ADRIA’S POV
I watched the expression on Lucien’s face change, and stiffen.
“I’ll take care of it.” He replied stiffly, and I wondered who he was talking to. Then I remembered my mother. I had not told her I was staying with Lucien.
I hadn’t even intended on staying with Lucien, it had just happened. The tea made me feel a little sleepy. Something about it was just calming, and I guess the warmness also helped.
“Hello, Mum.” I said, after dialing her number.
“Sweetie. How are you?” She asked.
“I’m fine. I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you of my whereabouts last night…”
“It’s fine. Lucien already explained to me.”
“He did? Oh… Either way, I’m sorry. I didn’t intend to.”
“It’s totally fine, Adria. I know you’ve been having a hard time lately, but I want you to know that none of this is your fault, okay? All these people going missing, it’s not because you dallied with the wrong person. Things like this just happen, and we can’t move on if we blame ourselves, okay? So, I want you to stop blaming yourself.”
“I’m just being hard on myself because I think I made the mistake.”
“So what? Everyone makes mistakes. Mistakes are meant to be made by everyone. Some people made mistakes that ruined their lives. Others made mistakes that cost their lives, but you still have a chance.
“You can still change that, so instead of beating yourself up, you should be trying to move on after learning from your mistake. Because, Adria, you have to learn in life that some mistakes can’t be corrected, you just have to be careful not to make them again.”
Her words calmed me somehow.
After all, I was human. I was prone to mistakes, and indeed some people were feet underneath the ground due to their mistakes. I had learned from my mistake, and I was doing the right thing by not choosing to return to Derek, else I might reach a point of no return.
“Thank you so much, mum. I’ll… I’ll try to learn from my mistakes, and move on. You’ve been the best. Thank you so much.” I appreciated, and when she spoke, I heard relief in her voice.
“I love you, Adria, and regardless of what happens, I’ll always be here for you. You can lean on me.”
“I love you too, mum. Who knows? My love is probably greater than yours.”
“Oh no, Adria. You don’t go there.” She said, and we laughed, and talked for some time.
When I was done, Lucien was smiling.
“Mrs. Williams earns my admiration.” He said, when he noticed me staring, and I chuckled.
“Why?”
“She made you smile. So easily. She was able to comfort you when I couldn’t.”
“Don’t say that. Do you know how many times you gave me sleepless nights because I kept on laughing, and thinking about you? How do you think I was capable of sleeping last night? You comforted me. That’s why I didn’t stay up worrying.”
“Adria, no matter what happens, I will do everything to ensure you smile.”
“Wow. This early in the morning, and I already received promises from two people I cherish.”
“You have our word, and we’ll keep it. Even if Derek does his worst, that’s fine. Because he won’t be fine, either. I’ll hunt him down to the ends of the earth.” He promised, holding my hands, and I smiled.
“Thank you, Lucien. Thank you so much.”
After a hearty breakfast that I made after seeing the mess Lucien had created, I took a bath, and borrowed one of Lucien’s sweatshirts to school.
I was used to wearing big clothes anyway, so what difference would an even bigger one make?
When I was about to enter into the school, I saw Stacy walking while staring hard at her phone.
Why was she so engrossed in her phone while she was walking? She could fall.
“Stacy…” I called, but she didn’t hear me, so I ran to her, and tapped her.
She gasped, and looked up.
“Oh, it’s you.” She said, with a hand on her chest.
“Why are you staring at your phone while walking? What are you so engrossed in?” I asked, and she looked at me with apologetic eyes before handing the phone over to me.
On the screen, I saw reporters flashing their cameras, crazily, then one stepped aside from the crowd, and began to report.
“What is going on in New Orleans? Is it really a serial kidnapper, or is the case of the missing ladies night after night related to the cows who were found without a drop of blood in them?
“Where are these girls? The police have searched the forest, and are currently digging up the ground to see if they were buried up. Who is this serial kidnapper that takes new girls every night? Are the cops really doing their job? Will this case remain an unsolved case that will eventually be buried up? We have yet received news of another missing girl going by the name of Carly Simpson…”
At that point, I looked at Stacy and she bit her lip.
Derek had taken yet another classmate.
“After this, the police have discovered a pattern. Three girls who attend the same class in the same college have been the culprit’s victims one after the other. Will more girls from the college be taken?
The reporter continued reporting, but I couldn’t listen anymore.
Carly, who we had listened to, the previous day, was also missing? Why?
I wanted to run off, and find Derek, but I stopped myself.
Lucien had said he would find him if he didn’t stop.
I was going to believe that.
Just then, a text popped on my phone from an unknown number. I clicked on it, and realized it was from Derek. The text he had said about my friends being next was still there, but the next text he sent made my heart light up a little.
*I’ll return, and when I return, I’ll come back stronger, and you’ll regret it, Adria. I’m not leaving for good, so stay awake in your bed every night, thinking of when next I’ll strike.
Remember, you’ll regret it.*
His text made me smile because to me, they looked like empty threats.
He would rather not admit defeat.
Carly had been retaliation because he had to leave. He had hurt her out of anger.
Derek was leaving.