Hey, guys! Happy Easter! :'D
Sorry this took so long. Curse you, writer's block! :U
But thank you all so much for all the reviews, and all the PMs telling me not to feel discouraged and to hurry up and update my stories. You're all so sweet
Shout-out to MusicChannySkyscraper! I honestly didn't really expect to read this, much less review. So thank you so very much! :'D I'm definitely gonna start reading the new chapters QTO this week. Whoo!
Well, enjoy! c:
I'd lost Chad.
I'd lost my job.
I'd as good as lost Patrick. Or, at least, the person I'd thought he was.
It was even starting to feel like I'd lost the ability to smile.
Each time I lost something I cared about, it felt like I was being cut open with a knife, over and over again. I hated that feeling. I hated how everything that made my life worthwhile was slipping away from me.
But not my mom. I was not going to let Penelope take away the person I loved more than anyone else in the world. I couldn't lose her, too, I just... couldn't. If I did...
I winced and clutched more tightly at the edge of the soft leather seat. I was in the passenger seat of Tawni's car, hyperventilating and having yet another panic attack, while Tawni herself sat at the steering wheel, pretty much speeding through the streets of Hollywood. Normally I didn't approve of insane driving. At that particular moment, I could've cared less.
"Drive faster!" I yelled for the millionth time.
"I'm already almost over the speed limit!" Tawni yelled right back, gripping the steering wheel tighter.
"Tawni, my mom could be DYING!"
"Be quiet so I can concentrate!" she snapped, then jerked the wheel to the right. The car made a sharp turn, causing me to accidentally bang my head against the window. Ouch.
Rubbing my head, I fidgeted in my seat before suddenly bursting out, "But Tawn, what if we're too late? What if we get there and - "
"SHUT UP!" she screeched.
Don't get me wrong, it's not like I was purposefully trying to annoy Tawni. I wanted to shut up. I wanted nothing more than to be able to just sit quietly and be totally and completely calm. But the longer I sat in the car, doing nothing and saying nothing, the more hopeless the situation started to feel. Like my mom's life depended on me, and if I did nothing and just sat there, then I was basically just letting Penelope win.
Which probably makes no sense whatsoever.
It's hard to explain. But when someone you love is in danger, the fear and terror you feel is just too completely overwhelming to describe.
My point is, I was a scared, confused, emotional wreck, and I wanted my mom, and I wanted her to hug me and tell me everything was going to be ok. And until I was absolutely positive that she was safe, there was no way I could just sit there and be quiet.
So I pulled out my phone and called my mom's cell for the seventh time. It rang a few times, then went straight to the answering machine. Not a surprise, since the same exact thing had already happened six times before. Unfortunately, that didn't stop it from feeling like yet another blow to the stomach. "She's still not answering her phone," I said. My throat started to tighten up, the way it does when you're about to cry. "Tawni, why isn't she answering her phone?" I choked out desperately.
In reply, Tawni shot me a glare and said, "Jeez, calm down! It's going to be fine."
"But what if it's NOT fine?" I shouted.
Tawni pursed her lips, returned her gaze to the road, and didn't say anything else.
Well.
That didn't reassure me at all.
After what felt like ages of riding in Tawni's car (during which I tortured myself by thinking of my mom and what Penelope might be doing to her at that moment), we finally arrived at my apartment. The second Tawni unlocked the door, I jumped out of the car, ran down the sidewalk as fast as possible, barged past the doorman and through the front doors of the apartment...
...and bumped right into a certain three-named someone.
I recoiled. "Chad!" I gasped, momentarily distracted from my mission at the sight of him. "What're you doing here? And how did you get here before we did?"
Chad jumped back, too (he obviously hadn't been expecting me to slam into him the way I did), looking startled, before quickly fixing his shirt and saying, "I drive fast." Oh, yeah, that was true (and he doesn't ever get tickets for speeding. Darn him).
At that moment, Tawni came up beside me and stopped short when she saw Chad. "Why're you here?" she hissed, repeating what I'd asked earlier.
Chad looked over at me with those piercing blue eyes of his and said simply, "You need me, so I'm here."
Next to me, Tawni scoffed derisively. But I ignored her and just frowned at Chad.
