Hide And Seek. They All Betrayed Me Chapter 07

Hide And Seek. They All Betrayed Me Chapter 07

Nathan’s eyes went red.

“Then what do I have to do for you to come back?”

“Nothing.”

I turned.

“I came to New York to get away from you. All of you.”

Nathan took two steps after me. The security guard stopped him.

I swiped my card. Walked in. Didn’t look back.

Mom texted.

[Nathan flew all the way to New York. You should be over it by now.]

[Stop this. Weren’t you two getting married?]

[You’re throwing away all those years?]

Then Adrian.

[Blair, we’re coming to pick you up tomorrow.]

[Everyone’s worried. Stop making a scene.]

Stop making a scene.

The words I’d heard most.

The words I hated most.

I took the house key off my keyring.

Threw it in the trash.

Day three. I had an interview at an ad agency.

The manager asked if I had experience planning events.

I thought about it.

Adrian’s eighteenth birthday party. I booked the venue.

Elena’s first award.

I secretly organized everyone to meet her at the school gate.

Every time Wren came home on break, what to eat, where to go.

I planned it all.

I even knew everyone’s food aversions. Their favorite colors.

My birthday?

They usually remembered at night. A late message in the group.

[Almost forgot. Happy birthday.]

Absurd. But I packaged it all as event planning experience.

After the interview, they said they’d call.

I walked out of the building. My roommate called.

“Blair, help! Your family found my place.”

“Five people. All downstairs.”

They were gathered by the benches when I got back.

Mom waved.

“There you are.”

On the bench, boxes of home–cooked food. A thick photo album.

Elena smiled.

“We flew all the way here to give you a way out.”

“That’s sincere enough, right?”

Adrian opened the album.

“Look. All our childhood photos.”

I glanced.

Amusement parks. Graduation trips. Birthday parties.

Four people, always center frame.

Me, sometimes at the edge.

Most of the time, not in the photo at all.

Because I was the one taking it.

Mom spoke.

“We bought your ticket for tomorrow night.”

“You come back with us. This whole thing is over.”

Dad added.

“Wren’s already abroad. You four can go back to normal.”

“Stop dredging up the past.”

I understood.

Wren was gone. Her spot was empty.

So they remembered me.

Nathan’s voice dropped.

“Blair, I didn’t even take Wren to the airport.”

“Come on. Come home with us.”

So in his eyes, not driving Wren to the airport was a huge sacrifice for me.

“I’m not going back.”

Elena’s smile faded.

“Five of us came to get you. How long are you going to drag this out?”

Adrian’s face darkened.

“Enough. Wren’s gone. No one’s in your way now.”

I looked at them.

“So you think I left because I was jealous of her?”

No one answered.

My phone rang. The agency.

“Miss Vance, congratulations. You passed.”

“If it works for you, come in tomorrow to onboard.”

My hand shook on the phone.

“I’ll be there.”

I hung up. Closed the album.

“I start work tomorrow. Go home.”

Mom panicked.

“What’s so great about a New York job? Can the salary even cover rent?”

“We can afford to keep you!”

Before, when I wanted to work out of town, she said there was no money for rent.

Now that I made it on my own, suddenly the family could support me.

They just wanted me back in my old spot. Excluded. Isolated.

The apartment security guard walked over.

“Miss Vance, these people say they’re your family. Want to talk inside?”

All five looked at me.

Nathan stepped forward. Reached for me.

I stepped back. Shook my head.

“No. And don’t let them in. Not ever.”

They didn’t deserve to be my family.