Unplugged | d.s (2) ✔︎

XXI // Wrong Crowd

My phone begins vibrating waking me up from my slumber. I rubbed my eyes and reached for the fluffy case which sat on my phone. I looked at the bright screen which showed Arthurs contact. 

I swipe the arrow and bring it to my ear, "A?" I mumbled. 

"I lost her. I lost Sophia," He sobs into the microphone of his phone. I sit up straight and flick my lamp on. I was suddenly awake. I place the phone on speaker and pull my trainers on over my ankle socks. I grabbed the nearest jersey which happened to be Daniels and placed it on. 

"I was in the drugstore grabbing a bottle of vodka and then I turned behind me and she was no longer beside me. I asked the guy at the counter and he kicked me out and said I was un-capable of taking care of a kid. Then I called you," He announces. I grab my car keys and phone placing it off the speaker and ran downstairs. Nate, Dylan and Katherine sat in the lounge watching Kingsman Secret Service. 

"You alright?" Nate asked. 

"Arthur where are you now?" I say ignoring my brother's question. I open the front door and begin to walk out into the cold night. It was around 10 pm but I decided to try sleep early which obviously the world didn't want me doing. 

"I am at the park trying to find my daughter Noah. Fuck her mom is going to stab me," He says crying into the phone again. I jump in my jeep and start the engine. My phone connects to the Bluetooth in my car and he begins speaking in the speakers of my car. 

I pull out of my driveway and head towards town. "Why were you in the drug store with her at 10 pm anyway Arthur?" I asked. 

"You sound disappointed in me. Are you disappointed in me?" He asked. I rolled my eyes at his remark. 

"Arthur you lost your two-year-old daughter at the dodgiest time in our town on a Friday night. Have you called the police?" I asked. He laughs which I could hear was are you stupid type of laugh.

"I said I called you first for fuck sakes. And the police would arrest me for me intoxicated while caring for Sophia. I would go to jail and have no custody. Do you want that Noah?" He says. I could hear he was beginning to be angry. 

"You could have just drunk another time. Not while you were caring for her?" I state. He scoffs in his microphone like I was an idiot for thinking he would act like that towards his daughter. "Arthur look on the east of town near the parks and kids stores. I will look around the drugstore and houses," I explain. 

"Find her Noah. If you lose her... I-" I hang up the call not wanting to hear his words shooting me down. Damn, he always shot me down. Why have I picked shitty friends?

I pull to the left of the road and drive down Arthurs road. Sophia was only two but she knew her way around town. She knew the way from the drug store back to her dad's house like knowing her ABC's. It was easy for her. 

I turn my headlights on as I drive slowly down the street. That girl must be freezing in this winter night. She probably wanted to be with her mom in bed. I didn't like her mom either but her mom card for Sophia, unlike Arthur who by mistake impregnated a girl after I kicked him out of our house in LA. 

I see her blonde hair sway in the wind. I pull over and sigh of relief. She waddled in a Winnie Pooh overalls and t-shirt. "Sophia!" I say as I hope out of the car. She turns around slowly to me shivering. She smiles as she sees my face. 

"Aunty Noah!!" She says running towards me. She jumps in my arms and I hug her tightly. A tear sliding down my cheek. "Someone took me away from Daddy. He said he knew Daddy and told me to walk home. So I did," She chirps. I pull her out of the hug and look her in the eyes. I move her blonde bangs out from her face. 

"Sophia honey promise me you won't listen to strangers like that," I explain. "Only if daddy or mommy say you can leave them. Then do," I add. She nods her little head and grabs my hand. 

"I think it was Unlce Cole. He said It would be funny to see Daddy poop his pants when I leave as I left the store," She explains. I feel my veins beginning throbbing with anger. The friends I have chosen to hang with was so wrong. Why did I land in the wrong crowd?

"Let's get you home to Mommy," I say lifting her up and placing her in the backseat. I felt bad not having a seat for her to sit in but she placed her seat belt on normally I felt like she was never in one of her car seats before. 

"Mommy is away. Granddad and Nana are here though!" She squeaks. I begin the engine again and nod. It was probably better to leave her in good hands so I turned my car around and headed for her grandparent's house. 

☾☾

My hair was in a bun as I sat on the bench of my running track doodling the stars. I ran straight away when I got home to keep my mind from the fact that Arthur was going to call in the morning screaming at me for giving Sophia to his parents to him. 

I flick through my doodling book and see a picture of Daniel. I smiled as I traced my fingers of his face. The day I drew that we sat on the bay window trying to doodle each other. We both loved the sunlight beaming down on us in the spot and we had to try. Both doodles ended out really good. 

I looked at my watch to see the numbers changed to midnight. I shut my book and realise I should head home. My sketchbook sat in my hand as my feet began a good running pace back home. My hair bounced in the wind while I ran towards the entrance of the running track. The bench wasn't that far from my home so at a good pace I was there in seconds. 

I breathed heavily as I saw my house come into view. The lights were off. Well, everyone apart from the porch. I look to my porch as a figure moves from sitting on the steps to standing up. 

I raise an eyebrow and tighten my fist thinking it was Arthur or one of his goons waiting to beat me up. I slow down my pace and begin walking. I get closer to my doorstep and see the figure. 

His hair was under a black beanie while he wore black ripped jeans and a black long sleeved top. Definitely blending in with the night. But I knew it was him because as his head looked up to face mine his blue eyes glistened like he had captured the moon inside of it. 

"Daniel..."

"Hey Nugget." 

☾☾

I will leave this here...

- Piper ☂