Just Hold My Hand

7- A Turn For The Worst

I wake up in a dark room. Very dark. I could barely see anything. If anything at all. I could just be imagining things. My head's pounding. Obviously, I was hit over the head. By... Laura? No. There had to be someone else there. Maybe they just kidnapped her to make me think she was the one who did it. There's no way she could ever do something like that. Not to me. Not to her best friend. No way. Never.

But who could've done something like this? I thought this year was going to be a new start. Away from all the awful stuff that had happened last year. Apparently not. Apparently, my life was just supposed to get worse than last year.

Liam's POV

Where is she? Where's Madi? The school's about to start, and she isn't here yet. Unless maybe she's running late? If she is, she would've texted me. Maybe she hasn't even gotten out of bed. She's told me stories about times at her old school when Laura had to come over and force her to get out of bed. Maybe that's what was happening now. In that case, I shouldn't worry. Not yet. It is Monday after all.

I headed to class. She would probably show up sometime in the next two periods. That's what most people did if they slept in, or didn't want to get up. She could've gone to get ice cream, and maybe lost track of time. No. That wasn't like her. She would never do that unless it was a day off.

I smiled, thinking of how much she loved ice cream. I had only known her a short time, but I felt like I'd known her for forever. I had never felt like this before. The feeling was amazing. Whatever it was. It felt good. I never wanted it to leave.

Of course, it did leave. Because she didn't show up. She wasn't there the whole day. Was it possible she could be sick? Nope. She would've texted me. Was it possible for her to sleep all day? Again, no. Her mom would've woken her up, and made her go to school. But maybe her mom thought she had already gone to school, so she was able to sleep all day?

I'll go see her. Then I'll stop worrying. Once I know she was just sleeping, I'll feel much better. Because what else could've happened to her? Unless... No. No. No. No. That is NOT it. There is no way.

I ran to her house. I ran as fast as I possibly could. I rang the doorbell. Nothing. I knocked. Nothing. I turned the handle, and the door swung open. Right there on the floor was Madison's mom. Just lying there. I knelt down and examined her for any wounds, and it seemed like she had just been knocked out. Good.

No. Not good. This means that something's happened to Madi... No. I couldn't let that happen. As I stood up, I heard someone laughing. Right in front of me.

"What is it? Can't find your sweetheart?" I knew that voice. It was Blake.

"Where is she? What did you do to her?" My voice was almost a growl.

"Don't worry. She's fine. We locked her up in her basement." I didn't even know this house had a basement.

"You can't be the only person here. There has to be someone else. Someone else who knows this house..." I trailed off, realizing the only other person who had been in this house besides her parents and I was Laura. No way.

"You were always one to put the pieces together. Well, let me introduce you to your stalker, and the person who helped me." There she was. Laura. Madison's best friend, my stalker, and now the person who was helping Blake.

"But... why?" That was all I could ask at that moment.

"Well, Madi was my best friend, and I hope she can forgive me someday. But I wanted you. See every since I laid my eyes on you, I knew I wanted you. I tried so hard, but you weren't interested. So I started threatening every girl who ever talked to you. It worked. But when Madi started talking to you, and wouldn't stop even when I threatened her, I knew I had to do something. Also the fact that you fell for her, out of everyone else, it hurt to have to do this to her, but there was no other way." That explains everything. Thanks.

"I hope you know I'll never get with you. Ever."

"You see, I know that. But as you can see, we've kidnapped her. Or, just locked her up, and Blake here wants her, and I want you. So, if you want her to be safe, I suggest you come be with me, and Blake can have her all to himself. What do you say?" Some deal you've got there.

"Show me where she is, and let me talk to her. Then I'll decide. This has to be a decision that comes from the both of us. That's what a relationship is, isn't it?" They both eye each other but then nodded. Good. Now Madi can I can think of a plan of how to get out of this.

Madi's POV

I jumped when I heard the door open, and squinted just a little when I saw the light coming through the now open space. My head was still pounding, if not worse than before. The light definitely did not help. I heard footsteps as I watched two figures coming downstairs. The light was too bright for me to be able to identify who it was, but when they came closer I could see that one was Liam, and the other... Laura? No. No. No. No.

"W-what?" That basically summed up all the questions that were coming to my mind. That and I guess asking why would help as well.

"I'll let your boyfriend explain, then if he leaves anything out, we will be happy to fill you in." She smiled, then walked back up the stairs.

"We?? So there are two people? Liam, what's going on." My best friend did this to me, she and whoever else was working with her.

"Blake. Both of them helped to do this."

Liam explained it all so well I didn't have any questions, but I did at the same time. Not about their plan or whatever it should be called, but about why. He didn't know either, which I guess makes sense.

"So, we have to make a plan of how in the world we're going to get ourselves out of this?"

"Yeah, pretty much. I had an idea that may work though, but we're going to need to agree to be "with" them before we can actually make this plan work." That didn't sound like fun, but I guess if it would get the both of them away from me... I would do almost anything.

"Wait, I don't have to like... kiss Blake or anything, right?"

"Hopefully not. I mean, you don't like him, and you don't want to do this, and he knows that, so just dodge him and stuff. Don't invite him over, and try to stay away from him as much as possible, especially when you're alone. That shouldn't be too hard since you both go to separate schools." Right, okay. Maybe this won't be so bad, or as bad as I thought it was going to be.

"So what's the plan?"

"You just go be with Blake, and I'll take care of everything, but until we're both free from this, I guess I'll have to break up with you." There was still some humor there, and that made me smile. Even though we were in the dark, I could tell that he was smiling.

"Well, I guess I'll just have to trust you with everything, and I'll have to trust that when this is over, you'll still like me like you do now." A chill went down my spine just thinking about it. About all the what ifs.

"I promise that I will like you, if not more than like you, by the time that this is over. So long as you promise it too."

"I promise."

"Say the whole thing darling." I could tell there was a smirk and a wink.

"I promise that I will like you, if not more than like you, by the time that this is over."

"Good, I love you Madi, just keep that in case something happens. They will use violence if necessary."

"I love you too." I murmured, hopefully, so he couldn't hear, but he did and embraced me in a strong hug that I never wanted to pull away from. I could most definitely tell we were about to be swept into a hurricane of craziness, but I knew that we would be fine if we stuck together.

—————
Hey! I know it's been a while, and this chapter isn't the longest, but it was supposed to be shorter, cause the next few are going to be longggg. Anywho, hope you enjoyed!

-Purple