Troubling Love

Don't look back.

"Sarah? Elle?"

Sarah's heart practically stopped. She never knew a voice that she had known for so long could make her heart stop. She could hear Elle talking to the person, greeting them, hugging them, and chatting with them but Sarah couldn't quite make out what words were exchanged. The teenager looked down at the ground, afraid to meet the eyes of the person who called her.

Sarah felt a presence in front of her. It began to make her restless and fidgety. A familiar hand was placed under her chin. The person lifted Sarah's chin with her index finger, forcing Sarah to look them right in the eyes. "Hi Mimi." The teenager whispered. Cynthia had a small smile on her face, her eyes practically sparkled. The woman wrapped her granddaughter in a hug. Sarah instantly hugged back. "Hi baby doll." Cynthia said, feeling tears well up in her eyes. "I'm sorry I couldn't see you sooner." Sarah apologized feeling a strong sense of guilt. "You don't have to apologize honey, it's okay." Cynthia comforted. She looked her granddaughter in the eyes, kissing her forehead, "Your risking a lot too be here though love. What if your father finds out?" Cynthia asked, clearly concerned for her granddaughters well-being. Sarah carelessly shrugged, "I'll take the bullet, it's fine." She said. The teenager had begun to get annoyed at the constant thought of Michael reprimanding her for the 2nd time. Sarah had begun to feel desperate because she couldn't see her own family. "If he hurts you," Cynthia started but was interrupted by her granddaughter, "Hey, no, Mimi it's okay. He doesn't hurt me. He never has and I hope to god he never will. I know he can get out of control sometimes but I doubt he'd physically take it out on one of his daughters." Sarah assured, quite concerned as to why Cynthia would think he would hurt his own children, his own blood. "Just be carful." Cynthia cupped the side of the brunettes face. Sarah nodded her head, smiling as she did.

"Now, come along children I'll get you all to a table. I'm not sure where Joe is but I'll let him know that you children are here." Cynthia said as her hand went to Sarah's back, guiding her and the others to a table.

As Sarah took a seat, Elle sat to the left of her, and Jack took the seat to the right of her making her feel butterflies in her abdomen. As Mads, Bella, and Josh took a seat across from the three, their faces dropped as they saw someone entering the restaurant. Sarah looked up at Bella, furrowing her eyebrows once she did. She turned her head, her eyes landed on what the others were fixed on, immediately regretting it once she did. Without looking back, Sarah placed her hand on Elle's shoulder, softly tapping it. Elle looked over at her sister, confused once she saw that something had caught her sisters attention. Elle's eyes scanned the room, looking for what was clearly concerning her sister. But when Elle's eyes landed on a familiar figure, she nearly choked on her own saliva, lunging forward as she almost did. Elle looked the woman up and down again wishing that it was just her imagination. Wishing that she could wake up from the disastrous nightmare that had yet to begin. "S-sarah," Elle started. Sarah turned to face her sister, "I know. It's fine. It's just Ariana." Sarah tried to calm her sister but she didn't even find her own words calming. "Why does she look so upset?" Elle asked, still eyeing the woman. "I don't know but something tells me that it has to do with our mother." Sarah spoke, pretty much convinced that Stefani had done something wrong. Cynthia immediately walked over to Ariana, trying to assist the woman, but things only managed to get worse. Paparazzi swarmed the outside of the restaurant. Obviously Ariana was a well known figure and with that comes constant fans and paparazzi following your every move.

Sarah began to feel panicked. It was like a discomfort in her chest, a feeling in her brain like excess caffeine... then it sets in deeper. She felt the urge to run, escape, hide. Her leg began to bounce as her heartbeat is heard in ears. As if Sarah was no longer in control of her body, she stood up, walking towards the front of the restaurant where Ariana and Cynthia stood. Cynthia had a look of distress on her face, as for Ariana, you could basically tell she was hurt. Elle shouted for Sarah but in a quiet tone of voice, almost like a mother would quietly scold her child for being so loud as the mother tries to have a conversation on the phone with another adult.