𝐌𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐎𝐔𝐒

verse forty-one

The whole ride back home, Moonlight kept questioning me.

Why did Nate kidnap me?

Did he assault me?

Did I get enough food?

Did he use violence on me – but upon inspecting my bruises, he got his answers fairly quick.

One by one I answered them, with the tears rolling down my cheeks I explained everything.

And I thanked him because he found me and that he has been searching for me. He dropped me off at Audrey's apartment, and right now I'm standing in front of her door while my heart is beating rapidly against my chest.

I breathe out, my breathing unsteady as I knock three times on the door. It takes a while before I hear footsteps come to the door.

My courage immediately vanishes. How should I explain that Damon saved me? Will they suspect something? Why am I so worried about this?

I hear the lock in the door, and carefully the door is being opened. As soon as my eyes meet Audrey's, she pulls me inside.

"Angelina!" she sobs and hugs me. She hides her face in the crook of my neck and cries softly.

"Hey," I whisper. Carefully I put my hand on her back and rub up and down.

"Come inside! Everyone is looking for you! I'll have to tell them to stop looking," she says and pulls me further inside.

We walk in, and I see that there's no one here. I take a seat on the couch and thank God that I'm gone from that place. I hear Audrey call someone, and she says that I'm back.

She does that a couple of times, and I wonder who's coming over, and who has been helping to look for me.

Audrey walks to me and presses a kiss against my cheek. "I'm so happy you're back," she smiles, and I see her eyes turning glossy.

I smile back at her, and then she seems to notice the bruises on my face.

"Oh, honey! What happened to you?" she frowns. I swallow, trying to contain all the tears.

But as soon as Audrey asks if I'm okay, I can't help them any longer.

The tears are rolling over my cheeks as I start to sob. She takes me in her arms.

"You're safe now," she whispers and tries to comfort me.

"It was horrible," I sob and wrap my arms around her.

"Where were you?" she asks. I look up at her, in her concerned eyes, and want to answer but the door flies open.

"Where is she?" I hear Steve yell. I hear footsteps head in our way, and see Steve and Daphne enter the living room.

Daphne runs over to me and hugs me tightly. "I'm so relieved," I hear her say. She lets go of me, and then it's Steve's turn to hug me.

"We have been looking everywhere for you," he says, rubbing his hand up and down my back in a soothing manner.

I hug him back and still doubt if I'm dreaming or not.

"I still can't believe I got out of there," I say, and wipe my tears away. They all look at me, Audrey and Daphne are next to me, and Steve is seated on the couch in front of us.

"I called the other ones. They're coming but Nate hasn't picked up yet," Steve informs us. I stiffen.

My throat becomes dry, and it's hard to swallow.

"N-Nate has been searching for me too?" I ask with a trembling voice.

Daphne frowns at me.

"Of course, he has been looking for you as well. He's the one who gave us the locations where you could've been. He's the one who has looked for you at night," Daphne answers.