Stolen Secrets

Stolen Secrets- Chapter 24

~Natalie~

I was still losing at Mario Kart when I heard my phone ring. My ringtone was a Beatles song that my mom had loved. I had just tossed my phone onto the table because it had been digging into my hip. It had slid across the table and was now quite a ways away from me.

At first I thought I was hearing things, no one ever called me, but then I glanced down at the screen, and sure enough it was light up and flashing.

Then I saw the name on it.

Dad.

I nearly dropped my remote in shock. On the rare chance that Dad would call me was the only reason I kept my phone on. The only other person to call me was Jeff, and there was no point for him to if I was with him all the time.

As I dropped the remote onto the couch next to me, my finger must have hit the pause button because the game suddenly stopped.

“Hey! Why did you do that?” Brandon said jumping up in outrage. I ignored him and scrambled for my phone. Brandon noticed what I was doing and leaned over and pressed the reject button before I reached it. His chair was closer to the table than I was. “We’re in the middle of a game,” he said sternly.

“No!” I screamed out. I grabbed my phone and hugged it to my chest. All my energy was suddenly gone. I didn’t have even the energy to collapse onto the couch behind me.

“Daddy,” I whispered even to quiet for Jeff to hear.

“Angel what’s wrong?” Jeff asked his arms immediately around me. My eyes filled with tears as I thought about what almost happened. I almost talked to Dad. The man who had abandoned me first chance he got.

I didn’t answer him, I couldn’t. I brushed tears from my eyes so I could see and opened up my call log on my phone. There in clear bold letters, was Dad’s name. Below it the number I knew as well as my own.

With shaky hands I held up the phone so Jeff could see. He read the screen quickly. Different emotions crossed across his face.

“Angel, I’m so sorry,” he whispered crashing me against his chest.

I wrapped my arms around his torso and buried my face in his chest. I wasn’t sure why I was crying this time. Dad had abandoned me, true, but I still loved him. I was scared for his life, and worried about him day and night. This was the man who had taken me in and treated me like his daughter most of my life. I couldn’t throw all of that away in a week.

“What happened?” Brandon asked from somewhere behind Jeff. “What’s wrong?”

“Why did you do this to her?” Jeff demanded. “Why?”

“What did I do?”

“You don’t touch any one’s phone ever! You don’t know who might be calling them!” I got an idea from Jeff’s words.

With numb fingers I dialed Dad’s number. I don’t know why I hadn’t thought to do it right away.

I held the phone up to my ear as the two brothers continued to argue. The phone rang and rang, but Dad never picked up.

I lowered my phone. It had been a fluke. He hadn’t meant to call me.

I tangled my hand into Jeff’s shirt, scared that if I let go, he would slip away from me too, like everyone else had.

I heard Jade come into the room, but I was crying too hard to tell for sure.

Then I was sitting on the couch with Jeff next to me. I’m not surprised that he had got me to sit, my knees were weak and I felt like I had no strength anymore.