Chapter 13 - The call

Marnie’s POV

July came around a few days later and I was freaking out already by my tough decisions about college. I had to get ready to go off to either Boston or New York, since school started in late August, but I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do right now. I wanted to stay, but at the same time I knew that I shouldn’t not get an education just because of a guy and because of my friends. Sure, Alaska was my home, but my mom told me that she wanted us to move before I got to the age of eighteen because if I do I might want to stay here for the rest of my life. I mean, I don’t want to stay here for the rest of my life, I would get tired of it sometime, and to be honest I already was getting tired of it. I wanted to go on a new adventure, I wanted to do something different with my life. College was that chance at a new life, a new adventure. But the love of my life was here, and I don’t think that he would be going anywhere anytime soon. He just got here, so why would he move to one of those places for me?

Then I thought about an alternative. I would stay, just for a couple more years. By that time I would be done with college - hopefully - up at the local university, and by that time Ethan would most likely want to leave. Jessie would probably be out of state by that time, and most likely William would go with her if they weren’t just a summer fling. I knew that Ethan and I wouldn’t just be a summer love because ours was greater than that. Ethan was it for me, and I swear it on my mothers grave. I loved him too much to let him go. I knew for a fact that he felt the same way about me, it was kinda obvious that he did. I smiled at the decision and bit my lip. Sure, I wanted to go to a big school like New York, or go to a historical city like Boston, but the University of Alaska Fairbanks was also a small school, like one of the ones that I wanted to go to. Sure, I wouldn’t be able to get in until next year, but at least I’m going instead of not going at all, and giving school a break for a year would be nice for me. It gives me a chance to see what the real world is like and get comfortable with it until I go back to school. It gives me a lot of room to do the things that need to be done in a year that I needed to focus on. Like my relationship with Ethan.

With that thought, I smile and turn my music on and lay down for bed, since it was late and I had been writing all of this in my journal. I set it down under my pillow and lay down, then close my eyes when a song by Secondhand Serenade started to play. I close my eyes and pull the blankets up over my shoulder, and I immediately feel sleep sneaking up on me. I relax, and let the sleep in so that I can wake up early the next morning and tell Ethan my plans. I know that he’ll accept my decisions and support me, because he once told me that he would do that. I smile at the thought of him and start to drift off to sleep.

Until my phone starts blasting something other than Secondhand Serenade.

I jump up with my eyes wide, definitely awake now. I groan and sit up, taking my phone off of the charger. I look at the caller ID since someone was calling me, and frown as I see that it was my cousin Regina, who I called Reggie. She was a few years older than me, and was living in Miami with her boyfriend and newborn baby. She was the closest thing I had to a sibling besides my own sister Vivien, who I lived with after Mom died and Dad disappeared.

I answer the phone, confused about why she was up at three in the morning. It was eleven at night here, but with the time difference it was three in the morning there. Why she would be up at this time confused me, and then I remembered the newborn baby girl, Rochelle Andrews. Reggie probably just needed someone to talk to because Rochelle kept her up all night. I smile, glad that she called me instead of someone else. Either that, or she knew that I would still be up and no one else was answering their phones.

“Hey, Reggie. This is a surprise.” I say happily. “How are you? How’s Rochelle?”

“Marnie.” Reggie voice cracked, and a sob followed afterwards. I frowned and then swung my feet over the edge of the bed and furrowed my brow. Reggie was usually a bright person, and rarely ever cried. I was shocked to hear her crying, and knew immediately that something was up. Something bad. “I’m so sorry.”

“Reg, what’s up?” I ask softly, my voice barely above a whisper. “Tell me what’s going on.”

For a minute, Reggie just balled and sobbed on the other end of the phone. My heart started to beat fast and my eyes widened. Something terrible happened, I know it. I waited for Reggie to calm down enough to tell me what was wrong, though I wasn’t sure I wanted to know now. I was scared of what she was going to say. I tried to think of everything that could possibly be terribly wrong, but nothing came to mind. Maybe I couldn’t think because of my heart racing. At the same time, I really wanted to know and wanted her to just tell me already. I didn’t know what I wanted.

“It’s Vivien.” she chokes out then sobs a little more. My eyes widen and my heart races faster. I can feel the blood rushing from my face. “She was murdered.”

