Hide And Seek. They All Betrayed Me Chapter 05

Hide And Seek. They All Betrayed Me Chapter 05

The movie ended close to midnight.

Adrian stretched.

“Blair still not back?”

Mom glanced at the door.

“She’s probably wandering nearby. Waiting for us to go look for her.”

Elena rolled her eyes.

“Didn’t she buy a ticket to New York?”

“Maybe she actually went to the airport.”

Adrian laughed.

“She’s always been like that. Big words.”

“You think she’d dare go to New York alone?”

Dad didn’t care either.

“Leave her. She’ll come back once she’s had enough.”

Nathan sat on the couch. Texted me.

[Enough. Come home.]

The second he sent it, he found out he was blocked.

He froze for two seconds.

Tapped my profile again.

Posts cleared.

Called. Phone off.

Nathan frowned.

“She deleted me.”

Adrian shrugged.

“So? She’ll add you back when she calms down. Not the first time.”

Elena nodded.

Everything connected to him. Gone.

Downstairs, Adrian was still yelling.

“Well? I told you it’s an act. She probably left with an empty suitcase.”

Nathan stood in the half–empty room. Didn’t answer.

Only now did he realize. Blair hadn’t run away.

She was really done with them.

The next night, Mom cooked a table full of food.

Fish and chips, casserole, ratatouille. All Wren’s favorites.

Six sets of silverware. No place for me.

Elena was already planning vacation.

“Thanksgiving break, we’ll come see you.”

Adrian was excited.

“I’m going too!”

Dad smiled.

“Go. I’ll cover the tickets.”

My usual chair was pushed to the wall. Wren’s gift bag on it.

Like this house had never lost a person.

Wren noticed Nathan hadn’t touched his food. Asked quietly.

“Nathan, did Blair leave because of me?”

Mom answered immediately.

“How’s that on you? She’s always been sensitive. Overthinks everything.”

Elena agreed.

“We just had one dinner with you. She made it a whole runaway scene.”

Adrian sneered.

“And posted family business online. Let strangers curse us.”

Dad poured Wren a drink.

“Don’t let her ruin your mood. You fly tomorrow. Be happy tonight.”

Everyone comforted Wren.

Like she was the one who’d been wronged.

Wren lowered her head.

“Actually, I’m partly to blame.”

“If I hadn’t listened to my family back then, if I hadn’t turned Nathan down…”

“Maybe Blair wouldn’t have been dragged in.”

The table went quiet for a second.

Elena looked at Nathan,

“It’s not too late.”

“Blair broke up with you herself. So you two-”