I honestly wasn't thinking too much about what he'd said at the time, since, you know, my mom's life was at stake. I just wanted to find my mom and know she was safe, and I didn't have time to worry about Chad or all the confusing things he constantly kept doing.
But thinking back on it now... he looked so concerned, and dependable, and safe, and... there. Even though he'd made lots of mistakes and had hurt me multiple times, he'd (almost) always been there for me. And as far as I was concerned, that spoke volumes.
So I guess, in a way, he was right. If I had to face the worst, then I wanted Chad to be beside me. I don't know if I needed him there, but his presence would definitely comfort me a tiny bit.
...Could I possibly get any more pathetic?
I bit my lower lip, hesitating, before finally giving him a small nod of reluctant acceptance. Then I quickly tore my gaze away before I could get lost in his sparkly eyes. Not the time, Sonny! I berated myself. Mom. Is. In. Danger. Focus!
"Let's take the stairs," I said, whirling hurriedly in the direction of the stairs that led to the upper floors. Now that my brief moment of distraction had passed, urgency took over and caused me to practically fly up those stairs. I didn't take the time to listen to Tawni, who was protesting that she'd rather take the elevator, or Chad, who was yelling at me to wait up. Please be ok, Mom, please be ok...
When I arrived on my floor, I darted out into the hallway and rushed over to the very last door. Our door. Once I was near, I came to an abrupt halt, panting slightly from running so fast and staring at the white door. Dread filled me. I wanted so badly to get to my mother, but at the same time I was terrified of what I might find behind that door.
Footsteps sounded behind me, and then Chad and Tawni were by my side, both out of breath. They looked from me, to the door, then back to me. Neither of them said anything, but they both looked apprehensive, like they were waiting for me to do something.
I bit my lip, trying to muster up the bravery to open the stupid door, when suddenly an idea hit me. There was a spare key under the doormat. If it was still there, then it was all good. I mean, Penelope couldn't possibly know where we kept our spare key. Maybe there was no danger after all!
I dropped to my knees and eagerly lifted the doormat, mentally crossing my fingers...
...and my heart immediately dropped.
There was nothing there except floor. Empty space. "The spare key's gone," I said slowly, stunned. Trembling slightly, I stood up and looked back at the door. "Guys, I'm scared," I whispered.
Tawni scoffed. "Girl up, Sonny. There's nothing to be scared about." I knew she wasn't saying that to be mean, but because it was her way of trying to make me feel better. But I could tell from her face that she was worried.
Chad, on the other hand, didn't say a word. All he did was brush his fingers lightly against mine, something he hadn't done for a long time. On a normal occassion, I probably would have retaliated somehow. But this time I let him.
All right. Enough was enough. I had to find out sooner or later. I took a deep breath, then, before I could change my mind, I reached over and turned the doorknob. The door instantly swung open wide. Next to me, Tawni and Chad gasped.
I honestly had no idea what I'd been expecting. But it certainly wasn't this.
The whole room was completely trashed. Our comfy green sofa was lying on its side, with the pillows scattered randomly across the floor. A few knick knacks were lying broken on the table, and a few pictures hung awkwardly on their nails. Vases were smashed, our kitty clock was broken, and there were broken glass shards everywhere.
I stared around the room in horror. "Why would Penelope do this?"
"Because she's a lunatic," Chad spat vehemently, glaring at a dark spot on the rug. My eyes were drawn to that spot. Was that... blood? I felt sick to my stomach. I shakily walked forward, careful to avoid the glass shards and that scary dark mark on the ground, and made my way over to the window, which was wide open. Penelope must have come in and escaped through there. A cool breeze blew past my face as I poked my head outside and looked down, hoping to maybe catch a glimpse of Penelope or my mom. But all I saw were dozens of cars zooming down the street.
"I'll head back downstairs and see if the doorman noticed anyone suspicious coming in," Tawni said helpfully, turning and rushing out the door as fast as she could go in her high heels.
Meanwhile, Chad was inspecting a broken picture frame. "I wonder why no one heard anyone in here breaking all this stuff," he remarked.
