers. Without another word, I turned on my heel and rushed outside, not wanting to be inside.
You need to ask your mom and dad if they found a solution to Rodney's threat.
I blocked out my subconscious. If they knew, they would have told me by now.
Maybe your brother escaped and moved to a different state. Or country. He knew he was guilty for putting you in danger, which is why he's running away. He doesn't care about you, Sierra. He never did, otherwise you wouldn't be in this mess. I wanted the voices inside my head to stop. Maybe Rodney found him and killed him, but he's still going to be after you until he gets his money.
I continued to try to block out the voices, closing my eyes and covering my ears. I rocked on my heels, shaking my head.
Remember Sierra. Whatever happens will be all because of your pathetic excuse of a brother.
I wanted to scream, to block out all the noises. Dropping my hands to the side, I started to run down the sidewalk. I didn't have a destination in my mind. My legs just kept going, running faster and faster, until my breathing became uneven and I needed to take a break. Doubling over, I rested my hands on my knees and spit into the grass, trying to catch my breath.
My phone rang, but I ignored it. When I finally gained my composure back, I stood up straight and looked ahead. I was at the neighborhood park. Kids were running around laughing, some mothers talking to other mothers, and a boy riding his skateboard. This scene almost reminded me of when I was at the park near my school, where Rodney had approached me. Looking around frantically, I made sure he was nowhere in sight.
Thank god he wasn't.
Birds were chirping, and I saw a few ducks moving around the pond. I smiled and walked up to one of the benches. A woman I sat beside was covered in a blanket, and she smiled at me softly. "Hey, Sierra."
"Hey, Mrs. Sanders. How are you?"
Mrs. Sanders was a lovely lady who lived a few houses from me. She all the time baked cookies and brought them to almost everyone in the neighborhood. She was a stay-at-home mom who had a lot of free time on her hands whenever her two children were at school. They were seven and ten.
"I'm doing well, Sierra. How about your mother? Is she all right? I heard your parents took your brother Adam to rehab."
I clenched my hands into fists, but not out of anger, and bit the inside of my cheek. Should I tell her he escaped? Probably not. Even though she was a major sweetheart, she was also a big chatter bug, and she'd probably tell a bunch of people. So, to be safe than sorry, I lied to her.
"She's doing well. And yeah, she did. He's doing better, though. I visited him." Lying was something I was never good at, but she seemed to believe me.
Mrs. Sanders nodded her head. "That's good."
We fell into a comfortable silence, and I looked straight ahead. Her children were chasing one another, and I smiled. I remembered when Adam and I were once like that. Innocent little kids who thought there was nothing wrong in the world. Boy, how I missed those days.
I stayed there for another good ten minutes, and then decided it was best I went home to check on my mom and dad. They were still in the living room, but my mom had her purse and my dad grabbed the keys off the table beside the front door. Where were they going?
As if reading my mind, my father answered. "We need to go to the police station. We'll be back soon." He kissed the top of my head and ruffled my hair. My mom gave me a hug, not letting go for a moment, before they left without another word.
I peaked out the window and watched them drive off, and when they were gone, I locked the front door. Rodney knew where I lived, and I didn't want to risk him breaking into my home. Then again, a locked door probably wouldn't stop him. And, after his threats, I just didn't feel safe at home by myself. I wanted to call Oliver to keep me company, but I was still mad at him. Brody was next on my list, but he'd probably ignore my phone call again. I sighed. I really wished this wasn't happening to me.
A sudden knock on the door brought me out of my thoughts, making me jump. Wondering who it could be, I carefully glanced out the window to see who it was, but there was no other car besides my brother's parked in the driveway. A knot formed in my stomach, and I knew better than to answer the front door. It could be Rodney.
I went upstairs and locked myself in the bedroom. There was another knock, and then the doorbell went off. I looked out my bedroom window, and standing at the front door, was someone I didn't recognize. Yeah, definitely not answering going back down there to answer.
Eventually, whoever it was, left. I let out the breath I didn't realize I was holding and flopped myself on the bed. Covering my eyes with my arms, I pushed back any second thoughts and worries into the back of my head. Adam may have gotten a target on my back, and he may have disappeared, but I was going to try not to let this dictate my life. I shouldn't be afraid.
But really, I was. I feared my life. No sixteen-year-old should have to be afraid to go anywhere. Paranoia was going to be a real thing until my parents figure out how to fix this mess.
My phone buzzed, and I grabbed it to see who texted me. It was from a number I didn't recognize, telling me they were sorry. Sorry? Who was it and what were they sorry for? I was about to text back and ask, but then it dawned on me. Could it be Adam?
Without even thinking, I called the number, but they sent me straight to voicemail. I tried several more times, but each time, was directly sent to voicemail. It had to be Adam. Who else could it be?
I texted the number back and waited for a response. Holding my phone tightly in my hand, I stared at it. I was trying to be patient for a text back, but when twenty minutes had passed and still nothing, my heart dropped. Maybe it wasn't Adam.
Groaning in frustration, I tossed my phone onto the floor. Why bother texting me if you weren't going to respond to me when I replied? I glared at it for a moment, and then it lit up and went off again. I almost fell off the bed to grab it and see if the person responded, but no. It was Brody. He wanted to talk, so I called him.
"Yes?" I asked, annoyance dripping in my voice.
"You called me the other night. Why?"
So he was finally calling me back now after that? "Yeah. I just wanted someone to talk to."
"Why?"
I shrugged even though he couldn't see me. "Honestly," I said, running a hand through my hair, "I have no idea. I guess I was just lonely." Almost instantly, I slapped a hand over my mouth. Why did I say that?
There was a pause, and then a humorless chuckle. "You mean Watson and you are having problems still? You couldn't call him?" There was another pause, but only for a second or two. "Then again, it did look like trouble in paradise at school. Seeing him trying to talk to you and you ignore him. What's wrong? Fighting already?"
I didn't understand why he was being so heartless. Brody was never rude to me like this before. "I already told you before you broke up with me that there was nothing going on between us. He's just been helping me with everything with my brother. They are best friends, and he promised Adam he'd look after me if something was to ever happen to him."
Why was I explaining this to my ex-boyfriend? I didn't owe him an explanation.
"That's bullshit, Sierra. I see the way he looks at you. He cares more for you than just his best friend's little sister. You can't sit there and tell me you haven't noticed, and you can't sit there and tell me you don't feel anything in return. Because if you really loved me like you claimed, you could tell me what was wrong. Not him."
I opened my mouth to respond, but there was nothing I could say to convince him that he was wrong. I also wanted to tell him everything, but I knew that wasn't a good idea.
"I'm sorry you think that, I really do. I love you Brody." But why did that sound so wrong coming from my mouth? "But I can't tell you. It's not safe."
"You know what, Sierra?" A brief pause. "Screw you."