by Ellie Rose
“You know about Wendy?”
“Yes. She seems to have disappeared, and no one knows where she went. Her own parents don’t even know.” Officer Cunnings leans forward. “I was hoping you might.”
“No. I have no idea where she is.”
Officer Cunning’s frown deepens. “I was afraid of that. Now, this Beth. Can you tell me any more about her?”
I hear my mom gasp beside me. “Beth? Beth knows what happened to you?”
“You haven’t told them the full story I see.”
“No, I haven’t.” I turn my head in my mom’s direction, but when I speak, I’m talking to Officer Cunnings. “Beth was my best friend. She is also Joshua Henley’s girlfriend. He used her to get to me.”
My mom watches me as tears fall down her face, and her mouth hangs open in shock.
“Do you know where I can find Beth?”
“Probably at her house, or Joshua’s.”
“We checked.” My head snaps to her. “After you left yesterday myself and a few fellow officers went to go find Beth and Joshua to bring them in for questioning. Neither can be found.”
Fear seizes me as Officer Cunnings’ words sink in.
Joshua and Beth… are missing?
Chapter 25: Present
The days following my confession to the police, my parents don’t allow me to go to school. So, I don’t see Anna or Seth. They both texted me a few times, and I sent back that everything is fine.
Anna said that the whole school knows about Joshua and hasn’t been able to stop talking about him, but no one knows that it is me. I’m not sure if I believe her or not.
Joshua and Beth still haven’t been found. My parents don’t want me to leave the house until they are.
Both my mom and my dad now know everything that happened with Joshua. Telling them was the hardest thing I ever had to do in my life. Afterward, my dad left the house for several hours, and my mom sat in her room behind a closed door, crying.
My parents decided that they don’t want me going to homecoming, but I disagree. Me not going to homecoming will make it seem like I am hiding, and I really don’t want that.
I will not allow Joshua to destroy my life more than he already has.
I approach them the day before homecoming in the living room. Even though the TV is on, neither one of them seems to pay any attention to it. The look on my dad’s face tells me he has no idea what’s happening on the show, and my mom’s eyes are downcast.
I walk over and turn off the TV before turning in their direction. They both look up.
“I need to talk to you guys.”
They glance over at each other but remain silent.
“I’m going to homecoming.”
Silence follows my statement. My parents stare at me with blank expressions.
“No. You’re not.” My dad is the first to speak.
“I have to agree with your father,” my mom says, avoiding my gaze.
“I will not allow Joshua to continue to control me. This is my life. I will not hide away from the world because of what happened to me.”
My dad stands up from his chair and turns away from me. “Dad?”
“I said no.”
“Dad, just listen.”
My dad turns around then. His body is shaking, and anger fills his eyes. “No, you listen. You kept this from us. You didn’t tell us what happened to you for months. You are my baby girl, and he hurt you. I wasn’t able to protect you. Ever since you were born, I vowed to always protect you, and I couldn’t.”
“Dad. This is a mistake I made. I didn’t tell you because I was afraid. Afraid of him. Afraid of telling you after you guys let me attend public school. If I didn’t sneak out that night. If I didn’t go to his house. If I just turned away when I got this overwhelming feeling to run away. Then maybe it would have never happened.” I walk up closer to my dad. “But I can’t live with the what ifs, and the maybes. I refuse to continue to live in fear of him. Going to homecoming will show everyone that he didn’t destroy me.”
A hand on my shoulder makes me turn to see my mom. Her face is pale and wet from tears. “How are you so strong after all this?”
I give her a weak smile. “Because you guys are my parents. I got my strength from you.”
I take a deep breath and look at each of them. “I won’t lie, I am scared. Part of me wants to stay in my bedroom for the rest of my life and never face the world again. But then there is a part of me telling me my life is not over. The old me might have died that night, but a new me was also born. I want to go to homecoming because I am no longer hiding.”
Both my parents hug me, my dad’s arms wrap around my shoulders, and my mom’s arms wrap around my waist.
“We love you, bug.”
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry I snuck out that night. I’m sorry this all happened.” My own tears stream down my face.
Pulling back from me, my dad brings his hands up to wipe away my tears. “This is not your fault. None of this is your fault. Don’t ever think that. He is the one that will be sorry after I’m done with him.”
“Ren….” My mom says with a threatening tone.
“Fine, but our lawyer is a different story. We have the best one out there. He will burn him to the ground.”
“A lawyer? But Officer Cunnings says we don’t have enough proof to go to court?”
“That little shit is running scared because he knows he is done for. When we find him, he will wish he never messed with my baby girl.”
My mom reaches up from my waist and pinches my dad on his arm. “Watch your language.”
My dad shrugs. “Once a sailor, always a sailor.”
I don’t even have to look at my mom to know she is rolling her eyes. For the first time in days, I laugh. I feel my mom’s body shaking in laughter as she hugs me, and then my dad cracks a smile. Soon we are all laughing, hugging, and crying.
Standing there with my parents, my heart feels lighter. I know this isn’t over. This is far from over, but I am on the road to recovery.
