Hidden Temptations

Chapter Nine

On the way back to my house after the date, I’m feeling conflicted. Do I open the texts from “unknown” or do I block the number. I need to find out who it is, I need to put my mind at ease.

“Anyways, what the heck was that with Mr. Matthews?” She looks over at me for a brief second before looking back at the road. “You were totally girl crushing right in front of Bryan!”

“I was not! He just took me by surprise. Ian just asked what happened to me.” I take my phone out of the jean jacket pocket hoping Sarah would end the conversation if I look disinterested.

“Ian?”

“Mr. Matthews, he said to call him Ian.” I open up my messages, there are 3 unopened from “unknown”

“Really?! I think “Ian” likes you!” Sarah kind of giggled. “Who knew that after high school is when you would get all the men!” She bursts out laughing, we pull up to my driveway.

“Not true, he was just saying hi!” I’m a little annoyed, but was she right? Does he like me? No, he’s not into a 17 year old, 18 in 4 days. Sarah helps me get situated back into the house and in the guest room.

“I just think he’s a little too creepy. I mean what teacher goes after a former student?” She looks at her camera on her phone and fixes her perfect Auburn hair. She wheels me into the house and into the guest bedroom.

“He’s not creepy, he’s just nice. He did help me choose my college major after all.” I can’t stop looking at my messages, do I open them? I think I will wait till I’m alone.

/Ding/

Another one from “unknown”, now I have to open them.

“Well, I have to get going, do some finishing touches on the party. I love you, I’ll text you later.” Sarah blows me a kiss, she’s gone.

I open the texts I haven’t opened. My heart starts to race, what do they want?

“You’re not taking this seriously enough.”

“Answer me.”

“Adeline.”

And the new one that was sent today,

“If you don’t want to talk, I will make you talk.”

That’s really creepy. What does that even mean? Are they the ones that are following me in the suburban? They know my every move it seems like, I can’t be alone anymore, this is getting out of hand. Should I tell my mom? Should I keep Sarah in the loop? Do I go to the police? I just don’t know what is right in this situation.

/Ding/

My heart sinks, what could they want now?

“I’m sorry, that was a weird date.” It’s just Bryan, thank god.

“No, it was good. I had a nice time!” How can I tell him that after Ian showed up, that Ian was the one that I want. The one that makes my heart race. That I want Ian to take me to my party, but that I’ll never happen.

“Well good. I had a nice time, I will pick you up around 7 o’clock for your party.”

“It is right next door to me, I can meet you there.” I roll my eyes, I don’t need help with everything.

“I know, but I want to walk you over and enter together.”

“Okay that sounds nice!” I only sent that so he can feel good about himself. Or maybe so I can feel good so I don’t show up to my own party empty handed.

“Addie, we have to go back to the hospital, they want another look at your knee.” My mom comes into the room with her purse, jacket and a worried look on her face.

“For what? Is it worse than they thought?” I sit up straight in the bed, and reach for my wheelchair.

“I’m not sure, but we have to leave now.” She slides the chair close to me so she can help me hop into it. My mom keeps looking at her phone, what is she waiting for?

We got to the hospital, the drive was quiet, my mom is thinking about something. My mom never stops talking, so when she’s quiet I know something is wrong. Is it about me? Could it be about work or my case from the accident? We got settled into the room the nurse had put us in, it was still quiet.

“Mom, what’s going on? You’re being quiet.” I reach for her hand, maybe she needs some comfort.

“I’m fine, just a lot at work this week. Don’t worry about me Adeline. We need to find out what the doctor is going to say about you.” She grabs my hand for a brief moment, to comfort me, but she was the one who needed it. I can tell by her face.

The door opens, “Adeline Marten?” It was the doctor, he was an older gentleman, maybe my moms age. Blaze red hair, sharp blue eyes, he looked familiar.

“Yes that’s me.”

“I am Dr. Jones. We need to take you for another X-ray on your knee, we are thinking it may not be broken after all. We want to get a second look, it may just be a sprain.”

“Oh that’s good news!” My mom's face lightened up, maybe she was really only worried about me. “How long will it take for the results to come back?” She looks down at her phone again.

“Should only be a half an hour after the X-ray, so we would like you to stay for the results, so we can continue from there.” He’s professional, right to the point. Something was off about him though, I can’t put my finger on it. “Let’s get you down to X-ray.” He grabs my wheelchair and we head down the hall.

/Ding/

A text, I open my messages. It’s Sarah.

“Hey! Heard you are back at the hospital! Everything okay?”

“Yeah, they think my knee is just a sprain and not broken!”

“Oh! That’s great to hear!!! Now you can walk into the party arm and arm with Bryan!”

“Yeah, lol”

In the midst of texting Sarah I wasn’t paying attention to we’re Dr. Jones was taking me. We’ve been walking for a while. I look around at my surroundings, are we....in the basement?

*wack*

Everything goes dark.