Elite - Chapter 2
Thursday
The elevator doors opened to an apartment that was as cold as I expected.
For just a second I held my breath, as if breathing the same air as Isabella would turn me into a monster like her.
Or maybe I was just scared that she’d appear out of thin air and spit on me.
Or worse. I didn’t want to be here. I couldn’t be here.
Before I could beg to be taken back down to the lobby, the bodyguard ushered me forward.
Shit. But I didn’t fight him. I was resigned to my choice.
Because as much as I didn’t want to ever interact with Isabella, I needed her to throw a hissy fit and throw me out of her apartment.
And that involved finding her. I glanced into the living room we were passing.
It didn’t look like anyone lived there. There wasn’t even a snuggly blanket on the untouched couch.
Yet, I knew she was here. I could feel her presence.
She was the reason why a chill had just run down my spine.
She was the reason why I kept glancing over my shoulder. “Where’s Isabella?” I asked.
The bodyguard ignored me as he steered me past the kitchen and down a hall.
Everything was white and pristine and…impersonal. There wasn’t a single picture of Mr. or Mrs. Pruitt or Isabella on any of the walls. Maybe he hates Isabella as much as I do.
We stopped outside a bedroom. There was a man in a white lab coat in the room. He turned toward me. “You must be Brooklyn Pruitt,” he said. “I’m Dr. Wilson. If you could please take a seat.” He gestured toward the edge of the bed he was standing beside.
There was a lot wrong with this situation. But one thing stuck out the most. “Sanders,” I said.
The doctor raised his eyebrows.
“My last name is Sanders, not Pruitt.”
“Ah.” He made a note on the file he was holding. “This won’t take very long, Brooklyn. I just need to run a few tests.” He set down the file and lifted a needle.
There was no way I was entering that room and sitting on a bed while a stranger either gave me a shot or took my blood. “No, that’s okay. Actually this is all a big misunderstanding. I don’t want anything from Mr. Pruitt.”
Dr. Wilson cocked his head to the side. “You don’t want to know if he’s your father?”
I hesitated. I was pretty sure he saw it too. But then I shook my head. “No.” I took a step back and ran straight into the bodyguard.
He looked down at me with a hard gaze.
What was my plan here? Run past him to the elevators? There was no way I’d be able to escape this buffalo of a man. And even though the bodyguard didn’t say a word, I had a pretty good idea that his hard stare involved some kind of threat. I didn’t want to find out what it was.
Honestly, I hadn’t been to the doctor in ages.
My mother didn’t have insurance. I couldn’t remember when my last checkup was.
Maybe in middle school. What could it hurt to let Dr. Wilson run a few tests?
My mother died too young from heart disease.
My uncle too young from lung cancer. Wasn’t it better if I knew I was healthy?
I looked up at the bodyguard like he could read my thoughts. But I’d only known him a few minutes longer than I’d known this doctor with a needle. It wasn’t like I had a lot of options on who to trust.
The only encouragement he gave me was a nod of his head toward the doctor.
I pressed my lips together and turned around.
The doctor smiled. “Really. It’ll only take a few minutes.”
I slowly nodded my head. “I don’t mind making an appointment and coming in at a more convenient time,” I said. I was stalling, even though I couldn’t think of a single way out of this.
“I’m a family doctor. Your father pays me good money to be on call. Trust me, I don’t mind.” He chuckled and the sound made me feel a little more at ease. “When was your last period?” he asked and looked back down at his file.
Okay, not at ease anymore. Who just randomly asked such a personal question with zero segue? I could feel my cheeks turning red and I looked over my shoulder at the bodyguard. He didn’t make eye contact, but he also didn’t move. Apparently he was going to be here for this too.
I swallowed hard. “A few weeks ago.”
“It started or ended a few weeks ago?”
“Started.” What kind of doctor’s visit was this?
“Wonderful.” He wrote it down while still balancing the needle precariously in his other hand. “Come in, come in, don’t be shy.”
My feet guided me into the room even though my head was screaming no. The sooner I did this, the sooner it would be over. I answered the rest of his invasive questions. I tried to slow my rapid heartbeat when he scolded me for my heart racing. And I grimaced when he drew blood.
