Sydney woke up the next morning, her eyes swollen and red from the tears she had shed the night before. The heaviness in her chest hadn't lifted; it clung to her like a weight she couldn't shake. She dragged herself through her morning routine, moving on autopilot. The sound of her mother's snores echoed faintly from the living room, a grim reminder of the previous night's violence. Sydney made sure to tread quietly, avoiding any chance of waking her.
Once she was dressed and had packed her school bag, she slipped out the door, pulling her jacket tighter around her. The morning air was cold and sharp, biting at her cheeks as she stepped into the gray light of dawn. The world around her seemed indifferent, almost peaceful, with the wind gently rustling the autumn leaves that littered the sidewalk. The golden and russet leaves swirled in small circles, carried by the wind, a stark contrast to the turmoil inside her.
She walked over to the small, rusted bike leaning against the side of the house. Her fingers, stiff from the cold, fumbled as she lifted it onto the porch. For a moment, she stood still, taking in the familiar sights of her street—the quiet houses, the pale morning sky, the distant hum of cars in the background. But none of it brought her any comfort today. Her heart ached with a sense of longing, for what, she wasn't even sure.
With a sigh, she mounted the bike and began to pedal down the road toward school. The cool wind whipped against her face, stinging her skin and causing her eyes to water slightly. The rhythmic sound of the tires rolling over the cracked pavement was the only thing that filled the empty silence in her mind. She didn't stop to admire the scenery or take her usual detour through the park like she normally would. She was too tired to enjoy anything.
By the time she arrived at school, Sydney felt numb. She locked her bike to the rack, her hands shaking slightly, though she wasn't sure if it was from the cold or from everything weighing on her. For a brief moment, she stood at the edge of the school grounds, watching other students stream into the building, laughing and chatting as if nothing in the world could touch them. It felt so distant from her reality, like she didn't belong in this world of normalcy and carefree smiles.
Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to walk inside, blending into the crowd. But despite her best efforts to seem invisible, she knew her mind would stay tethered to that letter she had left behind, to the home she had escaped that morning, and to the uncertain future that lay ahead of her.
The day was winding down, and the last class of the day—math—was almost over. The quiz had been collected, and the room was alive with the chatter of relieved students, their post-test energy buzzing through the air. Laughter, whispered conversations, and the occasional tapping of pencils filled the space as the teacher halfheartedly shushed them, knowing it was futile. Sydney sat at her desk beside Claudia, her mind elsewhere as she absently fiddled with her pencil, twirling it between her fingers. Her heart felt heavy, weighed down by the burden she had been carrying for so long.
Sydney glanced at Claudia, her friend's bright smile and easy laughter momentarily lifting the cloud over her, but only for a moment. Her chest tightened as she tried to work up the courage to say what had been gnawing at her all day. Taking a deep breath, she decided to just speak before her nerves got the best of her.
"Hey, Claud..." Sydney began softly, her voice barely audible over the noise of the room.
Claudia turned to her with a curious look. "Yeah, Syd? What's up?" she replied, still cheerful from the lighthearted atmosphere.
Sydney hesitated, her fingers fumbling with the edge of her notebook as she struggled to find the right words. Her heart was pounding in her chest. She hated asking for help, especially something this big, but she couldn't keep pretending everything was fine. Not anymore.
"Can I... uh... can I ask you something?" Sydney's voice wavered, her hands fidgeting nervously in her lap.
Claudia's expression softened immediately. She knew Sydney well enough to sense when something was wrong. "Of course, Syd. You know you can ask me anything. What's going on?" she asked, leaning in slightly, her voice full of concern.
Sydney swallowed hard, her eyes darting to her hands as she mustered the strength to say it out loud. "I... I need somewhere to stay for a while," she said, her voice barely more than a whisper. Tears were already beginning to sting the corners of her eyes, but she fought them back. "Things aren't good at home, Claud. I just... I just can't stay there anymore." The words tumbled out in a rush, as if they had been held back for far too long.
Claudia's face immediately shifted from concern to understanding, her eyes widening slightly as the gravity of Sydney's words sank in. Without hesitation, she reached over and gently placed her hand on Sydney's arm, offering silent reassurance before she spoke.
"Of course you can stay with us, Syd," Claudia said, her voice firm and full of compassion. "I'll just have to talk to my mom about it, but I know she'll say yes. She loves you like a second daughter already." Her voice was steady, but Sydney could see the worry behind her eyes. Claudia knew enough about Sydney's situation to realize this wasn't a casual request—it was serious.
Sydney couldn't hold back the tears any longer. They spilled down her cheeks, one after another, as the weight of Claudia's kindness washed over her. She had been bracing herself for rejection, for the possibility that even her best friend might not be able to help her. But here was Claudia, offering her a lifeline without hesitation.
"Thank you," Sydney whispered, her voice breaking as the tears fell freely now. "I'm so sorry to put this on you like this... I just didn't know where else to go."
"Hey, don't apologize," Claudia said firmly, scooting her chair closer to Sydney's and pulling her into a tight hug. "You don't ever have to apologize for this, Syd. None of this is your fault, okay? You're not alone. I've got you."
The warmth of Claudia's embrace shattered the last of Sydney's resolve, and she buried her face in her friend's shoulder, letting herself cry for the first time in what felt like forever. The exhaustion of holding everything in for so long finally caught up to her, and for those few moments, she let it all go. She felt safe here, in Claudia's arms, something she hadn't felt in a long time.
"I love you, Claud," Sydney choked out between sobs, her voice muffled against Claudia's shirt.
"I love you too, Syd," Claudia replied softly, stroking her friend's back as she held her close. "We'll figure this out together, okay? You don't have to do this alone."
The rest of the classroom seemed to fade into the background as they sat there, Claudia continuing to hold Sydney as her tears gradually slowed. For Sydney, it was a moment of much-needed relief, a small light in the overwhelming darkness that had consumed her life at home.
When Sydney finally pulled away, her eyes red and puffy, Claudia gave her a reassuring smile. "I'll talk to my mom tonight," she said, her tone gentle but determined. "And I'll let you know what she says first thing tomorrow. You're staying with us, okay? Don't worry about a thing."
Sydney nodded, wiping her tears with the sleeve of her hoodie, a wave of gratitude crashing over her. "I don't know what I'd do without you," she whispered, her voice hoarse from crying.
Claudia squeezed her hand. "You'll never have to find out. We're in this together."
The bell rang, signaling the end of class, and slowly the other students began filing out of the room, oblivious to the emotional exchange that had just taken place between the two friends. Sydney and Claudia gathered their things, walking together toward the door. And though Sydney's heart still ached, there was a new sense of hope now—a glimmer of light at the end of a very long tunnel.
YOU ARE READING
believe me // the black phone
Fanfiction4 years ago Sydney Cameron was kidnapped. She was able to escape but nobody believes her story. What happens when more children begin to go missing? Will anyone believe her?