My eyes water and I gasp. I sink down off of my bed and fall to the floor, my eyes wide with tears threatening to spill. Not being able to hold them back, I let them slip continuously. I couldn’t believe it. First Dan, then my mom, and now Vivien. My siblings and my mom was gone, and my dad was out there somewhere, looking for me, wanting to kill me. Sure, he never said that he wanted to kill me, but I was a witness to him murdering my mother. Why wouldn’t he want to kill me, if I was the witness to his killing? Like I said to Ethan when we first met, I had that feeling that he was out there, looking for me right now.

“No.” I whisper. “No, no no! She… She’s dead?”

Reggie sniffled and cried some more, softer now though. She was nearly cried out, which made me wonder how long she had been crying before she actually decided to call me. “They found her body today, with a blow to the head. They don’t know who did it, but someone forced their way into her apartment and killed her and her boyfriend.”

I let out a choked cry. I shook my head and looked around for something, and I was scared to say that I was looking for my mom, expecting her to be right there, waiting to hug me close and tell me not to be afraid, and that everything was going to be all right. But she wasn’t there. I was alone, with no one to hold me. I shook my head more and cried hard, a scream scratching at the knot in my throat, wanting to escape, but I held it back. Jessie was at work, so I had the house to myself, though I still didn’t want to scream. I stayed on the floor but pulled my knees up to my chest, and wrapped my free arm around them. I cried, sobbing just as hard as Reggie was when she first called me. I just sat there for a long time, the phone up to my ear and my head buried in my knees as I balled. I couldn’t believe that this was happening, I wanted to believe that I had fallen asleep and that I was just dreaming all of this, a figment of my imagination, a figment of my worries turned into a horrible nightmare. This was a horrible nightmare obviously, but this was nothing like a dream. This was real, and my sister Viven, who I cared for very much while I was in school, who took care of me after our mom died, was dead, and there wasn’t a thing I could do about it.

“I-I’m coming down there.” I finally said after I couldn’t cry anymore, and the lump in my throat thinned a bit. “I’m getting on a flight there at the soonest possible time that I can and I’m going to be there in the morning.”

“Okay.” Reggie sniffed. “I’ll have Grams pick you up.”

“I’ll text you what time I’m getting in.” I don’t say goodbye to her, I just hang up the phone and sit there on the floor, crying some more when I think about my sister, and how she’s not going to be here anymore. I think about my sister, and the last time I saw her. It was a year ago, when she moved away with her boyfriend who’s from here. She moved to be closer to family, to be near Mom, since she was buried in Miami. Mom loved the beach, and requested to be buried with an ocean view. It was too hard for Viven to be so far away.

I immediately start to pack as my laptop booted up. I checked on it every second, and once it was started I logged on and went to the flights out of Alaska and straight to Miami. I found a flight almost instantly, and it left around one thirty in the morning. It was just enough time to get there and get checked in, and I was going to cut it close, but I had to get there as soon as possible. I was scheduled to come back two weeks from now.

I booked the flight, cursing under my breath at the cost of it, but then again, this is my sister, and I would do anything for her. I had to go. I finished getting packed up and then pulled my stuff downstairs, and made sure that the tickets that the itinerary that I had printed off was correct. I sighed sat on the couch, trying not to cry. I wiped my eyes and then at the thought of crying over my sisters death made me cry even worse. I haven’t cried this much since my mom died. It makes sense, in some way. I shake my head again and wipe my eyes with the tissues that I had grabbed from the dresser in my room that I brought down with me. I looked at the time, which was midnight. I sighed, saying that I would wait for ten more minutes for Jessie. I had to tell her where I was going, and what had happened.

When ten minutes passed, I sighed and shook my head some more. I took a deep breath and got up, then grabbed the handle to my suitcase and pulled my purse over my shoulder. I started walking to the door just when it opened, making me jump. Jessie walked through the front door, and then closed it and turned. Her eyes landed on me, and she froze. She saw the suitcase at my side the instant that she saw me, and her face paled and her eyes widened. When she looked at my face, her expression only got worse.

“Marnie…” she whispered. “What happened?”

