Curiosity

6. Caught Red Handed

"Holy crap, María!"

María holds her hand against Sydneys mouth, her expression can only be described as murderous. Her eyebrows scrunched up and her mouth is in a cruel scowl but her eyes show kindness only maría has.

"Sydney, there's no time to explain, can you walk?"

"Umm.. yeah, I think."

"Great, hold my arm while I help you up." She begins to grab Sydneys arm to pull her up.

Sydney snatches her arm back, snapping out of the daze she was in.
"No María, the boss here will kill you if you try to help me escape."

"I can't let him take you Sydney! Now that his removed your tracking device, we won't be able to find you! He's taking you on a plane to god knows where!"

"Tracking device? I had a tracking device inside me, when the hell did that happen!"

"There's no time to discuss this Sydney, we have to leave before I lose you forever! Now up!"

"No! María I can't."

"Sydney, I can't lose you. The boss will kill you sooner or later and I can't let that happen!"

"But if he finds you, he will hurt you then kill you, just because he can. I won't let you die for me. You need to go now. Alone." Sydney starts to cry on Marías shoulder while lightly trying to push María towards the door.

"I can't leave you, your mother may of lost hope but I haven't. Let's go."

"He has Edward. I can't go."

María turns her head towards the window, deep in thought. The girl she practically raised from birth whom she loves more than the world. Even though at times she was stubborn and incredibly naughty, she had moments where she'd just smile and the whole world would light up. María thought of Sydney as her daughter and she knew she could never leave Sydney alone in danger. She would rather die and she would. She knew what she had to do.

"Sydney, you need to be clever and keep a clear head. Edward needs you. Don't let anyone know your weaknesses or they will use them against you. Always keep your eye on the ball and be safe."

Sydney grabs Marías arm and pulls her into a hug.

It happens too fast.

Sydney's arm gets pushed behind her back. María, the little old woman, has been hiding her strength all this time. Suddenly María holds up a syringe and pushes it into Sydneys arm.

"Whoa... what the hell? What... did... you... do?" Sydneys eyes grow heavy and she collapses on to the bed.

Maria covers her up with the hospital blanket and pushes Sydneys hair from her eyes.

"I'm sorry."

****

"What do you mean Callum hurt you? He would never do such a thing, his family has been nothing but supportive through out this entire act."

"Act? Mother, I didn't want him to hurt me!"

"Sydney his family is very wealthy and influential, if you continue to make up these lies, people will betray us."

"Is that all you care about? Mother?"

Sydney looks at her mother in disbelief. Why would she make it up? The silence continues and Sydney decides she's heard enough. Just as she starts to walk off, her mother calls out.

"Sydney if you tell anyone these lies, you won't be any daughter of mine. This life isn't for the weak. You want a nice home like this, you have to do things you don't like. Walk out of that door and you will be on the streets!"

Sydney slowly turns around and for the first time, she realised that her mother never really loved her. Sydney was a puppet to her mother, easy to manipulate and she was over it.

"I was never your daughter anyway."

Life on the streets was hard, much harder than Sydney ever thought. Food was practically nonexistent. Everyone doesn't care if you're starving, instead they walk straight past you and pretend you don't exist.

In two weeks living on the street, Sydney has seen stuff no one should ever see. By the third week, Sydney was desperate, half frozen to death, in her moment of weakness, she used her last one pound to use a pay phone.

She couldn't call her mother. Sydney could imagine her mothers smug smile as she says 'I told you so'.  She couldn't back home.

But if she rang her father, would he tell her mother? Probably. So they're out of the picture.

Perrie? She and Sydney haven't talked for ages and she will probably be with Joe. Sydney hates Joe, he's second on her most hated list, after her mother, of course.

That leaves one person, Edward. He's three years older than her and there's always been something between them. But they would never act on their feelings. Sydney could never risk their friendship.

He answers on the first ring. For some reason, Sydney doesn't speak, she just listens to Edwards light breathing.

This is the first time Sydneys heard her loved ones in three weeks. She's glad it's Edward.

"Hello, who is this?" Silence. "Sydney, is that you?"

Sydney bursts into tears, wanting it all to end.

"Edward, I can't do this anymore, please come find me."

"Where are you syds, I've been looking everywhere."

"I don't know, I'm on a pay phone, it could cut out any second."

"Stay where you are, I'm on my way syds."

"How?"

"I'm tracking this phone, I am on my way. Just don't leave."

"I'm sorry ed, for every thing I put you through. I'm sorry."

"Jesus Sydney, just don't move I'm on my way! Everything's going to be alright, I promise."

***

I'm sorry I've taken so long to update, I just had to figure out the storyline but I do promise regular updates from now on. I'm going to try updating every Friday.

Do you love María as much as I love her?
Are you shocked about Edward and Sydney?
Do you low-key ship them?
How are you finding the book?
Is there anything you would like to see?

TBH, I didn't plan on writing Sydney and Edward together but I kinda like it! ;)