Arthurs note: So guys... I know I have been pathetic at all this! But I am back now, ready to finish this book! I have so much ideas. I hope you bear with me. So here goes the fourth chapter! Will be updating weekly from now on😊Lets dive in shall we?

It was my fifth day of imprisonment. I was sweating, from the anxiety, and the restless nights. How heartless could people get! I mean literally, they just woke up one day and thought "let's go make a family sad by kidnapping their child, and hold her hostage and yada yada......" It was airless and hot in the room. My isolation sharply amplified every single day, and all the tiny sensations that I would not otherwise have noticed. I was afraid. Afraid of what they were going to do to me, to Meg, to my Dad, nanny! At the same time troubled by unpleasant fantasies about what was going to happen to me after this. Were they going to kill me? Dispose me? I detested this helplessness and no matter how hard I tried to concentrate on something else, fear came trickling out. It hovered like a cloud of gas around me, threatening to penetrate my pores and poison me. I discovered that the most effective method of keeping the fear at bay was to fantasize about something that gave me a feeling of strength. Hope! That I would finally be out of this hell hole!

"I can't believe we are finally at our own place!" Meg shrieks with her hands placed on her hips as she scans through the room. We went to say our goodbyes to Dad and Talia, which all ended with tears and a whole box of tissue, mainly used by Talia. 'Who am I kidding I cried all the way through'. I mean this has been my home since birth and now, despite the fact that I am twenty minutes away, it still feels sad leaving. I had to convince Talia that I would be visiting every time I can, and she finally calm down. We also went to Meg's home to pick up her stuff, and say goodbye to her parents, as they went through a whole list of how we should take care of ourselves, not let boys in, be safe, and all those crap we all know about, but are just said for special emphasis.

We got some help putting some things in my car, and the rest were to be delivered by the movers. Meg and I both agreed it would be best to experience every single moment of moving out, so all the unpacking, and moving stuff around was to be done by us, and not the movers. I called Jace, since I promised I would, and he offered to come help us out. 'I just couldn't say no!' I mean, have you seen the guy? Plus, we could really use some help around. On top of that, we had Trevor, who just couldn't say no to Meg, so yeah I think we can do this. 'The more the merrier, right?'

The doorbell rang and we both assumed the guys had just arrived. Meg gets the door, and Trevor walks in first, holding a gift bag. He was wearing a white shirt and a pair of denim skinny jeans, and denim jacket on top of his white shirt. Meg gave him a warm hug as he walked in, waves at me, and placed the gift bag on the counter.

A minute later Jace walks in, embracing Meghan. He walks in dressed in black skinny jeans and a white shirt, with a leather jacket on top of his white shirt. 'Dress code? Ha-ha' He says hi to me and heads over to introduce himself to Trevor, while placing his gift bag on the counter. Meg calls for our attention, and briefs the guys on what goes where. We all begin our work, most of it spent laughing since the guys were quite confused on what goes where

"Come on guys, what don't you get? Plates here, Amelia's boxes to this room, and mine to the other jeez!!" Meg nags, and sometimes I have to say I think she has OCD, but she won't agree to it. I mean literally, what's wrong with having this slightly away from where she wants it? But thanks to her, I think this house will always be in order.

Before we know it, we were finally done, and gracefully sited on the sofas with our legs raised and eyes close. What a day! We were all tired, and just needed some time to cool off. We both sat there for a while, not knowing what to do, everyone caught in their own thoughts, and a few glances here and there passing from Trevor to Meg. After a while of practically doing nothing, Meg offers each of us a drink, part of what Trevor and Jace brought.

"Cheers! To new beginnings, and new friends!" Meg says, as we all raise our glasses.

I can't wait for school to start, now with Jace, Trevor, Meg, and hopefully Justin, it's going to be an eventful year. Finally, I will have nothing to worry about, no boring shrinks, and for the first time in forever, since the incident, I feel so at ease. Jace has been trying to get to talk to me, ever since the party, but me, being me, I kept on avoiding it. I just don't think I am ready to tell him about the incident, I don't think I am ready to let anyone in, Meg shrugged it off, and didn't bother me about it, till the day I decide to open up to her. Now, I just don't know anymore. I don't know if I should just open up, cry it out, and move on, I don't know if I should mention the part about my mom being alive, all this is just confusing....

"Amelia, Amelia..." I think I hear someone calling me, but am just not sure who it is. Finally, I snap out of my thoughts and find a worried Jace, looking at me, as if I had just died and resurrected. Meg and Trevor are already asleep on the couch, and I make a mental note not to disturb their sleep.

"huh, sorry... I zoned out a little bit" I respond sheepishly

"If that's what you call little..." Jace chuckles gesturing to Meg and Trevor. "Well uhm, I better get going. Mom must be worried sick that am not yet home."

"Yeah, it's late anyway, and I need rest, tomorrow is a big day for us. I will see you around. "I walk Jace to the door as we both talked about how expectant we are for orientation tomorrow. With that, we both exchange smiles, and I stand at the door as I watch him drive away. I head over to my room and with that I fall asleep, drowning all my fears, worries, and mind torturing experiences.

"Charisa, you really need to speak to your daughter, at least let her know you are alive and well!" Cynthia tries to persuade her friend but it was all in vain. It had been very hard for Charisa to even consider talking to her daughter, but she knew she had to do it. She had to think about her family first. She looked after them from a distance and knew that she could not reveal herself to them. It was dangerous! It was murderous!

Ever since she left her family, her life behind, life now became so unbearable but thanks to Cynthia, she was able to wake up every hopeful that someday everything will be okay. She sat down crouching down against the wall as she remembered the day she had to watch her own burial ceremony. The beautiful, sad face her daughter had, and the worrying guilty face of her husband always remained engraved in her mind. She had to protect them, and through all of this she paid a very heavy price. Not only did she loose her husband, and loving daughter, but also lost her unborn baby. She blamed herself every day for it, and for a period of time she became very depressed. She had no way forward, and life did not seem to make any sense any more.

When all hope was lost, that was when Cynthia came into her life. A beautiful young lady, who seemed to have her life all under control. Her beautiful heart led her to a desolate lady, hoping for some sort of rescue, from the heavens, or from whomever. Cynthia took her in, and as the days turned to months, months to years, she got fond of her new friend and with that she gained a second family. They shared their deepest darkest secrets, and although looks were deceiving the first time they met, they found they had so much in common.

Cynthia saw a glitter of a tear from her friend's eye, and she drew closer to embrace her. "I did, Cynthia, I already talked to her!" Charisa answered her friend in a shaky tone, but only she knew the effects that call had on her daughter. "My daughter is out there, Cynthia, probably cursing herself out, or maybe thinking she is mad, or that I am messing with her mind. I don't think it is time, we still need to give her space. Her eighteenth birthday means she can assume responsibility, and as much as I would want to tell her the whole truth, I just can't yet."

"Oh my friend!" Cynthia embraced her more and offered her assurance that it will all be okay. "Allow me to find out how she is doing in school, allow me to get closer to her, maybe someday after hearing more about you, she would have released her anger, or rage towards you, if she indeed believed your call." Charisa sipped her tea and gave her friend a slight nod as she wiped the tears from her eyes. She needed to be strong. The plan she had in mind will be effective someday, and this required her strength emotionally. With that, they wished each other a good night and departed into their rooms.

Author's note: Am so sorry this chapter has been so short. I was having a difficulty in writing this. For a while wasn't sure what to write. The next ones will be back to normal. Please tell me what you think about it so far. Thanks 😊😊