After we all calm down enough to talk, my dad sighs with defeat. “Okay, you can go. But! You are to call us every hour. Do you understand?”
I nod my head and give him one last hug. “Thank you.”
I move away from him and run for my room in excitement. I can’t wait to let Seth know I can go. As I near my door, I hear my mom call my name. “Paige.”
“Yeah?”
“Do Seth and Anna know?”
“I told Seth first. Anna found out on her own.”
“For the past week, Seth has been picking you up after school. Where does he take you?”
“He has been teaching me how to defend myself if… Joshua ever… does anything again.”
“Good. I’m glad.” My mom sighs in relief. “Seth has a good head on his shoulders. Do you like him?”
The question catches me off guard. “What?”
My mom lets out a small chuckle. “I’m just glad to see you happy after everything that happened.”
My shoulders slump. “After everything that happened, he shouldn’t want anything to do with me.”
My mom slides a hand on my shoulder. “I think he wouldn’t be teaching you to defend yourself or want to take you to homecoming if he wanted nothing to do with you.”
My mom kisses me on the cheek and leaves me to go back to the living room where the TV starts up again.
Opening my door, I smile to myself. My mom was right. Seth wasn’t only helping me physically, but he was helping the chains around my heart slowly break apart.
Chapter 26: Present
Standing in my room the next night, staring at myself in the mirror, I have on the dress I picked out at the dress store. My hair is pinned up in a fancy up-do. My mom surprised me with green earrings, now dangling from my ears.
I twirl around and smile at myself in the mirror. For the first time in months, I feel beautiful. I feel stronger. I feel like me.
An officer fro
m the station called the house to tell us that Joshua was captured and is being questioned. He won’t be anywhere near the homecoming dance tonight. My parents are relieved and, truthfully, so am I.
Now I can have fun without constantly looking over my shoulder, wondering if Joshua is watching me.
Seth lets me know he is coming to get me around four and is taking me to the diner for dinner before the dance. I’m nervous and excited to see Seth again after so many days of not seeing him and barley talking to him.
Over the past few days, I’ve been thinking about Seth and my growing feelings for him. I know the feelings are strong, but I’m still a little worried about it.
The doorbell rings downstairs, and my heart jumps in my throat. Seth is here.
I make my way downstairs just as my mom opens the door.
I come to a stop four steps away from the floor as I take in Seth. He is wearing a black suit, and his brown hair swept back.
He stops talking to my mom when he notices me.
Just like the first day I met him, everything around us blurs, and I only see him. I feel a warmth spread through me. I didn’t realize how much I missed him until now.
“Hi,” his husky tone surrounds me.
We stare and smile at each other.
“Hi,” I say back, shyly.
His green eyes sweep over me before bringing them back up to connect with mine. “You look stunning.”
I blush. “Thank you. So, do you. I mean, for a guy, anyway.” I know I’m rambling, and he laughs.
“It’s okay, I understand what you mean. Thank you.”
A flash of light brings our attention to my mom, who is smiling behind her camera. “You guys are so adorable!”
“Suzie, don’t embarrass them,” my dad says, but he is smiling too.
“Hello, sir. How are you doing?” Seth asks my dad.
My dad walks over and clamps his hand on Seth’s shoulder. “I want to thank you, son.”
Seth and I blink in confusion. “Uh. Thank me for what?”
“I heard that you have been giving Paige self-defense lessons, and you were there for her when she went to the police station. I appreciate you looking out for my baby girl when I couldn’t.”
“Dad!”
Seth smiles at my dad before looking over at me. “She’s an amazing person.”
“That she is,” my dad agrees.
“Hello!” I wave my hand. “She is right here! And I’m ready to leave.”
My dad chuckles and backs away from Seth. “Have her home by eleven.”
Seth nods his head and grabs my hand to pull me out of the house.
“Wait!” My mom calls out to us. “Don’t forget your jacket! And can I please take a few more photos?” She begs me with pleading eyes.
“Mom,” I groan, giving in.
Seth puts his hands firmly on each hip, squeezing gently, and the familiar smell of him puts me at ease.
After several minutes of pictures, we leave the house and head for the Jeep, where I find Anna and another guy standing beside her. He is smoking a cigarette, and Anna is giving him a lecture about it.
“You know that can give you cancer, right?” Anna states bluntly.
The guy rolls his eyes and shakes his head, making his shaggy red hair fall in his face before he sweeps it aside with a hand.
He isn’t nearly as buff as Seth, but he is as tall as him.
He notices us walking towards them and throws the cigarette to the ground, squashing it with his foot.
“Took you long enough. Your sister is driving me nuts,” he says, almost whining.
“Oh, shut up,” Anna snaps. Since I have known Anna, I have never seen her so unraveled as she stands glaring at the guy in front of us.
“Paige, this is the guy I told you about, my best friend, Rick. He dropped in for a visit. When I told him homecoming was tonight, and Anna didn’t have a date, he decided to be Anna’s date.”
Rick waves with a grin. “Nice to finally meet you. I swear from everything I’ve heard, I feel like I know you, but we just met.”
This earns a punch from Seth.
