You'll Never Lose Me (Never 4)

Henleigh

Leah: I was starting to wonder if Elijah would give you my message, he said he would but I know he wouldn’t want to upset you. Then again, I never expected you to message me so, thanks I guess.

Me: What do you want? Come on, because I seriously doubt you went to all this trouble for a catch up with me of all people.

Leah: I know I was an absolute bitch to you but I thought you should know, I only did what I had to do. Think back, does being angry with you having more than one guy make sense? Think about it and hit me back when you’re ready.

Huh? I mean, it never did make sense and I think that’s why it hurt so much. She was all for me going to the school dance with the guys, why would dating them all be any different? It doesn’t change the fact that she was a grade A bitch to me, but I won’t lie and pretend I don’t want to know the real reason behind the sudden change.

Me: You’re right, it doesn’t make sense. Then again you could be a hypocrite or maybe going to a dance isn’t as big a deal to you as being with more than one guy. I don’t know, but if you’re saying there’s a reason that I’m not seeing, then I’m all ears…

Leah: There are worse things in this world than school bullies, you leave the academy and you leave them behind. They terrorise you, make you feel small but the majority of the time you can get away and move on. You leave the past in the past and wear the scars as your armour, you survive. My bully is different, terrifying, psychotic but not in the official way. She can feel, react in a normal way and form ever lasting relationships that can bring no end of joy… Until you are no longer needed. The moment she decided I was useless to her, I became expendable. I couldn’t just leave though, I had to become the bad guy. Be someone for you to hate, so she would seem even better, I’ll admit I had every intention of telling you who I’m on about but I’m no idiot. She finds out, I’m as good as dead. Just look at your friends and ask yourself, do you trust them and are any of them too good to be true? Do not trust the girls Henleigh, they will get you killed. I hope I’m wrong.

Fuck, it has to be Bella, she’s too happy, and I saw how mean she got with Leah. It shocked me at the time and it’s all starting to add up, Bella is the big bad and I think she may make her move the night we perform. What the fuck am I supposed to do?

THAT’S IT, I need to call Harrison. Ivy has been gone for two days now and I haven’t heard a thing from her, I’m getting really freaking worried. The girls are telling me to stop worrying and they’re sure she’s fine, but if they think I’m getting up on stage tomorrow with her missing, then they’ve got another thing coming.

“Hen, what’s wrong?” His voice is deep and gruff and I can’t even find any amusement in the fact that he automatically thinks something is wrong.

“I don’t know where Ivy is, I haven’t seen her in two days and I’m starting to worry,” the words come out rushed and my fear is almost tangible. I can see it pouring out of me like water from a faucet that can no longer be turned off.

“I wouldn’t worry, it’s Ivy. She does this a lot. She’s probably met some guy and is having the time of her life,” he replies, but there’s something in the way he’s speaking that screams his deceit to me. He’s worried and he sure as hell better tell me why.

“Do not lie to me H or is this yet another way for you to show me just how little you trust me?” I can’t keep the hurt from my voice, but it’s almost overshadowed by my anger and I need that. I can use that right now.

“She would not go off right now, not with you there. Ivy can get lost in her own mind and be fickle at times, but she would never leave you. Not with knowing what you went through, if you haven’t seen her then I don’t want to think about where else she could be,” his sentence is fractured and pain is bleeding from him down the line, if he’s scared then my fear can’t be unfounded. “I’ll get hold of Noah and see if he can track her phone, I'll let you know as soon as I know anything.”

“H, I’m scared. What if someone has taken her, I don't know what to do? The girls are telling me she’ll be fine and I should still perform but I can’t, I hate that I’m the only one up

here that cares,” I wonder if you can hear a broken heart?

“She’ll be okay, we’ll make sure of it. Don’t worry, me and Noah will soon be with you and we won’t stop until we find her. Just keep yourself safe and don’t do anything that could put you in harm’s way, we can’t lose you Henleigh. I love you,” he utters the last part softly, and it helps to mend me just a little.

“I love you too.”

30TH SEPTEMBER 2009

I’m a fucking lousy brother, so much for getting her away from here before her birthday. We should have left, I had everything I needed to get us out of here and someone took it. Maybe not all of it, but enough to screw me over. It has to be either mum or dad, but how did they find my stash? At least I didn’t hide all the money in one place, but I’m done. Damon wants to help but I can’t let him, he didn’t run after I told him everything and I don’t know if that proves his love for me or his stupidity. I love him and I won’t leave him but he doesn’t even know Hen. I’m so fucked up and I’m supposed to help my sister have a stable life? Yeah fucking right, at least I’d found someone to pose as our parents. Temporarily of course, I’m done with relying on adults, all they do is mess everything up. My parents, Richard the dickhead, they’re all so unreliable. It’s going to be okay though, Devon is bringing me on a new job. He wants people he knows he can trust, so it’ll be us and our brothers, no one else I’d rather have at my side when the shit goes down.

I’m not sure what the job entails yet but it will be happening in the next couple of weeks, I’m nervous but Devon won’t let us go in blind. We’ll be okay and then I’ve organised it so Damon will meet me the day after and then we’re leaving. I may not want him to fund my run, but I won’t leave him behind. New start, new life and it will finally be with the people I love.

ME: I need to know you’re okay, please Pixie. I’m freaking out over here, where are you?

Me: I swear to god if you touch a hair on her head Dante, I will fucking end you. I may not believe in murder but I’ll make an exception for you.

I shouldn't have messaged him, but what else can I do? I haven’t heard anything from her and Bella keeps trying to get me to go on stage tonight, yet another reason I don’t fucking trust her. She’s supposed to be the nice one, yet she won’t stop hassling me, I don’t even want to read her messages anymore. They’re just pissing me off.

Psycho: I have no idea what you’re talking about pretty girl, I told you I was done with the shit show you call a life. I’ve been replaced and I’m wise enough to know not to stick around whilst Devon has a chip on his shoulder. Although you do have me curious, who am I supposed to have now?

Me: Don’t play games with me you fruit loop, as if you would just walk away.

Psycho: The pay isn’t worth it. Look girl, I am a psychopath. I’ve had the test and got the diagnosis, the majority of my family is this way, inherited trait I guess. I do what I want, when I want and the consequences can be damned. However, I like my life and killing you isn’t worth the aggravation. Besides, they’ve got my cousin on the case now. You thought I was bad, I’m a pussy cat in comparison. I may play with my kill but she destroys them, and if someone has gone missing you should probably look her way not mine.

Me: I don’t even know who she is, unless you feel like giving me a name?

Psycho: Where’s the fun in that, get your ‘brother’ on it. I’m sure he’ll figure it out eventually, but will you still be alive to use the knowledge? Bye Henleigh, don’t bother messaging again, this number won’t work.

“Sawyer, we may have a small problem,” I shout out of my room and he is wasting no time in coming to me. He’s very efficient.