"Who cares?" I snapped, whirling around to glare at him. "Who cares about any of these things? They're just stuff! They don't mean anything!" It was probably wrong to lash out at Chad, since he was trying to help me and all, but I needed to take out my frustrations on something. Clenching my fists, I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping maybe that would help to force down the tears that were threatening to leak out. But my voice still shook when I said, "All that matters is Mom. I don't care if Penelope burns our whole apartment down, so long as she's safe."
Chad gazed at me, looking concerned. His obvious worry for my well being made me wanted to throw something. I was so sick of everyone looking at me with sympathy, like they thought I was defenseless because of the threat of Penelope looming over. Well, I wasn't! I appreciated that they all cared for me, but they needed to quit looking at me like that, because it didn't get us anywhere!
Before Chad could say anything, I resolutely turned away from him and headed into my room, holding my head high and doing my best not to let him see how close I was to bawling like a baby.
To my surprise, my room wasn't as messed up as the rest of our apartment. There were only a few minor differences, like the fact that my bedsheets were on the floor, and the drawers of my desk were pulled wide open, and the picture on top of my bed was gone -
Wait. What?
I rushed over to the bed headboard, where one of my most prized possessions (well, sort of) had been sitting for months. Stunned, I looked around the room, thinking maybe I'd just misplaced it, but after checking underneath my bed and searching in my closet, I knew it was hopeless. "It's gone," I murmured, frowning. The autographed picture that Chad had given me two years ago seemed to have disappeared out of nowhere. (And before I go on, I know what you're thinking. Chad and I broke up. Why was that picture still on top of my bed? Honestly, I didn't really have the heart to take it down. And... I don't know... it was nice to look at? You know what, I'm gonna quit trying to explain, I'm just confusing myself)
But I knew better than that. It hadn't just disappeared. It'd been taken. By Penelope. Obviously she was still creepily obsessed with Chad. A thought suddenly occurred to me. Maybe that was why Penelope had trashed my apartment in the first place, because she was searching for that picture.
Still, even for an insane person, that didn't make a whole lot of sense.
And then there was the whole thing with my mom that I had to consider. Just thinking about it made a lump form in my throat.
I jolted as a loud MOO! issued from my pocket. I snatched my phone out and pressed on a button, and immediately a new text message popped up.
U like the nu decorations?
As I gaped at my phone, another message appeared in my inbox. I hesitantly clicked on it, and another text came up.
U got off easy. Watch ur step, cuz I got more fun stuf planned for u. - M
I bit my lip and placed my phone back in my pocket, then turned and walked back into the living room. For the moment, I was going to have to push Penelope's texts to the back of my mind.
Outside, Tawni had returned and was telling Chad huffily, "I told you, he didn't see anyone that even closely resembled Penelope. All he saw were the usual people that come here."
"Yeah, well, what if Penelope was dressed up like the usual people?" he shot back.
"That's insane."
"Well, if you haven't noticed, Blondie, we're dealing with a maniac here!"
"What about my mom?" I cut in, causing Tawni and Chad to shut up and look at me. "Did he say anything about my mom? Did he see her?"
Tawni's expression softened, and she shook her head. "Sorry, Sonny, he says he hasn't seen her since this morning."
Before she'd even finished, I'd darted over to the phone hanging on the wall. "I'll call the police," I said, grabbing the phone off the hook and beginning to dial. Then I realized I didn't hear a tone, and I looked down to see that the cord had been cut. "Please work," I begged, shaking the phone. "Work, work!"
Chad told me to calm down, and Tawni offered to call from her cell instead. But I was in a slightly hysterical state of mind, so I just yelled at them in a way that probably didn't sound very appreciative, and then somehow this caused us to all start arguing and yelling at each other.
This would have gone on for a while, had it not been for a familar voice from the doorway that caused us all to freeze. "I'm back, sorry I'm late... Wha...? What happened here? Young lady, you've got some explaining to do!"
I whirled around, my eyes wide, and almost sobbed from pure relief. Ignoring the fact that Tawni and Chad were in the room, staring silently with their mouths open, I cried out, "Mommy!", burst into tears, and launched myself forward into the arms of my startled, but still living and breathing, mother.
