What You Don't Know (Sequel to "Secret Love")(Hunter Hayes/James Marsden)

Hysteria

I know this is short. But guys, seriously, I'm so excited about this! THIS IS WHERE IT ALL BEGINS! (Get the reference? ;) )

God Bless and Happy Reading!

Darryl was fed up with waiting. He had contacted Trenton's office multiple times now, still with no concrete results. Why was it taking so long?

Finally he had decided to simply fly out to New York in person to confront his past employer. Trenton McDermott would do what he wanted, and there would be no more waiting for relief. Darryl would make sure of that.

'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'

Markob called Amanda next. She answered on the second ring with a sweet sounding, "Hey, you." This was not a social call, however. Something dark was afoot, and Markob knew Hunter would not have taken his advice. He would need someone closer to him, someone he had known longer and trusted more deeply, to convince him that the woman he said he loved was in danger.

"Amanda, listen carefully," he began, falling into his most serious tone as he explained the full scenario. The condensed version he gave her took only but about two minutes of his time, and then he concluded with, "Do you understand?"

Amanda nodded furiously, absorbing all of Markob's words with a sickening fear clenching in her stomach. "I'm on it. Goodbye." She hung up without a second word, and dialed Hunter's number in the next breath.

In New York, Hunter looked at his phone screen and groaned. He knew why Amanda was calling. Markob had probably given her the same crock he had spewed to Hunter only about ten minutes before. She was going to try her hand at convincing him Bethany was in danger, and that he had to go to her "right now!" Hunter sent her call to voicemail. He did not have time for this mess right now; his show was about to start!

His opening act was just beginning their last song, and it was not two seconds after he shoved his phone back into his pocket that it began vibrating again. With a grunt of annoyed acquiescence, he answered it.

"Amanda, what do you want? I'm about to go on stage." His words came out through his teeth, which were grinding together in his mouth.

"Hunter, why are you still there? HUNTER YOU IDIOT! WHAT DID MARKOB JUST SAY TO YOU? SHE. IS. IN.DANGER. YOU. BAFOON. IF YOU DON'T GO AFTER HER RIGHT NOW I AM GOING TO COME OVER THERE MYSELF AND YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO PERFORM! I THOUGHT YOU LOVED HER, HUNTER!"

"Amanda, whoa!" Hunter had never heard her sound so hysterical before, and she was screaming so loudly that his band members were all staring at his phone with varying looks of annoyance, curiosity, and horror. "Amanda, you know I love Bethany, but I can't see her right now! You can't force me to go!"

"HUNTER SHE IS GOING TO DIE! TRENTON IS GOING TO KILL HER! DON'T YOU GET IT!? IF YOU DON'T SEE HER NOW, YOU'LL NEVER SEE HER AGAIN!"

All at once, Hunter could see Bethany's body, cold and breathless, lying on a floor slick with her blood, with that horrible man standing over her with a nauseating look of glee on his face. Amanda was still screeching in his ear when he tipped over and vomited violently. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, but moved away from the mess and straight out the door, Amanda still yelling harshly through his phone.

"I'm going," he said, then hung up, clambering for the door handle of the taxi he had managed to catch. He threw the guitar in the back seat next to him and recited the address mechanically, praying that Amanda was wrong.