I shake my head and run to her. I hug her close, as if she were my own mother. I needed someone, I needed someone to hold me close and tell me everything was alright even though nothing was ever going to just be alright in my life. Nothing could be that way when I have a murderous father out there, hunting me down. Nothing was going to be alright when there were so many murders in my family.

“She’s dead, Jessie.” I choked out with my eyes closed tight. I didn’t want to start crying again, even though I was sure that there was nothing left to cry. “Vivi… She’s dead, she was murdered. I have to go, I have to. I can’t leave her there.”

Jessie gasped when I told her and she dropped her bags. Just like what I wanted my mom to do, she wraps her arms around me and holds me close to her. I cry some more, but nothing really comes out. It was like a dry choke, instead of a sob. She doesn’t say anything, but strokes my long curly hair and just holds me close. I didn’t want her to say anything. I didn’t want her to tell me that everything was going to be okay, because you don’t just tell a person that everything was going to be okay after their mother gets murdered and then three years later their sister gets murdered. I didn’t want anyone to tell me that things would be okay, that she’s in a better place, because that’s not what I wanted to hear. I didn’t want to hear anyone tell me anything. I just wanted to be held, like Jessie is doing right now. I wanted to be held in silence while I cried. That would be just enough comfort for me.

After a few minutes I sniffle and pull away, then wipe my eyes on the end of my sleeves. Jessie had tears in her eyes too, since she had known Vivien. Of course, the loss wasn’t as important to Jessie because they weren’t close, but she knew what I was going through, and was probably feeling my pain. She had two older brothers, but she didn’t know what it was like to lose both of them. I had two siblings too, but they were both dead now. I had lost both of them. I was all alone, and Jessie as well as Lucian were the only ones I had left. They weren’t blood, but they were my siblings at heart. I couldn’t lose them too. Everyone that I loved was leaving me. I didn’t want them to leave me too.

“I have to go if I want to catch my flight.” I told her, my voice cracking and shaky. “It leaves at one thirty.”

Jessie gave me a sympathetic look. She didn’t try to smile, or do anything else. She just hugged me close again, and after about ten seconds she pulled away then walked to the door with me. She opened it for me, and watched me as I put my suitcase in the trunk of my car. I look back at her once more and then look away and get into the car. She was still standing at the door when I drive away.

Zayn’s POV

I woke up feeling refreshed and as ready for the day as I would ever be. I smile at the thought of spending the day with Marnie, since it was her day off today. We had plans for lunch, and then a movie at the theaters. I forget what movie, though I knew that had wanted to see it. She seemed excited to see it, and even though it seemed like a romance movie, I didn’t mind. All I know is that it was about two cancer patients falling in love, but that was all I knew. As long as Marnie was happy, I couldn’t care less about anything else in the world.

I got up and got dressed, and then made sure that I looked okay. I put in my contacts and put my cap on, making sure that I transformed to Ethan, then sighed as I saw myself in the mirror. To Marnie, I was Ethan, a completely different person. She had no clue who I really was, and I wanted to tell her so that our relationship could be true, so that I could be dating her as me, and not as Ethan, but until Simon said so, I couldn’t tell her. Today though, I would say Screw Simon when I see her, and I’ll finally tell her who I am, and then… And then I can have a full and honest relationship with her. Then, I can be truly happy with her.

Knowing that they’re both probably awake at this point, I walk out of the house and jog over to theirs, and knock on the door. Even though all the boys have gotten used to just walking right on in at this point, I still liked to be polite and just knock. Usually Jessie was the one to answer since she would be making breakfast at this point, but now that I look a second time, the lights in the house were off, and a second look at the driveway showed that Marnie’s car wasn’t in the drive, which made me raise an eyebrow and look back at the door. Were they out so early in the morning already? Had Marnie forgotten about our plans for the day?

I get my phone out to call her, to see where she had gone, but when I try to call her the phone went straight to voicemail, which was odd. I furrow my brow and try to call her again, but I get the answering machine again, and this time the door opens. Jessie is standing there, worry written all over her features as she stands there in her pajamas, a look a sleep on her face. I pocket my phone after hanging up with the answering machine. To be honest, she didn’t look like her usual self, like she hadn’t gotten any sleep at all, like she had a rough night. I instantly get worried for Marnie, and hope that she’s alright. I look behind her to see if Marnie’s in the house, but it’s dark, and I can’t see a thing. I look back at Jessie with a look of confusion. Something definitely wasn’t right.