~.M.y.D.i.L.e.M.m.A.~
After a tearful reunion with my mom (well, tearful for me), she demanded to know what was going on and what the heck had happened to our apartment. Over the course of the past week, I'd done my best to keep all this Penelope stuff hidden from her, so that she wouldn't worry over me needlessly. But now I didn't really have much choice, so, with the help of Tawni and Chad, I told her everything, from me being fired to the death threats I'd received to those horrible texts. I didn't mention the thing about Patrick, though. I would deal with that later, by myself. When? I had no clue.
"Sonny, why didn't you tell me about this before?" she asked gently, hugging me and stroking my hair in that comforting way that moms do. I closed my eyes and clung to her. I was still so happy that Penelope hadn't gotten to her, the way I'd feared. "I didn't want you to freak out. I'm sorry."
She kissed my forehead. "It's ok, sweetie."
"Ms. Munroe," Chad interrupted, "Where exactly were you this whole time?"
Mom looked over at him, furrowing her eyebrows. "Well, I was out looking for a new job, and when I came back I got stuck in a traffic jam."
"But Mom, how come you didn't answer any of my calls?" I asked, pulling away to stare at her.
"My phone was off," she said apologetically, then hugged me once more. "I'm so sorry for worrying you, sweetheart. I'll be sure to keep my phone on from now on. Unless it, you know, dies."
I giggled lightly at her lame joke, then looked over at Tawni and Chad. "Thanks, guys. I probably didn't show it right, but... I'm really grateful that you came here with me."
"Well, you sort of forced me to, but you're welcome," Tawni said nonchalantly with a roll of her eyes, but she was smiling. Chad just shrugged, looking sullen. I think he was kind of mad at me for yelling at him earlier. I suppose I couldn't blame him for that. I mouthed 'sorry' to him, but he'd turned his face away. I sighed, giving up. As my mom went to the kitchen to go brew some coffee and get a broom to sweep up all the mess, I looked at Tawni. "Hey, Tawn, I have one more teeny, tiny favor to ask you..."
She groaned. "Sonny, your teeny, tiny favors? They're never teeny or tiny."
I chose to ignore that. "Do you think you could maybe stay over tonight?"
"Hmm, lemme think - NO."
"Please?" I asked. "This might sound stupid, but I'm kind of scared to sleep in my room alone."
Tawni was silent for a second, but then she sighed heavily. "Ok, fine, but only because your life is taking a horrible turn and all. You'll owe me. And you better have a very nice sleeping bag prepared for me," she snapped. Shaking her head, she stood up, her phone already in her hand, and began to walk off, saying over her shoulder, "I'm gonna go call my mom and tell her that I'll be sleeping here tonight."
Tawni disappeared into my room, and then it was just me and my ex-boyfriend. "Chad - " I started to say, but he stood up before I could go on. "I'm just gonna go now, then," he said curtly, heading towards the door. "G'night, Sonny."
I grabbed his hand. "I'm sorry," I blurted out. "Whatever I said that upset you, I didn't mean it."
He gently pried his hand away from mine. "I know. I'm not mad at you, though. It's just... well..." He closed his eyes and ran a hand through his hair. "Never mind," he murmured. Then, before I could ask what he meant, he walked out of the room, and I found myself staring blankly at the door he'd closed behind him.
Later on, when Mom and I had cleaned up the apartment so that it looked relatively neat and orderly, I changed into my pajamas (Tawni refused to wear any of my other PJs when I offered them to her, because apparently they were too ugly for her tastes. I personally don't see how it mattered, but whatever) and then tucked myself into bed.
Tawni, meanwhile, sat on the pink Barbie sleeping bag I'd set out for her, moaning and complaining about how the lack of Cocoa Moco Cocoa was slowly killing her. "Tawni, please be quiet so I can sleep," I groaned, resisting the urge to throw a pillow at her.
She pouted at me. "Well, you should've thought about that before you asked me to stay overnight." For a blissful minute, there was silence. Then Tawni asked quietly, "So what're you gonna do now?"
The seriousness of her tone made me roll over on my side to look at her. "What do you mean?"
"Isn't it obvious? You and your mom can't stay here anymore," she pointed out. "Penelope knows where you live. She could come back any time and do something much worse. Your mom was lucky this time, but we don't know what'll happen next time."
