He's a family man {A Million Girls #2}

Chapter 9

After a long day at the studio, you were on your way to the school to pick up Amelia, Piper, Joey and Jakob.  Your phone rang and you answered it; putting it on speakerphone so that you could talk properly. "Hey, babe." It was Billie. "I've just left, and I'm on my way home. "

"I'm just near the school, so I'll ring you when we're on the way back."

"Okay, Babe." He said. "I'll order dinner, so you don't have to cook." 

"You're the best." You laughed, sighing with relief that you wouldn't have to wash any dishes later. "I love you, Billie." 

"I love you too baby." You pulled into the car park and within a matter of moments the bell rang, and every child in the school poured out from the building. Suddenly, Amelia, Joey and Jakob piled into the car. So, you waited and waited for Piper; but nothing. "What is she doing?" Jakob asked.

"It's not like her to be late like this," Amelia added as something came over you. A sense of fear; something was wrong and you could see by the look on Amelia's face that she felt it too.

"Wait here." You said, desperately to Amelia, Joey and Jakob as you got out of the car and walked towards the school. You felt completely sick to your stomach. You walked down all the corridors and looked in every classroom but nothing. "Hello, Mrs Armstrong." You turned around to see Piper's best friend, Lexi, stood there. "Are you alright?"

"Hey Lexi, have you seen Piper?" She looked at you confused. 

"No, I haven't seen her all day. She rang me this morning and said that she wasn't in because she was ill." 

"No, that's not right." You said, shaking you're head. "I dropped her off here this morning. She wasn't ill at all." You grabbed your phone and rang Billie as Lexi tried to ring Piper. Thankfully, Billie answered rather quickly but before he could say anything you spoke first: "Piper's not at home is she?" You asked, hopefully, but at the same time, you were shaking.

"No, it's just me. Why?" He asked, desperately. "What's happened?" 

"We were waiting for Piper to come out of the school, but she  didn't so I've gone to look for her and I'm with Lexi, who's said that Piper told her that she was ill and hasn't been in today."

"But, you dropped her off this morning," Billie said, as you looked over at Lexi, who wasn't getting an answer from Piper. "I know and now she's not answering her phone." You said, crying. "Shit! Fucking shit!" Billie said, immediately; you could tell his mind had gone to a dark place. "Okay," He added, trying to calm himself. "I will ring the Mike and Tré, see if they've heard anything. I'll ring my Mom and anyone else I can think of." He said. 

"Okay. I love you." You hung up the phone and looked at Lexi, who too, looked like she was going to be sick. "If you hear anything, will you let me know?" 

"Yes of course. Will you get her to ring me if you find her, so I know she's okay?" 

"Of course, thank you, Lexi." You smiled before running back to the car. You got in the car and rushed home, all the way, Amelia, Joey and Jakob were desperately ringing around to their friends to see if anyone knew anything and tried Piper's phone several times; nothing. When you arrived, Amelia ran up to Piper's room but she wasn't there. "Mike and Tré are in pieces," Billie said. "They haven't heard anything but they'll let us know if they do." 

You were pacing around the living room as someone knocked on the door, Billie tan to answered it. It was Ollie, Mike, Tré.  "Have you still not heard anything?" Ollie asked worriedly. You shook your head as she sat next to you. "Oh god." She said, placing her hand on her stomach with dread. 

"It's going to be fine." Mike tried to reassure everyone.

"Yeah, we'll find her," Tré added as Amelia hugged him. 

"What if something's happened to her?" You asked, not even wanting to think about it.  You looked at Billie and you knew exactly what he was thinking but too afraid to say. "What if she's done something-"

"You can't think like that baby." He said, hugging you tight. No-one had heard of her, she hadn't been at school all day, of course, you were all going to expect the worst. Suddenly the front door opened. "Hey Mom, Dad. Grandma! Uncle Mike and Uncle Tré!" It was Piper, smiling at the sight of so many people. "What's the occasion for everyone being here?" Billie looked at her in disbelief. You couldn't bring yourself to say anything. "Where the hell have been?" He asked, taking a deep breath. 

"At School, I was working on a project and lost track of time." She smiled, it was so convincing but you both saw straight through it. "Then at the end of the day, Lexi and I grabbed some dinner. Sorry, I probably should have texted you guys."

"Please don't lie to us, Piper." You begged as Mike and Tré moved everyone into another room to give the three of you your space. "I'm not lying."

"I went to pick you up from school and Lexi told me she hadn't seen you all day. That you'd told her you were ill." Piper's face dropped as she realised that her lie was no good. "Do you have any idea what we've been going through?"  

"You need to sit down young lady," Billie said. He was relieved that she was okay, but at the same time, he was incredibly angry, he just didn't show it. "You have got a lot of explaining to do." 

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Updated 2020