Kidnapped, Unfortunately

Chapter Sixty Seven

I walked back up to my apartment after seeing Carson off.

When I opened the door, I was surprised to see that Hope was standing at the window, watching his car drive away.

I crossed my arms and raised an eyebrow. "Have you been watching us?"

She whipped around, surprised to see me up so quickly.

Then Hope flushed a little, scratching her arm uncomfortably.

"I wanted to make sure nothing happened to you," she admitted.

I frowned. "What? Why?"

She took a deep breath, and I had a feeling that what she was about to say would be long.

"I love you Hayley," she began, "but I'm not your parents. Your stupid note isn't fooling me, and it wasn't even in your handwriting. You're lying. Tell me what really happened."

I sighed. I should have been expecting this, Hope knew me very well.

"I really don't want to talk about it, Hope," I breathed, walking over and throwing myself down on our soft leather couch. "I'm tired. It's been a long couple weeks."

"What about me? What about my couple weeks of worrying?" She protested. "We ran out of ramen and I couldn't even find the rainy day money stash!"

"That's because we don't have one," I informed her. "We are completely broke."

"Oooh, right," she said. "But still, answer the question."

I could tell she wasn't going to let this go.

Feeling tired and defeated, I flopped down on my back with a groan.

My eyes looked up at the ceiling in defeat, and I let out a long sigh.

"Fine," I said. "But not now. I'm tired and need some rest."

Then I closed my eyes.

"Uuhhhhhhaarrrgggghhh," she groaned impatiently, but I merely ignored her.

After a couple beats her voice reappeared, but was closer than before.

"So..." she trailed off, her voice gaining interest, "Tell me about Carson."

My eyes shot open immediately.

I looked over to her and saw that she was perching on the side of the couch, looking at me with her eyes glittering.

"Well, What do you want to know?" I asked, sitting back up.

"What's he like?" she asked eagerly.

I took a moment to think. "He's very... complex. He's witty, confident, funny, smart, but he's also very good at talking. If he wants to avoid a topic, it's almost impossible to talk about it. At the same time though, he's so... observant, and it's like he knows what I'm thinking, and just what to say. He's also smooth as silk, and very flirtatious. And he makes me feel..." I trailed off. "Like I get when I was little. Like anything is possible."

She watched me. "That is like, the cheesiest thing I've ever heard. I almost regret asking."

I laughed, and mentally replayed my words. They were pretty cheesy.

Hope then hopped off the couch and began striding to the door, "Got to run, I've got another date!"

She paused at the door, and turned back playfully, "Think you can manage not to get yourself into any more trouble while I'm gone?"

"Trouble is my middle name," I told her in response, closing my eyes again.

She laughed, and I heard the door close.

Finally, peace at last.

~~~

My eyes fluttered open.

I sat up slowly, groaned as I stretched my back.

Did I fall asleep?

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

I peered over the couch, narrowing my eyes.

Hope had a key, so she didn't need to talk. And Carson had already left.

They knocked again, and I almost snorted.

There was no way in hell I was opening that door. Call me paranoid, but I had just been kidnapped! Nothing good ever comes from strangers.

I decided to ignore it, and I turned back around on the couch, laying back down and closing my eyes.

They knocked again, but very aggressively this time, and I began to grow weary.

I had a bad feeling about this. And I was pretty sure it wasn't my period this time.

As they began jiggling the doorknob, I slowly got up off the couch, and tip toed across our tiny living room to Hope's bedroom, which was the furthest away from the door.

Once in there, the softly closed the door and locked it.

Then I picked up the phone on her nightstand and dialed Carson.

It rang twice, before a familiar voice picked up.

"Hello?"

"Carson," I whispered, "Someone is breaking into my apartment."

"What??"

"Turn around and get back here right now," I ordered.

"I'm coming," He told me reassuringly. "Find somewhere to hide and don't make a sound."

"Aye aye," I told him, and hung up.

As soon as I did, there was a loud crash from the living room.

I quickly scanned Hope's room for a hiding spot, then decided on her laundry basket.

The thing was a ginormous woven basket, because she had an incredible amount of dirty clothes, and I hopped in, curled up, and piled some clothes on top of me.

I felt pretty confident about my space, since, with all the clothes on top of me, it just looked like a full basket.

Now, all I had to do was wait.