Page 16 of Sorry

I needed to let them know not to worry, this wasn't fair of me. I should have gone on live and let them know I was ok. First, I called Liam to let him know I wouldn’t be coming back. He was always so good to me and I didn't want him to think I just abandoned the bakery without a word. I took a deep breath, I could do this. Then I dialed.

“SAM! WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU ARE YOU OK??? I WAS WORRIED SICK!” Liam shouted into the phone, guilt consumed me. I never thought anyone would worry about me that much.

“My apologies Liam, I had to leave. I… I can't get into it. But I wanted to call you as soon as I could to let you know I won't be back. I am sorry again.”

“I understand, I figured as much. I was just worried something bad had happened but, you do what you have to do to be safe.” Liam said, all the panic gone from his voice.

What? What did he mean he figured? “Erm, what do you mean you understand? I just...”

“Let me stop you there son, it wasn’t hard to put two and two together; no matter how hard you tried to hide that your life at home was hell... I saw it. You've worked for me for a long time. I knew things were off. I knew who you were with. But it wasn’t my place to question you about it. I just got worried that that situation got sour and you got hurt. Are you safe?”

That froze me on the spot. He knew. People saw. I thought I was hiding it well. First Baka insinuated she knew something was off and now Liam. I didn’t know how to feel about that. “Um... Yes I am safe, thank you Liam.” I sat at the edge of my childhood bed, in the room I grew up in, holding my phone to my ear. It's an odd thing to say out loud, ‘I am safe’ — it doesn't feel like I am.

“Okay Sam. That makes me incredibly happy. Let’s keep it that way, and call to let me know how you are every once in a while, okay?”

“Okay Liam, sorry for worrying you.” I whispered, feeling ashamed.

“It's all good son. Bye now, don’t be a stranger.” His voice broke a bit, betraying him.

“Bye Liam.” I was heartbroken.

Logging into LiveTok again and clicking on Giorgio’s live, I said hi to everyone from the basement chat. I nearly dropped my phone when everyone began to shout.

“SAM!”

“MAN WHAT THE HELL! WHERE WERE YOU?”

“ARE YOU OK?!”

They sent me an invite to come up on camera but I didn't want to be seen right now. My all black outfit and not eating or sleeping much, made me look rough and that would earn me more questions that I couldn’t answer right now. I refused to involve anyone else in my mess.

I rejected the invite and typed in the chat, “Hey guys. I am here, I can't join now but I am just coming on to let you know I am ok. There have been some events in my life as of late and I just have to deal with it at the moment. I am ok and I will be back. I just need to get my life in order.”

@Spawn: “We were so concerned when you weren't coming online at your usual time while working. If you need to talk or need help at all let us know, reach out. But we will be here when you are ready to come back."

"Thank you guys, I’ll be in touch. Bye everyone.”

The Live got loud again with everyone saying, ‘bye’, ‘love you’ and ‘see you soon’.

I was about to lay down on my bed, when my phone rang. It was Kyle and I was instantly petrified again. I sat staring at my phone as if it could eat me, not knowing what to do. I pressed the reject call and threw my phone on the bed. It pinged with a notification. I shouldn't look at it. I knew it wouldn’t be good. I should have just thrown my phone out and became a ghost. He won't let me get away with this. I lifted my phone and checked anyway.

KYLE: Sam! Answer the fucking phone! Where the fuck are you!?

KYLE: You better have a good excuse for why you missed the plane and why I wasted all that money on the tickets, only for you to disappear off the face of the earth!

KYLE: Everybody is asking if I imagined the boyfriend that I talked about so much! I swear you ungrateful piece of shit, you will pay for humiliating me like this!

KYLE: I knew you were going to stab me in the back! It was only a matter of time, after all I gave you! After all I have done for you!

My hands shook, he was so mad. I knew if he found me now, I wouldn't come out of it alive. I didn’t know if I should text him or just ignore him? No I couldn't, I was a coward, so I just turned off my phone. I went downstairs and locked the door because I was too paranoid that he would find me, when I heard a knock at the door. Miss Jenny walked in, scaring me to death. I jumped, making a noise that sounded close to a pterodactyl in distress.

“Oh darlin’! Oh I am sorry I never meant to scare you.” She said quietly, “Do you have time? I have something I need to talk to you about.” Looking at me, concern etched on her face.

My heart rate slowed, as I took a deep breath and I nodded. I didn’t like her tone, it sounded like I was about to hear more bad news. But the way my life has been so far, I just accepted it. I sat on the sofa waiting for more bad shit life has to throw at me.

CHAPTER 20

ALEX