“Zayn.” Jessie says with wide eyes. I was still trying to get used to the fact that she knew who I was, who I really was. “Oh no.”

Now I know something’s up. “Jessie? What’s wrong? Is Marnie okay? Where is she? Why’s her car gone?”

Jessie shakes her head and wipes her eyes. They were red and puffy, which confuses me. Was she crying earlier? Had something serious happened to Marnie? She would have told me if something happened to her, Marnie would tell me herself if something happened to her. It only worries me more the longer she doesn’t answer.

“It’s Marnie.” she says, and my worse fears start to go through my mind. “Her sister was murdered last night.”

My heart sinks, though I stop worrying just a little. I was a little worried, but I was also a little relieved that nothing directly happened to Marnie. I was upset that her sister not only died, but was murdered, but I was just glad that she wasn’t physically hurt. I rub my face with my hands then readjust my cap, and stare at Jessie with a relieved but sad expression.

“So where is she?” I ask her, looking back through the dark house once more. “Can I go see her? Does she want to see anyone right now?”

Jessie frowns and shakes her head. I sigh, wanting to really see Marnie and hold her close, to tell her that things would be okay, but if she didn’t want to see anybody, I had to respect her wishes. I had to show her that I cared, and that I would do whatever she wanted me to do.

“She’s not here, Zayn.” Jessie said softly. “She left last night. She’s probably half way to Florida by now.”

My heart sunk again. She left? Just like that, she was gone? Was she coming back? How long was she going to be gone? Would I ever see her again? I was just going to tell her about who I was, and then she leaves. I shake my head and groan, rubbing my face yet again. This day was only getting worse and worse. I readjust my cap again, or try to, but then I’m unhappy with it and I just throw it onto the ground and ruffle my hair up. I look at Jessie, obviously distressed. Her eyes were wide and she was glancing down from my cap to myself.

“When will she be back?” I mumble with my eyes closed.

“She told me that she plans on being back in two weeks.” she said quietly. Two weeks. She would be gone for two weeks. I needed to tell her who I was, but it wasn’t something I could tell her over the phone. I had to tell her in person, and I wasn’t sure I could wait for two weeks to tell her. No, I had to tell her now, before this whole charade goes on any longer. The only problem was getting on a flight out of here and to Florida. One, I didn’t know where the hell Marnie was in Florida, though that problem could be fixed because more than likely Jessie probably knew, and two, Simon would never allow me to go when we were supposed to be in hiding just so I could chase my girlfriend and tell her who I really am. He didn’t even know my plan about telling her the truth anyway, and it was going to stay that way.

“I was supposed to tell her.” I whisper, not meaning to have my voice in such a quiet tone. I open my eyes and look at her. “I was supposed to tell her about who I really was today.”

Jessie seems shocked by this, though she looks down, wipes the look off of her face, and then looks back up at me while shrugging her shoulders. “Tell her when she gets back.”

I shake my head immediately. “No, I have to tell her, and I can’t wait for two more weeks.”

“Well what are you going to do? Go down to Miami and surprise her then say, ‘hey, Marnie. It’s me, your boyfriend Ethan, but my real name is Zayn Malik and I’m in the famous band One Direction, which happens to be your favorite band. I lied about who I was to you, and I’m madly in love with you.’?”

I didn’t like her sarcasm, not one bit, though I give her credit for trying. I shake my head and sigh, then pick up the cap that I had thrown on the floor. “I’ll figure something out.” without letting her say something, I turn around and stomp back over the house, slamming the door closed when I enter. I stomp up to my room and close the door to it, and flop down on my bed. Nothing was going as I planned, nothing. I groan and rub my face again, wanting to throw something, but I hold myself back and bite my lip until I accidentally cause blood to spew from my lip. I don’t care, I just lay there, trying to think about my next move in this difficult game called life. I needed to tell Marnie, though it seemed like the game didn’t want me to. I would find a way though, I always do, no matter how many people didn’t like it, I always found a way, and I would find a way this time.