I'll Never Say Goodbye

Chapter 12

Stampy's POV

Beth was Sqaishey... Sqaishey was Beth.

Where is she now?

Andrew had said that his parents had a house out of town, possibly somewhere in Blackswell. But Blackswell was a big town. She could still be anywhere in there, and it would take ages to search every street and house. I sigh. Why did they have to take her?

"They had to get her away from you, Joe," Andrew says as if he's reading my mind. "I know you're not dangerous, but they still think you are."

I nod and close my eyes, listening to the rumble of the car wheels on the road. The noise of countless trucks and vechicles lulls me, momentarily pushing Sqaishey out of my mind. But as soon as she leaves, images of her trapped inside somewhere by her dad return. I shudder.

Where are you, Sqaish?

"Did she remember anything, before you left?" I ask Andrew. He shakes his head.

"Not that I know of, although I left a long time ago."

I close my eyes again. I still remember when I met her. She had sent me a video of an adventure map she'd made. Her commentary was excellent. We Skyped later that week, and I remember thinking straight away that she was beautiful.

I wonder if she misses me as much as I miss her. She said she loved me, but does she really?

*~.~*

I don't know how long it takes us to get to Blackswell, but judging by the enormous taxi bill, quite a while. I try to ignore the funds going out of my credit card and focus on the fact that I'm one step closer to Sqashey.

"Unless you have money, we'll have to rely on public transport and really bad hotels for the next while," I say to Andrew.

"I have some money. It'll pay for a few nights, at least."

I nod and start walking across the street to the old-looking hotel that the taxi driver took us to. We open the door, and a wave of musty air hits us.

After we've checked in for a night, I lay down in my room.

We're coming, Sqaishey. Just hold on.

Sqaishey's POV

I lay in bed, my head feeling completely normal again, but the doctor and my parents won't let me out of bed.

"I feel fine!" I protest angrily, wondering why I have to be stuck in this bed.

I can't handle it. Why are my parents and doctors stopping me from getting up and walking around like a normal person? I figured out a few things for sure.

Something about me hitting my head in that alleyway has changed my father's opinion on me.

He acts like an actual parent now. He looks after me, he listens to what I have to say, and brings me the three meals I need each day. I have no idea why, but he is acting really different.

2. My accident can't have been the first one.

The doctor says he can't reveal anything, and that 'I will know in the course of time,' but he did hint that I had been seen by him before.

3. Stampy is trying to look for me.

He didn't say it directly in a video, but he said that he would be inactive for a while. He didn't say why or for how long, but I assume he's out to look for me. I can't believe he wouldn't have given up already. I mean, he easily could find another girl. I'm not the only one.

But I'm glad he hasn't given up on me. I went from being a young fan to his girlfriend! It's crazy. He's still looking. For me.

I decide that enough is enough; I had to ask my parents. Maybe they will take pity on me and tell me what's going on. Why I'm still in bed.

I stand up, and am still for a minute. I feel normal; I don't know what I was expecting... Me to drop dead or something?

I slowly open the door, and try hard to stop it from creaking.

I walk downstairs and turn to face the kitchen.

"Beth! What are you doing up?! Get back to bed. I'll bring you some lunch in a minute-"

"No, Mother." I say quietly. All my courage from before had faded away.

"What's wrong, honey? You know, whatever it is I'm here for you, but you need to rest, so let's get you-"

"Why?" I say simply, and my mother stands there, speechless.

"Why-why do I have to rest? I feel normal, healthy even..." I whisper, looking at the vase on the kitchen bench instead of my mother's eyes.

"Darling, I can't tell you... It's best if we let you find out for yourself..." she stutters.

"But why has everything changed so much?" I raise my voice. "You and Father are acting like I've got cancer or something." My eyes open wide with shock. Could I have cancer?!

"You don't have cancer. Or any... life-threatening illnesses." she says uncertainly, sounding like she's trying to find a way to phrase her words. I sigh in relief.

My father enters the room. "What's with all the racket? What's going on in here?"

"I want to know what's going on." I say.

My father looks at me sadly. "Of course you do. But you can't. You have to understand this, Beth. Understand what I'm trying to say..."

"Come on, Bethany. You have to understand. You can't do this to the other kids." He stands over me, but I'm so small I can not see past his elbows. I look down with teary eyes. "I-I won't do it again." I say. "Good. You may go." After I run from the building, I see the smug, smirking faces staring at me. "Good job. Now whenever we bully anyone, they'll think it was her..."

"Bethany, you have to understand. Bethany?" My father's voice brings me back to reality.

"Huh?" I jerk upright, and my mother and father are staring at me.

"Um, never mind." I mumble and hurry back upstairs to my room.

I lay back down in my bed, face down in the pillow.

Maybe I should've not told them. At least then we could stay completely happy... At least for a little longer.