Hello (A Jacob Black Story)

Chapter Twenty One

I swing open the front door, entering the house and move my way around the railing towards the stairs – Kim, Emily, and Leah hot on my trail.

After the phone call, I ran away from the guys – who had the look of confusion on their faces – and demanded that Emily will take me back to her place. She didn't know why and still doesn't know, but she obliged after I sent a hard glare at Sam when he asked what was wrong. Well, you see Samuel, you kept an awful secret from me and I hate you for it. Cue the eye roll. Anyways, back to me storming up the stairs and into Sam and Emily's room.

After I asked a very confused Emily where the mail they keep is, everyone started to ask questions and I don't want to answer any of them. Not until I know this is a late April Fools prank and we can all get back to our lives. So, as this is running through my head, I pull open the dark wood drawer and start to rummage through the countless envelopes until I find it. Quickly, I open the envelope and read what's on the paper:

Dear parent/or guardian of Chloee Matthews-Uley,

We are to inform you that as of June 3rd, William McCreery has ordered a court meeting to fight custody of Miss Matthews-Uley. You are to be at the courthouse located in Seattle, Washington on July 16th.

Please contact us by July 2nd to inform us that you will be present in court.

Sincerely,
Judge Paul Lemmington and Lawyer John Morgan

The letter was sent June 1st, a week after I got here and I've been here for almost a month. He's been keeping this from me for almost a month?

I sink to my knees, one hand holding the letter while the other covers my mouth to keep the sobs from escaping. It's real. That thing is fighting for custody after all these years. Why?

"Chloee." Emily's sweet voice breaks through my thoughts and I look over at her with tears in my brown eyes.

She tilts her head and opens her mouth to speak but I was too quick to rise to my feet and exit the room, my feet leading me down the stairs where there's a room filled with confused boys and two girls.

"Why did you tell me?" I ask the man I call my brother, my voice shaking.

Everyone snaps their heads towards my direction, to where I'm standing on the last stair with Emily behind me. A tear rolls down my cheek and I step down, approaching my brother.

"Why did you tell me?!" I try to shout by the thickness in my throat prevents me. I slap the letter against his chest and he looks down, examining it.

"I thought it would be nice." Sam says, placing it on the table.

"Nice?" I bitterly ask, another tear cascading down my cheek. "My parents separated for a reason! It'll be hell if he wins." I try to raise my voice but it fails.

Sam gives me a confused look and I rub my face, turning around to run back upstairs and into my room but he grabs my arm.

"Why?" He asks and I look down, biting my quivering lip. "Because I won't be the same." A sob escapes my lips as I turn around, looking up at the russet skin brother of mine. "I'll be broken and a shattered mess. I won't be the same, Sam. You can't let him win. You can't." I whisper, wrapping my arms around his torso, my forehead against his chest and I begin to cry.

"He'll destroy me." I repeat, grabbing onto his shirt tightly.

"How?" Quil asks the question that everyone is dying to ask.

"You don't want to know.." I whisper, hiding my face in my brothers chest as more tears roll down my face.

"Trust me, you don't.."

~*~

After almost four hours on the phone with John, trying to figure out a plan to evoke the court order but, sadly, we came up empty handed.

Everyone left before we got on the phone with him, leaving only me, Sam, and Emily around the dining room table in silence after the call.

"Chloee, sweetie, tell us why you're so scared.." Emily breaks the silence, making me flick my watery eyes up to where she's at. I clear my throat, sitting up, and take a deep breath to calm my still racing heart.

"It's started when I was six.." I begin in a whisper. Both Sam and Emily sits up in their seats, exchanging worried looks before fixating their eyes on me.

"He- he said it was a new game but, looking back now.." I close my eyes, trying to erase the memory and the tears forming in my eyes. "He was using me for pleasure, to let go and-" I stop to clear my throat, trying to prevent it from closing up on me.

"First, he'd beat my mom and then he started to sexually harass me.. When I turned nine he started to take the "game" to the next level..." Tears fall down my cheeks and I wipe them away. "I'm bruised and broken because of it.." I say, looking at a shocked and empathetic Emily and an angry Sam.

"Please, don't let him win." I ask in a quiet, shaky voice. "Please.."

Sam gets up, walking over to me and kneels down, resting his hands on my knees. "I'm so sorry Bee.. I promise to try my hardest to keep and protect you.." He says, tears in his eyes and I nod, wrapping my arms around his neck.

"I trust you. I know that you will protect me." I whisper in his ear and he wraps his arms around my waist, squeezing me.

But for some reason, I didn't feel safe. Not until I was back in Jacobs arms.

____________________________
A/N: HAPPY FRIDAY!

I am so sorry for the crappy chapter but I haven't been feeling good all week(and I'm still not feeling good :/ ) and yesterday I was FINALLY able to get around to doing it! I promise that next chapter will be longer and better!!!

Leave a comment and let me know what you think! Love you guys <3

Until next chapter,
C

P.S. I don't know if I'll be able to update on Monday but I'll try to!! Just letting you guys know :)