Chapter 136 - Elliot Saves The Day

Lance. 

Dear diary (Journal)

Another entry.

I hate dad.

I hate him so much that it hurts. I saw him slip the medicine into her drink yesterday. Now I know why she is always sleeping. He has been drugging her. 

Maybe he hates when they fight? Maybe he is tired. I don't know, I have tried to understand why he is doing this but nothing makes any sense. I miss mom, I have no one to talk to about this, Lisa doesn't believe me and now I am starting to think she suggested this diary because she is tired of hearing me complain about it all. 

Summer starts in a week. Dad is never around on summer holidays. I love it because I get to spend time with mom. When he is not around, she is different. She is happier. 

I like her when she is happy. We seem like a normal family when she is happy. 

Mom and I are going to Uncle Max's house for the holidays. I am so excited because I will get to see Elliot. Eliot is my best cousin. We go the arcade together and we have all the types of sugar-coated candy in the mall. It would be nice to be away from the house for a while. 

I can't wait. 

I close the book. 

This was the lightest page. I guess he was really excited to go to his grand uncle's house. I look out the window and the sun is out. I can't believe I didn't even sleep a wink last night. The more time that passes, the more scared I get. As each day, I get more worried. I miss him and it has just been a day, what if a week passes by, and a month? How will I survive? 

I hear a knock on the door and that is the only thing that makes me drop the book back under the pillow. Jack peers into the room with a faint smile. He looks very worried. I don't want him to be worried. That will just make me worry about him. 

"Can I come in?" 

I nod as he walks into the room and closes the door. "You good? Trick has food in the fridge. I can heat something up for you.'' I look at him and he is dressed. He plans on going to school. I have totally forgotten about school. How will things ever get back to normal? 

''I'm fine.''

I don't even have an appetite right now, all I can think of is Ford and finding him. I don't know how long I will have to be without him but I miss him so much. It hurts so long being without him to no end. It is literally driving me insane. "Do you plan on staying in the room all day?'' he asks, looking out the window. I know he wants to distract me from this but I can't lose focus. Maybe I have been too obsessed with the diary and getting to the end of it. I am losing my mind because after Elliot left, I couldn't stop thinking about it. What if John killed his wife? What if he plans on killing his son to hide it?

No one will ever suspect him if anything happens to Ford, they will just think 'Oh, he was insane anyway.' I know him like the back of my hand. He is not crazy. He might have his demons that are fighting with, that is what makes him so messed up. You can't have a fucked up childhood and grow up to be perfect. 

That is not how this works. 

"Elliot might call,'' I interject. 

"You can take your phone to school. I don't think it is a good idea to be cooped up in this room all day. Just come out with me today and if he calls with any news, I will drive you to wherever you need to go.'' 

I sigh because he is right. I am slowly losing my mind in this apartment. With the lights off and the reflection of the sun poking through the tiny window, it feels like I am in a prison in my mind. "Okay, where is Patrick?'' I ask him at the same time standing up from the bed.

"Work,'' he smiles, then adds "He is such a workaholic.'' 

After a quick shower and some fresh clothes, I go back to the room and grab the book from under the 

I grab the book from under the pillow and he raises a brow "what's that?"

"Nothing, do you know if mom is still in the apartment?''

He shakes his head "She called me last night. Sounded very worried.''

I roll my eyes. She is trying to get to me through him when she knows that won't work. Jack might be my best friend but he is also loyal to her. Mom has taken care of him all his life and most times I see the loyalty that he carries with him when it involves her but I am sure at this moment, he will stick by me. 

"She only cares about her new husband.''

"You know that's not true. She is in love. Love just makes you do things that sometimes might be wrong.'' 

I scoff "I told her something so secret, that I expected her to take my side but she chose the man she just met over her own fucking son.''

"You chose Ford over her.'' He points out. 

"It didn't have to come to that. Why did we have to choose?''

"She is scared to lose the guy, you should cut her some slack.''

You see, there lies the loyalty he has for the woman. The blind trust that should be between a mother and her son. I can't choose her because now I live for Ford. He is the only person that matters. I love him so much.

"Come on, let's go.'' 

*************************

The whole day passes by so slow. Eren and Jack try to distract me but my mind is in a fog. All thoughts are fixed on one person. When I close my eyes, I see him and his smile. I can still feel his lips on mine. The tender and softness of his touch. 

"Yo, you keep spacing out on us.'' 

"I am here," I manage in a lie. The fact that they are both here trying to get me out of my funk is not working. Nothing will work except I find him.

"You haven't said a word all day.''

"I don't have anything to say,'' I tell them honestly. They are my best friends. They know when I am in a mood and they understand me most times. 

"You want to go home. School's pretty much over,'' Jack suggests. I am about to take him up on his offer when my phone rings and Elliot's picture springs up brightly. I press the answer button eagerly because this is the call I have been waiting for. 

"Hey pretty boy,'' he mutters into the phone. 

"Have you seen him?'' I ignore his compliment—I mean is that even a compliment.

"Not yet, how do you feel about coming with me?'' 

My heart stops in my chest at his words. Holy shit. Is this for real? 

''Do you know where he is?''

"I'm on my way. Surprisingly he gave me the address and put my name on the guest list. He didn't even argue. Guess he doesn't really have anything to hide.'' 

This seems suspicious but I don't even know what to believe. 

"Where are you now?''

"In the car. I thought about picking you up from the apartment. Want to make sure that is where you are first."

"I'm at school, I can meet you up somewhere,'' I suggest, not wanting to be a bother. 

He chuckles "it's fine. Send me the address.''

He ends the call and I send him my location on imessage. Jack raises a brow and I smile, there is this part of me that is excited to see him. Okay not apart, the whole me. I can't believe I get to see him. 

I meet Elliot at the parking lot and he gets down from the car "High school feels like such a long time ago.'' He mutters dreamily. I wish I could grow up already. I hate all the control. I hate that I can't be with who I want to be with. Being a kid sucks. 

"It's not so great,'' I tell him. 

He laughs "You haven't tried being an adult. Just you wait on that,'' he winks as we both enter the car. I look out the window as the thoughts roam around my head. i don't know what to expect when I see him but I just want to hold him. Will I be allowed to hold him? 

Will he be drugged to the point where he doesn't even remember me?

God, when will this fucking nightmare end?