Anna glares at Rick before smiling at me and coming over to hug me. “School has been lonely without you there.”
“I’m sorry. My parents barely wanted to let me leave the house tonight,” I say, hugging her back.
“You look amazing.” She pulls back to look at me.
“So do you!”
“I’m sorry, again, about George.”
“George? Who’s George?” Both Seth and Rick demand.
Anna shrugs, ignoring them both. “Eh, he was out of my league, anyway. I’m not smart enough for him.”
This brings a laugh from Rick. “She can’t even count out cards right when we are playing UNO.”
Another glare comes from Anna. “That was one time, Rick. Let it go.”
Seth and I are laughing as we watch them bicker. Rick seems to bring out the worst in Anna.
I feel Seth slip his warm hand in mine, and my heart does an extra pitter-patter. I turn my head up at him. “Ready to go?” he asks. I squeeze his hand and nod.
“Yeah! I’m starving,” Rick declares.
“God, you’re as bad as Seth when it comes to food. No wonder you’re best friends.”
We all pile in the Jeep. I’m sitting in the front seat next to Seth, and Anna is in the back next to Rick.
“How were you able to go to homecoming? Don’t you have to go to our school?” I ask Rick.
“You can bring one guest as long as they are under eighteen,” Seth replies.
“I wish he was over eighteen,” Anna grumbles behind me.
“Oh, Anna, don’t be like that! You love me!” Rick grabs Anna’s hand and starts kissing it.
Anna snatches it back. “That’s so gross.” I peek in the rearview mirror and see her cheeks are slightly pink.
We arrive at the diner and sit down at one of the corner booths.
“Hmm. What’s good here, Seth?” Ricks asks, combing over the menu.
“The waffles with whipped cream and strawberries,” Seth and I say together, making everyone laugh.
“Hello, everyone. Can I start you out with a drink?” It’s the girl I saw the last time we were here.
As Anna orders, the door to the restaurant opens, and I see the girl tense as she slowly looks to see who walks in. When she sees it is just an older couple, her shoulders relax, and she turns to give us a small smile. She takes down our drinks and walks off.
I watch her leave and notice her eyes are trained toward the door the whole time she is walking.
As the conversation around the table picks up about the dance, I keep one eye on her. Every time the door opens, or somebody accidentally bumps into her, she goes frigid, and her face loses all color.
“So, what’s the theme of this homecoming?” Rick asks, bringing my attention away from the girl who just flinched away from a guy passing by her.
“It’s supposed to be ‘Under the Sea.’”
Rick looks me over. “Are you supposed to be a seaweed?”
A thump under the table makes Rick cry out. “Ow!”
“No. It’s—”
A crashing noise brings our attention to the girl walking out of the back. She stands, frozen, staring at the door as a boy around our age with blonde hair opens the door for his date, who is in a white sparkle dress.
I grab Seth’s hand, feeling excitement course through me.
“What?” Seth asks curiously.
The girl drops down and starts picking up the food she just dropped.
I get up from the booth and walk over to her. Kneeling down, I pick up the food with her.
“Oh, you don’t have to do that,” she says in a wobbly voice.
“It’s okay, Wendy. I want to help.”
Wendy’s head snaps up. Her brown eyes wide in panic and fear. “Do… do I know you?”
I shake my head. “No. I’m Paige. You don’t have to be scared of him
anymore. He’s been arrested.”
“I don’t know who you are talking about.” Wendy stands up, avoiding my eyes.
I stand up with her.
“Hey. Everything okay?” Seth asks, coming up behind us.
Wendy flinches and steps several feet away from us.
“I have to go.” Wendy bows her head and heads for the kitchen.
“Joshua Henley will no longer hurt anyone,” I tell her, making her freeze.
Country music is playing overhead as Wendy stands with her back to me.
She slowly turns around. “How do you know Joshua?”
“He raped me too.”
Chapter 27: Present
“What did you say?” Wendy asks, with shock clear across her face.
“Can we talk?” I ask her softly.
She looks at me for a long moment, saying nothing before turning and disappearing to the back.
“That was Wendy?” Seth asks me.
“I have been watching her since we got here. She jumps every time the door opens.”
Wendy comes back out then and beckons towards us. “Come on. There’s a quiet room back here where we can talk.”
“I’ll tell Anna and Rick we will be right back,” Seth says, and turns away to tell them.
Wendy watches him go with apprehension on her face.
“Don’t worry. He’s one of the good ones,” I tell her.
Seth comes back, and Wendy leads us to a back room that has “Party Room” above the door. We sit down at a table in the middle of the room.
“How did you know it was me?” Wendy asks as soon as we sit down.
“The way you were acting every time the door opened.”
Wendy sighs and brings her hands up to her forehead. “How do you even know about me?”
“I go to Baylor High and heard that you disappeared the year before I started. Only recently did I find out why you never came back to school.”
“Who?” Wendy asks, without looking at me.
“Beth.” Seth slides his hand in mine and squeezes gently, I squeeze back, appreciating him being with me.
Wendy looks at me sharply. “Is that bitch still roaming the halls like she owns the school?”
