Hide and Go Seek // Sammy Wilk

Seventeen.

I remained frozen as Nick put on a stupid smile while on the phone with this Charlie guy.

"Well," he continued. "I want you to pay him a little visit. Make sure he's alone, I don't want anything messy or attention-drawing. I know he and Harlow are close and they both work at the gym - thanks to you telling me instead of her."

"Nick, what are you-"

"Do be quiet, love. It's rude to talk when others are on the phone. Anyway, Charlie, yes, see what he knows, who she's been seeing secretly. You may need to use a little force because I know he knows something."

I was put at ease but only a little. I didn't want Charlie using any force upon Sammy. Hopefully Sammy knows how to think quick on his feet and makes up a bullshit story to save his life.

"If he keeps refusing then call me...we'll figure out what to do with him. Thank you Charlie, have a good day."

Nick hangs up and keeps smiling at me.

"You know what," he continued. "I've always admired how clever you were. Clever until I threaten you and those you hold dear."

"You can't force me down the aisle," I glared.

"Sure about that? Because I'm pretty sure I informed your mother that the wedding has been bumped up to two weeks from now. We'll honeymoon in Jamaica like you wanted then you'll move back to New York where we'll live happily ever-fucking after. Understood?"

"You're crazy," I shook my head, holding back my tears.

"Crazy about you," he bit his lip. "Now let's go before you miss your flight. When I return next Thursday, we're going to the Carlsons that night. They're letting us use their mansion for the ceremony."

//

Nick had set up a driver to pick me up from the airport but I snuck past the driver and his makeshift Harlow Washington sign with my shades on. I took cash out at the ATM and went straight to the Rent-A-Car stand.

"And how will you be paying today?" The cheery girl in a red polo asked me.

"Cash," I told her straight up.

By the time I got on the highway, I had no idea where I was going. I just drove. I rolled down the window and tossed my cell phone out. I still had my prepaid phone and I knew Sammy & my mother's number by heart. After a last-minute exit off the highway, I stopped at a gas station and went up to a payphone. The more Sammy's phone rang only made me more nervous.

Got his voicemail.

Called again.

"Hello," Sammy answered quietly.

"Are you alone? Did he hurt you?" I asked frantically.

"Harlow? Yes I'm alone and no...he didn't hurt me," he sighed. "He asked me a lot of questions though: like who you hang out with and sleep with."

"What did you say?"

"That I didn't know anything. That I saw you talking to a guy once but I never got the hint you two were doing anything...he bought it."