Camouflaged

Chapter 27

When we get back to New York, I order a cab and tell the driver where my parents live.

"Please hurry," I whimper, as it starts to rain.

"You really upset, eh?" Hailey asks, squeezing my hand.

I nod.

"Me too," Hailey whispers.

In half an hour, we arrive at my parents' house. I give the driver 20 dollars and my autograph as a way to thank him for getting to my parents' house fast.

"Thank you," I say quickly, getting out of the car.

Hailey and I run up to the door. I bang on the door as Hailey desperately rings the doorbell many times. After a while, my mom answers the door.

"What took you so long?" I ask, almost crying.

My mom looks really confused but I can see worry underneath.

"Oh, it's nothing. Why are you here, Raven?" she asks me, leading me inside, out of the rain that was now pouring down.

"I knew something was wrong. Alex left the hotel early in the morning and left a note saying 'New York'. I knew something must have been wrong, or else he wouldn't have left his job," I respond, as Hailey and I take off our wet shoes. "Please tell me everything's alright."

"Tell us," Hailey corrects, pursing her lips.

I nod.

My mom brings Hailey and I into the living room, where my dad is on his phone with an uneasy look on his face.

"I'm afraid nothing is alright," my mom says, sighing.

My heart skips a beat, and it's obvious Hailey's does too.

"What happened, Mom?" I ask, eyes wide with fright.

"Blake's dead."

"What?" I scream, crying. "How? How could he have died? What happened?"

I collapse onto my knees, sobs racking through my body. Hailey doesn't cry but it's clear that she is extremely uneasy and upset. She kneels down beside me and hugs me tight.

"What happened?" Hailey asks my mom.

"I have no idea. Alex called very early in the morning today and told us the unfortunate news. Before we could get any more information, he hung up. A few hours later, he was at our door. I demanded where you were and he said he didn't want to upset you so he didn't tell you yet. He said that he hoped you would come back to N.Y. and find out. Your father asked how Blake died and Alex answered that he had no clue," my mom explains. "I'm so sorry, Raven. I know how much you loved him."

A new rack of sobs finds me.

"I feel so horrible," I sob.

"Why, honey? It wasn't your fault. I guess something just happened and it just happened really suddenly," my mom comforts.

I shake my head. I don't want to tell my mom but I have to.

"I broke up with him. I called off our engagement yesterday. I don't know why; I was so stupid! I just...I felt like it wasn't right to get married to him. So I called it off. He was so heartbroken! I didn't even care! I just said that I didn't want our life paths to cross anymore and then I just hung up on him. I just hung up on him! I was so cruel...so cruel!" I shriek, guilt poisoning every part of me.

My mom doesn't know what to say, but then she pulls me up, off the floor and hugs me.

"It's not your fault. I understand. You didn't want to get married. That's fine. It's not your fault, Raven. It's okay," my mom murmurs.