“I should have your results by tomorrow morning,” he said. “I know your father wants them as quickly as possible, and I’m not one to keep him waiting.”
“Alleged father.” I was still holding out hope that I wasn’t related to this demonic family. I touched my arm where the doctor had left the cotton swab and strip of tape.
“All will be clear soon,” Dr. Wilson said. “Did you have any questions you wanted to ask me before I head out?”
How could I be related to someone so cruel? How could my mother have fallen for a monster? Would I become one too? I shook my head.
“Very well.” He finished packing up his things, gave me one last smile, and disappeared out of the bedroom.
I went to stand, but my head started to spin. I immediately sat back down on the bed.
“Whoa, take it easy,” the bodyguard said. He took a step forward like he actually cared if I fainted. “You need something to eat. What would you like?”
I just stared at him.
“I can go grab whatever you want. Just pick something.”
“Anything?”
He nodded.
“My legal guardian makes great empanadas. Can we go there to eat? I can show you the way.”
“There’s a great Mexican place down the street. I’ll be back in a few minutes.” He turned and disappeared down the hall.
For just a second I sat there in silence. And then I heard the ding of the elevators opening and closing. He’d left me all alone in the Pruitt’s apartment. Which basically meant he’d given me my freedom. Oh thank God. I needed to get the hell out of here.
I stood up and my head spun again. How much blood did that weird doctor take? I pressed my hand against the doorjamb as I made my way out into the hall. My fingers trailed the pictureless walls while I kept myself upright.
I hit the elevator button and waited. And waited. I hit it again and realized that there was a keypad.
The little hairs on the back of my neck rose and I turned around. I could have sworn someone had been watching me. But the apartment was empty and lifeless.
I slammed my fist against the button again.
How could they leave me in here without the code to get out?
What if there was a fire? I swallowed hard, knowing it probably wouldn’t bother my alleged father if I died.
Wouldn’t that be convenient? He wouldn’t have to tell his wife or real daughter about me. I’d just be…gone.
A chill ran down my spine and I turned around again. “Isabella?” I hated how much my voice shook.
No one responded.
There were three ways out of here. My Isabella freak out plan, cracking the elevator code, or finding a phone and calling for help.
All of them involved exploring the apartment.
If there was an office somewhere, I might be able to find Mrs. Pruitt’s and Isabella’s birthdays or something.
One of them could be the code. There also might be a phone in there.
I liked both of those options better than actually running into Isabella herself.
I made my way back down the hall and past the bedroom I’d been in earlier.
There was a hallway bathroom that was bigger than my bedroom at my Uncle’s apartment.
Another empty bedroom. A master bedroom that was just as unlived in as the other two rooms. I walked up to the last door and turned the knob.
It was locked. I’d checked every other possible room.
There had to be something in this one. Or… someone.
I knocked on the door.
Nothing.
“Isabella?” I called.
No response came.
I tried the door handle again and then pressed my ear against the door. It was completely silent on the other side.
“You’re not allowed to go in there.”
I jumped. I hadn’t even heard the bodyguard come in.
He was holding a few brown paper bags and I could smell the cheesy, fried goodness from where I was standing.
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d eaten.
It was hard to make yourself eat when all you wanted to do was cry.
I ignored the audible growl of my stomach.
“Where are Mrs. Pruitt and Isabella?” I asked.
He just stared at me.
“Is Mr. Pruitt even married? Does he have other children?”
He squinted his eyes at me like I was some kind of puzzle he didn’t understand.
This wasn’t working. “I need to make a phone call. My friends will want to know that I’m safe.” My stomach growled again.
“We’ll discuss it after we eat.”
After we eat? My curiosity made me follow him. He started to unpack takeout container after container.
“They didn’t have any empanadas,” he said. “I wasn’t sure what else you liked.”
I sat down and lifted the lid off the closest container.
It was filled with a bean burrito and rice that were both still steaming.
Bean burritos were one of my favorites. He bought me all this food because he didn’t know what I preferred?
I stared at him as he grabbed a second bean burrito and started eating it.
