welcome to the family [eminem]

Chapter Eighteen

I woke up the next day feeling a little empty. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes before turning over in my bed, checking my new cellphone Hailee brought home for me a couple weeks ago. Three missed calls remain from an unknown number on the screen. Furrowing my eyebrows, I grabbed the phone and look at the numbers that called me.

I decided to ignore it, placing my phone back on the nightstand and looking back at the cieling. Maybe it was a mistake, I'm sure no one meant to call me in the middle of the night. I'm positive the few numbers I have in my phone are assigned into a contact. After a few minutes pass, my phote started to vibrate. I quickly grabbed it again, the unfamiliar number flashing on my screen again.

I hit answer, pressing the phone up to my ear. "Hello?"

"Leila?" a very familiar voice spoke through the receiver. My blood instantly ran cold, my eyes unable to blink as I match the voice with the person I hate the most. My heart was thumping loudly in my chest.

"I..." I tried to speak, but the words couldn't pass through my mouth. I steadied myself, pressing my hand to the back of my bed, incase I would faint. How could this be happening? How did she get my number?

"Ah, thought you were so smart, eh?" my mother's voice sent chills through my spine. "Thought you can get away so easily?"

"How did you get my number?" I demanded, gaining little confidence to speak up to her.

"That's for me to know, and for you to never find out." she spoke.

"Leave me alone, don't call this number again. I never want to see or talk to you again, I don't know why you're wasting your time!" I yelled at her through the phone. "You will never find me! I'm finally safe and with someone that treats me like how a daughter should be treated!"

"I already have found you, Leila." the words I dreaded to hear was icily said through the speaker. "You're with that popstar"

 "I don't know what the fuck you're talking about, Mother. All I know is that you best leave myself and my new family alone."

"New family?" she scoffed. "You're going to regret saying that."

"Am I? Or are you going to regret calling?"

"Whatever, stupid bitch. You're in for it, and when I find you, you're going to be in the most pain you'll ever experience."

"I'll call the cops!" I threatened. My heart was screaming at me to yell for Marshall, for him to forgive me for everything from yesterday and to just save me from this conversation. But I couldn't bring myself to.

"Goodbye, Leila." The phone hung up with a click. I threw my phone against the wall out of frustration and immediately regretted it. As if on queue, my bedroom door burst open, a stressed-out looking Hailee panting in the doorway.

"Leila.." she breathed, placing her hand on her chest. Her eyes fought mine as they darted all around my room. Instintively, I jumped out of my bed and ran over to her, clutching her forearm. I almost forgot that it was only 10 in the morning, but I felt so awake.

"Dad.. I.. L-Leila." Hailie stuttered. I had already forgotton about my incident with my mother calling. This was more important. I grabbed her face in my hands gently, forcing her to look at me. Her normal blue eyes were filled with fear.

"What happened?" I asked wearily. A sob escaped her lips, tears rushing to her eyes quickly. I let go of her face and pushed past her, only to be stopped.

"Leila! Don't go down there!" Hailie cried out, her hand gripping my pajama shirt.

"Where's the girls?" I demanded.

"In m-my room."

I grabbed her hand, bringing her over to my bed. She sat down, pushing her blonde streaks out of her face. "What happened, Hailie?" She looked away, keeping her mouth in a tight line.

"Hailie Jade, tell me what happened to Marshall, damn it!" I ordered, my voice laced with anger. She widened her eyes at my snapping.

"I-it was all so fast," she started in a whisper. "I w-was walking downstairs and Dad was at the table, as usual," she paused, a sob coming over her. She quickly recovered, running her hands over her paniced face. "This man came around the corner and shoved me away, I w-was too scared to scream. He grabbed Dad by his shirt a-and tugged him o-out of the h-house," Hailie broke into hysterics on an instant. My stomach dropped and tears immediately escaped my eyes as well. I grabbed onto her shirt and pulled her into me.

"Shh," I tried to calm her as I shook with tears. I was trying to be strong but my strength isn't tough. I wiped my eyes, pulling her away from me by her shoulders. "Do you know what he looked like?"

"H-he was white, definately. With brown hair. R-really tall, r-really scary," she tried to describe him as good as she could. White, brown hair, tall, scary. I thought to myself over the possibilities, but no one came to mind.

"I'm s-scared, Leila." she cried into my shoulder.

"It'll be okay, we'll find him." I told her, but I myself had a hard time believing my words.

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