Dear Sadie

6: Hide, Seek, and Chase

It had been weeks, and there's still no response from Ethan—only for Sadie to discover that his mail was hidden somewhere in the house.

It had been a few weeks since Susan sent Ethan her daughter's letter, asking for her diary back and telling him to stop their communication. Still, there wasn't a response from him yet. Sadie had spent restless nights just thinking about the lad, whether or not he had read her letter and agreed to end their friendship, or whatever it is that he might feel or do upon seeing her note.

It was 12 midnight when Sadie decided to sneak into their kitchen, with hopes of grabbing some snacks. She carefully opened the kitchen cabinet, the wood creating a creaking sound. Sadie scans the room to see if someone was awake, only for her to yelp in surprise. "Aaah!"

"Christ! Stop screaming, Sadie," scolds Elliot, her older brother.

"Why are you still awake, Elliot? I thought you were sleeping already or something."

"Uni. This maroon school," he chuckles. "And you? Why are you stealing snacks?"

"Hungry. Plus I can't sleep..." 

"Can't sleep or can't stop thinking about your boyfriend?"

"Boyfriend? No he's not my—he's like, ugh! Shut up. He's my friend."

"Mkay," says Elliot. "Still got no letter?"

"I regret talking to you about Ethan," Sadie plumps on the wooden chair. "...no letters yet."

"I'll be a good brother," he points to the master's bedroom. "It's there."

"What's there?"

"The letter. From Ethan," Elliot tugs Sadie's hair, causing the girl to flinch. "Ow!"

"Idiot. I said Mama took the letter and she kept it inside their room."

"Really?"

"No," he grabs his laptop and starts to head upstairs. "Why not check it out?"

Here we go, Sadie says at the back of her mind. The determined girl hid behind her mother's closet, and after a few minutes, she'll attempt to sneak into the drawers. Susan peacefully slept on her bed, but Sadie's mother was a light sleeper that even a single footstep awakened her. But she had to try.

On the other hand, Sadie tiptoed very well that even once, Susan never heard her footsteps. But it's the opening of drawers that sent nervousness down Sadie's body. Carefully, Sadie pulls the top drawer open—but there was nothing inside. 

She pulls the next drawer open, and the next; only for her to find several pieces of paper inside. Sadie quietly, yet with haste, rummaged through the papers, her eyes twinkling in triumph as she sees familiar handwriting.

To: Sadie.

Sadie takes the envelope—but as she was about to sneak out of the room, she saw Susan slowly awakening. The young woman immediately takes cover under the bed, trying her best not to let out a loud sneeze because the space was filled with dirt and dust. 

The things I do for Ethan, she mutters.

Apparently, it had been exactly two hours since Sadie hid under the bed; and she was still there, covered in grime. Susan had decided to stay awake and watch a two-hour film in her bedroom, leaving Sadie no choice but to stay hidden in a small, dark, dusty place. 

Thankfully though, Susan decides to go to the restroom in the living area. Sadie grabs the opportunity to leave the master's bedroom, running across the kitchen, only to feel thirsty.