Chasing Courtney

Chapter Seven

I stood there in shock. I pinched myself, just to make sure it wasn't all a dream. Ow! So I wasn't dreaming. This was all a reality. I was panic stricken. Do I run back upstairs and tell Dad? Tell the cops? Chase the car? Eat a sandwich? All of the above? I decided my first option was the most logical.

I pushed open the door to the lobby and ran to the elevator. I pressed the up button repetitively. The elevator made a ding! and then I dashed inside. I pressed the button that read "13" nearly a million times. When the elevator started to move upwards, I started to breathe again. The situation was just like what happened with my mom 9 years ago. I couldn't believe that Courtney told Dad, but I knew he would find out one day. I'm suddenly enveloped into a flashback.

I remember how bright the lights were after I stepped out into the hallway. I rubbed my eyes and walked across the hall. When I got closer, I heard muffled screams and yells coming out of the door. I put my ear to the door. I could make out the words, "Courtney", "Benn", "Lexi", "hate you" and some other curse words. I hid behind the plant next to their room because I heard footsteps coming.

The door swung open and my mom stomped out. She ran away and to the door that led to the deck. I chased her and opened up the door to the deck. I squinted and I could make out my mom walking towards the rails. I tiptoed toward her.

But before I could even say anything, she abruptly jumped off the the boat and into the water. I gasped and ran to the rail. I looked over, just to see her red locks flying all over the place. Then came the splash. "MOMMY!" I shrieked.I curled up into a ball and began to sob. An elderly woman came out, her hair in curlers. She saw me and asked me what was wrong. I told her everything that happened, and she called the boat security.

A week later, we got off at the LA Harbor. It had been a long, depressing week for all of us. I only told Courtney and Bennett what I saw. I didn't exactly know what to think of my dad since that night, so I didn't tell him. We scanned the crowd for our driver, Marcus, but instead we found a bunch of paparazzi.

"Damien! Is it true that you murdered your wife?"

"Damien! Where did you store her body?"

"Kids, does your dad hurt you like he hurt your mom?"

"Wha-what?" I looked up at my dad.

"Dammit." he whispered. The look on his face read that something was wrong.

"Daddy, you killed mommy?" Bennett said a bit too loudly. That made the press go even crazier with the bright lights and questions.

"No, no, sweetie, the press thinks I killed your mom." he responded. "C'mon, let's get out of here."

We made our way through the crowd and found our driver. He looked at my dad in disgust and looked at my siblings with sympathy. He opened up the door and drove us home. When we arrived at our house, Marcus quit.

The next months to come were awful. Our house was surronded by paparazzi and angry mobs. At one point it was unsafe for my siblings and I to even put a hair outside the house. My dad did nothing about it. He sat on the couch all day, watching soap operas and eating chips. He would moan, "Stephanie, oh, Stephanie." My siblings and I would've starved if it wasn't for our nanny, Stacey.

My mom was my whole world. When she left, my world came crashing down. I would cry, scream and throw tantrums. I wouldn't eat any of my mom's favorite foods. I would break vases and draw on the walls. It was a rebellion stage, to say the least.

A trial was ordered. The police asked Bennett, Courtney and I if we knew anything about my mom's disappearance. I lied to them, because I didn't want my dad to know I knew.

After three grueling months, my dad won the case due to lack of evidence. Not wanting anymore attention from the media, he literally packed up our whole life and moved completely off the map to where no one would ever find us; Nantucket. And to make sure no one could recognize us, he got a Ton of plastic surgery and changed his name from Damien Mattison to Mack Carter. Benn, Courtney and my last names changed too.

A little over a year later, I started pre-k. Trying to be a good dad, he walked me in. He was helping me find my cubby when a petite blonde walks up to us.

"Hi sweetheart! What's your name?" She knelt down to me.

"Alexis." I looked down at my brand-new Mary Janes.

"Hi Alexis! I'm Miss Aniston and I'll be your teacher. It's a pleasure to meet you!"

I looked up at my dad. He was staring at Miss Aniston like he would stare at my mom; completely lovestruck. Miss Aniston was staring at him the same way.

"Hi, I'm Sloane Aniston."

"Mack Carter." he said breathily. They stared at each other for about ten minutes until the bell rang. By October, Miss Aniston was my dad's girlfriend. By December, she wanted me to call her "Sloane". By May, there was a fourteen-karat diamond ring on her bony finger. In the middle of first grade, Ariana was born. By the beginning of second grade, she was Mrs. Sloane Carter.

The doors swung open. I scurried to the apartment and banged on the door. Sloane opened and began to lecture me about how banging on doors is impolite and obnoxious. I apologized then ran to the living room.

"Dad!" I nearly screamed.

"What?" he asked irritably.

A tear slid down my cheek. "Courtney....she--she..."

"Lexi, spit it out." Bennett told me, with some force in his voice.

I burst into full-on sobbing. "She's gone."

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Author's Note: ANOTHER CLIFFHANGER MWAHAHAHAHAHAHHHAHAHHA lol dont hate me!!!! thank you to PurpleBieberNinja and SageRosemary for becoming my fan!!!!!!! u shld all check out the stories they write they r super duper good!!! hope u enjoyed the chapter!!!

love, cmractingstar