I'd actually been thinking about that, but I hadn't voiced my thoughts out loud. I'd been hoping I was just being paranoid. Guess not. "Well, what do you suggest we do? Move to Canada?"
"Uh... no. But I'm thinking you just need to stay somewhere safe. Somewhere Penelope can't find." She snapped her fingers, hopped to her feet, and rushed out into the living room. A few seconds later, she returned, carrying a large phone book. "We just have to find a place in here that Penelope would never think of looking for you, and then hope to God that you're allowed to stay there," she announced with a smirk. "Aren't I brilliant?"
Ok, so it was a good idea. But I'd had an exhausting day, and I was worn out. The only thing on my mind was sleep. "Can't we just discuss this in the morning?" I grumbled.
She didn't seem to hear me and went ahead rambling off a list of addresses. Since she was obviously putting effort into trying to help me (who would've known that Tawni Hart could be such a kind, caring person? Definitely not me), I tried to pay attention, but I kept losing focus. I'm pretty sure I even drifted off a few times.
Then, during one of those moments when I was snoozing, Tawni gasped loudly, causing my poor, tired self to be rudely jerked awake. "What?" I groaned, wanting nothing more than to duck under the covers. "Are you done yet?"
Tawn just stared at me. "I can't believe I didn't think of this before," she said slowly. "And ok, it's not exactly something I'd normally approve of, but under the circumstances..."
That sort of piped my curiosity and made me temporarily forget about my sleepiness. "What are you talking about?"
Tawni crawled over to my side of the bed and held out to phone book for me to look at. "See?"
"Um... see what?"
"His address isn't there."
I peered at the section she was pointing at. All the last names on that particular page began with C. Shaking my head, I said in exasperation, "Tawni, we've been over this before. Santa doesn't have an address because he doesn't exi - "
"I'm not talking about Santa Claus!" she said, frowning at me. "And he exists. I know he exists. But that's not the point." Pulling the book away, she said in her usual haughty voice, "I am talking about Chad."
I blinked. I didn't understand. At all.
When Tawni saw my uncomprehending expression, she rolled her eyes. "See, Chad's address got taken out of all the phone books once he got on Mackenzie Falls, because otherwise girls would come stalk him at his house."
"They can take addresses out?" was all I could think of to ask.
"Apparently if you're CDC, they can," Tawni said, making a face. "Anyway, what I'm trying to say is, his address isn't in here. So Penelope wouldn't have any idea where the heck he lives. It's the perfect place for you to stay while this whole thing blows over!"
I absorbed for a minute, then shook my head. "No. I'm not going to stay at Chad's house."
"But think about it!" Tawni waved the book in front of my nose. "No one, not even Penelope, would expect America's Sweetheart to go sleep over at her ex-boyfriend's house. It'd be so out of character! I mean, does that sound like something you would do?"
...She had a point. "Well - " I started to say, but she cut me off. "Exactly. So, you see, it's pretty much the only choice you've got. You know, if you don't want to be murdered while you sleep."
"Thanks, Tawn," I said sarcastically. "I'm going to sleep so well tonight now."
"Like I said, should've thought about that before you invited me over," Tawni said with a shrug. "Anyway, I know I'm right, so that's all that really matters, isn't it? And don't answer that."
I let out a breath of air and plopped my head back down on the pillow. "Can we please just talk about this tomorrow?"
"Ugh, fine," Tawni said, shaking her head. "Think about it, though. Well, good night, Sonny!" With that, she tossed aside the phone book, climbed back under her sleeping bag, and fell asleep.
I turned off the lamp and snuggled under my covers, clinging tightly to my teddy bear (so I still sleep with a stuffed animal. Whatever). I had a feeling that Tawni was probably right. But that didn't mean I was just going to go along with that plan willingly. I didn't want to have to stay at Chad's house! I mean, how awkward would that be?
Closing my eyes, I decided to just think about all of this tomorrow. I'd had way too much excitement for one day, and what my body needed now was some sleep.
Just as I was drifting off to dreamland, my last conscious thought was of something that had been bugging me practically all day:
Chad still hadn't told me how he'd known I was getting fired.
Phew, her mom's ok. But what will Penelope stoop to doing next? And what is this thing that Chad still has yet to explain?
Reviews are very much appreciated :'3
