'Partners forever' // An Upstead Story 🤍

Chapter 53: A phone call

3 months later

Hailey's POV
I head down stairs and I see Jay in the kitchen.
As I headed down the stairs, I could already smell the coffee and pancakes. I seen Jay standing at the kitchen island while plating our food. I smile as I walk down towards him and take a seat. "Morning" he smiles as he passes me my plate. "Good morning, why all of this?" I ask as I take a sip of my coffee. "Well I just though considering it was the weekend we should kick it off right" he says as he sits down next to me. "Umm a day off. I wonder what we could do" I chuckle as I pick up my fork.

"Have you got something in mind Upton?" He asks playfully as he raises his eye brow. "I have a few suggestions" I smile as I start to eat my pancake. I pick up a piece with my fork as put it in front of Jay. He goes to bite it but I move the fork away from him and eat it myself. "Ooo too slow Halstead" I smile. He shakes his head and looks at me. "Mmm I see how it is" he says as he starts to eat his own food. After we finish eating he takes our dishes up to the sink. He pours us another cup of coffee and passes me mine. He stands at the side drinking his coffee while he looks at his phone. I'm about to pick up my coffee when I feel something in my pocket vibrate.

My phone starts to ring. I look at the number and it says 'unknown' at the top. I answer it confused. "Mrs Hailey Upton" a weird computerised voice says through my phone. "Yes?" I ask. "Subtly leave the living room or I put a bullet in his head. Shame to have the coffee all over the floor." The voice says. I freeze and start to feel myself panic. "My snipers are fast so don't think you have time. Now do as I say and close yourself in your spear bedroom" the weird voice orders. I swallow the lump in my throat and start to look around the apartment. "Hailey everything okay?" Jay asks me as he looks across to me. "Uh-uh yeah it just Mrs Mitchell, give me a sec" I say as I try to hide my terror and slowly make my way to the spear bedroom and I close the door behind me.

"Who is this?" I whisper. "Can't disclose that kind of information" the voice says. "How do you know everything?" I ask scared as I look outside our window. "I'm watching and listening to you. Now listen you are gonna be hearing from me soon. Don't think I'm not joking when I say people will die. You remember what happened with Faith don't you?" The voice says. I freeze. My heart beats faster as I try to comprehend what he just said. He killed Faith. He did it. "You? You killed her?" I ask in disbelief. "Yeah and as you know I never miss and I never get caught now unless you want anyone else you love to get hurt I suggest you follow my requests" the voice says as the call ends.

I feel like I can't breathe. The room starts to feel small as if everything is closing in on me. I don't know what to do. I feel like I'm gonna be sick. I run to the bathroom and lock the door behind me. I rush down next to the toilet and throw up. I flush the toilet then lean on the wall next to me. I pull my legs to my chest and I feel myself start to cry. "Hailey are you okay?" I hear Jay asks. "Yeah I'm fine" I say as I try to sound more calm. "Are you sure? It sounded like you were being sick" he says gently as he tries to open the door. "No I'm fine" I say as I let out a light chuckle to try and convince him. I wipe away my tears and take a deep breath. "Well I'm glad that my pancakes didn't poison you" he laughs and so do I. "I'll be out in a minute" I say. "Okay" he says as I hear him walk away.

I try to keep my breathing under control as I think back to that phone conversation. They have snipers, the have been watching me, they killed Faith and they now have control over me. I don't want to know if they are bluffing but I also don't want to tell anyone in case they get shot. I shake off the thoughts and I stand at the sink and wash my face. I look at myself in the mirror and try to bring myself to cheer up. I rub my face to try and make myself look less pale. I will just keep it cool, act like nothing is going on and see what he wants me to do. I mean it's my only option. I look at myself one last time and make sure that he can't tell that I've been crying and then leave.

I walk out of the room and I see him washing up our dishes. I walk over to the window and look out to see if I could see any people but I couldn't. I don't even feel safe in my own house anymore. "Hailey you okay?" I hear Jay ask as he pulls me from my thoughts. "Ugh yeah" I smile as I turn to look at him. "Wanna just chill and watch some TV?" He asks. "Yeah sure" I say as we walk over to the couch. I purposefully sit at the edge of the couch so I can see out of the window and I have Jay sit next to me so he is guarded by the wall. He looks at me confused because he usually sits there but sits down anyway without question.

He turns the TV on and starts to watch something but I pay no attention to it as I keep staring out the window, checking to see if there is any sign of snipers. My eyes are scanning over all of the houses and buildings that I can see from the window. I feel this urge inside of me to tell Jay what is going on but I can't loose him. I will not have him bleeding out in front of me like Faith and knowing it was my fault would push me over the edge again. I feel myself imagine Jay laying bloody and lifeless in my arms, cold and pale. The thought alone gave me shivers and I could feel myself start to get sick again. Telling Jay is not an option not now at least.

I sat there for hours staring out the window and every once in a while I would check my phone to make sure the number hasn't sent me anything. There was nothing but silence and not a peaceful one a terrifying one. I sat on that couch staring out the window till it was dark outside and time for dinner. Jay has got up from the couch and went and ordered us some pizza. He said that he couldn't be bothered cooking so we could just get take out, I agreed because I wanted to stay watching the windows. Even after dinner I stayed in the same spot just watching and waiting.