My Missing Puzzle Piece

Chapter Twenty-Five

Arielle-

I woke up by the sound of my phone vibrating and I groaned loudly, reaching over to get it, knocking down the things in front of it. I was too dead to even realize what I was doing. I pressed talk, or at least I think I did and pressed it to my ear. "Hello?" I responded groggily.

"Arielle? Arielle, is that you?"

Their voice shocked me and I sat up automatically. "Aiden?!"

"Arielle, finally, I've been trying to contact you for 2 days! Where have you been?"

"Oh..around." I placed my fingers through my knotted hair and turned over to see Justin still fast asleep. I was shocked that we fell asleep on the couch, together and no one even said anything or tried to seperate us. "Why, what's up?"

"Oh I just wanted to catch up, it's been a month since..I left. How are things now?"

"Uh.." I took a second, trying to think about what I was going to say. So much stuff has happened and I didn't know where to begin. "Well I mean, I'm not living with dad anymore and mom is at a hospital getting help."

"Oh wow, really? Where are you staying?"

I bit my lip, unsure if I should really say. "Well...Justin's."

I heard him make a noise like he couldn't believe what I just said. "Seriously? So he allowed you to just...leave?"

"Well...no it's complicated."

"You ran away too?"

"No, look can we talk about something else? Like for instance, where you're at? I've been worried sick."

"Oh sure you were." He replied sarcastically. "That's why you tried calling me or looking for me."

"Aiden I would've but-"

He cut me off. "No, that's okay, I understand your life is all of a sudden hectic and entertaining now."

"Well not really." I muttered loud enough for him to hear. "I'm just glad to be away. So tell me, where have you been?"

"If I tell.." He began. "Would you tell like mom or even dad? Or someone else?"

"Of course not, you can trust me." Why would he think I would go and tell mom? Or even the asshole himself? I wasn't that stupid or mean.

"Well I'm living with grandma."

"Grandma Anne? Dad's mom?"

"Yeah." He replied. "Her. The one that would always bake us those yummy chocolate cookies for Thanksgiving and Christmas."

"Why her though?"

It took him awhile to respond but he eventually did. "Well when I left..I at first went by my friend's house but he snuck me in and then his mom found out and told me I had to leave in the morning so by morning time, I randomly called her and asked her if I could come over and when I did, I told her the story and she told me to stay as long as I needed."

I sighed hard and realized...He had it easier then I did. He was at least living with a family member and had somewhere to go. I was stuck living with dad until Justin made up the idea that I stayed with him. I didn't wanna live with my boyfriend of not even a year or several months yet. I didn't wanna be considered a tramp.

"When your mother gets back, there will be hell to pay." My dad's words always came into my memory and I always try and block it out but it remains impossible.

"You're lucky you got to stay with her."

"Naw." He replied dryly. "You're the one that got away with a bunch of shit."