Was it one of his favorites too? He was significantly younger than Mr. Pruitt.
He couldn’t be more than mid-twenties. His hair was dark like Mr. Pruitt’s and Isabella’s. “Are you his son?” I asked.
He started choking. “What? No.” The way he said it made it seem like the thought truly disgusted him.
Being related to the Pruitts disgusted me too. I pushed some of the rice around with my fork. I wasn’t hungry anymore.
“He’s not that bad.”
I looked back up at the bodyguard. “Isabella is.”
He finished chewing his bite. “I’m not supposed to talk about his family with you.”
For some reason that was better than him denying that Isabella was horrid. “What’s your name?”
“You can call me Miller.”
“Is that your first or last name?”
“It’s just what you should call me.”
That was vague. But Miller sounded like a last name to me. “What’s your first name?”
I could have sworn he was trying to hide a smile. “Eat your food, kid.”
Kid. I felt that stab in my heart as I remembered my uncle. Would that feeling ever go away? I got it when things reminded me of my mother too. It was like someone was following me around with a knife, constantly jabbing at my heart. I wasn’t sure it would ever stop.
“Fine. Make your call. Two minutes. Then you eat.” Miller slid his cell phone across the table. “But you’re staying here tonight. So there’s no point in asking someone to come get you.”
“Okay.” I grabbed his phone and slid out of my seat.
I wasn’t allowed to ask someone to come get me.
But that was fine. Because the only person I wanted to talk to right now was someone that would just show up anyway.
Because that was what he always did. He’d figure out a way to get me out of here.
He’d fix this. He had just as many resources as Mr. Pruitt.
I dialed the number and put the phone up to my ear.
“Hello?” His voice was rigid and cold like he was in the middle of an argument. For a second I wasn’t even sure if it was him. But I’d memorized his number by heart.
“Matt?”
“Brooklyn? Is that you?” The anger in his tone was gone. It was just that familiar warmth I‘d grown used to. Hearing him say my name like that made my tears start again. I turned away from Miller so he wouldn’t see.
“It’s me.” I tried to stop my tears so I could have a coherent conversation. Recently Matt’s arms around me were the only thing that could calm me down. He’d held me as I fell asleep every night after my uncle’s death. I couldn’t be here tonight without him. I couldn’t do it. I needed him.
“Where are you?”
“I’m at the Pruitt’s apartment.” Technically I didn’t ask him to come. But I could still feel Miller staring at me.
“I’ll be right there.”
I gripped the phone tighter in my hand. “Thank you.” Please hurry.
“Are you okay? He hasn’t hurt you?”
Was Mr. Pruitt violent? I gripped the phone even tighter. I wouldn’t put it past him. He was certainly uncaring. “I’m okay.” I looked over at Miller and my untouched food. I’m not. I’m really not. “He had a doctor run a few tests to make sure I’m his.”
I heard a car door slam. I’d never seen Matt drive before.
He was always riding with James. I couldn’t imagine James assisting him in this, even though Matt swore James was sorry about what he’d done.
Humiliating me in front of the whole school and then coming to my rescue? It didn’t seem like a realistic jump.
Matt’s parents had been at the funeral. Would they help? Would they even think this was an issue?
I heard Matt tell someone where to head.
“Are you with someone?” I asked.
“Rob. He borrowed James’ car.”
Something about the way he said borrowed sounded a lot more like stole .
“Don’t worry, Sanders!” Rob yelled. A car honked. “We’re coming to save you!”
Matt and Rob were coming to save me from being trapped in Isabella’s home. It was such a preposterous thought that I almost laughed. But instead “I love you,” tumbled out of my mouth.
There was a long awkward silence.
So long that my eyes burned. And my throat felt parched. And I couldn’t breathe.
“We’ll be there in ten minutes,” Matt said.
“Okay.” Maybe we could just pretend I never said it. I could take it back. I could…
“Brooklyn?”
“Yeah?” I closed my eyes tight, wishing I could rewind time.
“I love you too.”
I could already hear Rob making fun of him. The call ended, but I kept the phone pressed against my ear. Matthew Caldwell loved me. For just a second, my heart didn’t feel so broken.