Chapter 7

Third Person POV:

Callie marched down the stairs, hand on the doorknob. “Bye, Da—” She startled, turning around feeling someone breathing on her neck. “Jeez! Dad, what the hell?” Wide eyed staring at the older man who watched her in silence. An inscrutable look on his face.

“Where are you going?”

“To.. school..? Today’s Thursday.”

“No.”

“Wha—?” He slammed the door shut and pulled her away. Dragging her upstairs, “What’re you doing?” His grip tightened around her arm, sitting her down. Callie huffed, running a hand through her disheveled hair. Jaw clenched as she waited for him to explain his actions. “So?”

“So what?”

“Are you going to explain why you dragged me all the way up here?” A crease evident between her brows.

His face matched hers. “Explain? You know exactly why, Callie!” Her jaw unclenched, eyes wavering to the ground, tear prickling in her eyes. She felt her stomach sink with guilt, listening to her father’s words. “You were kidnapped for goodness sake! You’re lucky, I don’t have you cuffed to your bed!”

“Could you relax?!” She, now, stood fighting the feeling of her knees wanting to cave in. “That happened three weeks ago!” A huge lump formed in her throat, agonizing to swallow, but she pushed it down, roughly wiping away the tears that spilled, keeping up that tough exterior. In actuality, Callie had been terrified ever since that day, nightmares tormented her mind whenever she slept. The cold feeling returned around her wrist, mirroring the tight cuffs she couldn’t forget. Her shaky hands caressed the chilly area. “Why can’t you just let it go?”

“Let it go? You can’t be serious..” Rick’s chest rising and falling in frustration. His mind unable to comprehend how she just expected him to let it go. “I listened, stupidly, when you pleaded for me to not go to the police station. Which I still can’t get why you wouldn’t want to.”

Callie shook her head, trying to get the continuous thoughts to stop. “You don’t understand-“

“You’re right, I don’t understand! But what I do understand,” He stepped closer, face to face, pointing his finger accusingly. “Is that you are not leaving this house.”

She blinked rapidly, words sputtered. “Yo- You can’t- What about school? Tonight’s the dance.”

“You can forget about that dance. I’ll figure out the school thing later but for right now..” He lowered his hand, walking over to the door, hand on the knob. “You are staying home. No exceptions or guests.” 

“But—” The door was closed abruptly. Callie sighed rubbing her chest as it tightened, sitting down on her bed once more, rubbing her wrist with more urgency, coldness intensifying. Her breathing becoming rapid, the freezing feeling now burning. She bit her lip, quieting the sob that threatened to escape. Her chest pulling and pulling, caving in on her beating heart.

Her dad was being stubborn. She understood why he didn’t her out of his sight after it happened but now it was just getting excessive. It didn’t help that he also took her phone so she couldn’t contact anyone. She grimaced at the thought of all the missing work from school. 

________

The moon beamed brightly as the sun disappeared, and night finally took over the sky. Callie paced, wondering if she should follow through. She decided she would after all she had spent a lot of money on her dress for this specific dance. There was no way she wasn’t going.

She slowly opened her door, peaking her head out of the crack, eyes trailed down the empty, quiet hallway. With the coast being clear she continued her route. Climbing down the steps, trying not to make a single noise. There laid her father, dead asleep, on the couch with the T.V. still playing. She glanced at the screen, reaching, and turning it off. Before tucking her father in. Going back upstairs to get dressed, grab her phone from her father’s dresser. A soft click from the front door sounded as it closed. Beginning her walk to school.

________

Music blasted from within the building as Callie finally arrived. Her eyes wondered watching parents drop their kids off, teenagers lingering around smoking on school grounds. She exhaled deeply in attempt to wash away the stress, unfortunately it hardly had an affect. She squeezed herself in between different bodies finding her way towards the punch bowl. 

“Thank you.” She said as the worker handed her a drink, sipping looking around everyone wearing some form of a retro outfit. Then she spotted her friends. Hanna, with her boyfriend Sean, greeting Aria as she arrived alone, Mona with some random guy, and… Spencer with a, Callie hated to admit, rather attractive dude. Her heart sunk at the sight, she didn’t know Spencer was bringing a date. Before she knew it she was standing right in front of the boy.

“Callie?” Hanna threw her arms, hugging the girl tightly. “Where have you been? We’ve been worried sick about you!” 

Callie patted the blonde’s back, reciprocating. “My dad has me on house arrest.” Hanna quirked a brow, pulling away to meet the girl’s face. “Long story.” She faked a smile, turning her threatening gaze to Spencer’s date. “Who’s this?”

“The name’s Alex.” He smiled brightly, hand out. “Nice to meet you.” She looked down, glaring at his hand, eyes returning to his as Alex took it back, swallowing.

“Okay!” Hanna stepped in between the two, averting Callie’s sharp look to her, which softened at the sight. “Callie, why don’t you go look for Aria or Spencer? They’d be thrilled to see you.” She pushed her onwards, hanging back with Alex.

Callie, hesitatingly nodded, walking towards the beanbag toss station. The girl’s eyes glowed seeing Callie approaching. “Hey, Aria.”

“Hi, Callie? Are you even supposed to be here?” She questioned as the Anderson walked behind the stand.

“Nope.” The sound of the “p” popping. Her eyes met a lovely couple, handing them beanbags to throw. “Snuck out.”

Aria hummed, eyeing her skeptically. “Are you okay?”

“I’ve been better.” She swallowed, feeling a lump form. “I only just got kidnapped for an entire day, locked inside of a freezing room, handcuffed to a bed—” Aria grabbed her wrist pulling her behind the curtains. “What are you doing?”

“You’re scaring the customers!” She said in a hushed voice. “Now, tell me what happened?”

The cold feeling wrapped its way around her wrist. “I- don’t want to talk about that.” The lump grew bigger and her knees grew weak. “Just let me help you at the stand. I’ll— even take your shift, you can go dance.”

“No. No. That’s okay- You should go find Spencer.”

“I don’t want to talk to her right now.”

“Too late.”

“Cal?” At the sound of her name she sighed. Not turning around so the person stood in front of her, keeping her eyes to the floor she walked away, but was followed in the process. Callie thought she lost them, turning a corner, now, in the hallway, suddenly she was shoved into the lockers. “Wha- Why are you here?” Spencer stared her down, jaw tight, if looks could kill Callie would be more than dead. She hesitated before her voice grew sharper. “And why the hell have you been avoid m- us?!”

“That’s the first thing you ask me? Not, ‘are you okay?’ ‘what happened?’ ‘where have you been?'” 

“Cal—” She bumped her shoulder, storming for the exit. Callie didn’t get far, pushed against the lockers once more. “Can you just talk to me? I’m sorry. I- I shouldn’t hav-” She sighed. “Are you okay?”

“No. I’m not.” She angrily shrugged Spencer’s hands off.  “Doesn’t seem like you care anyway.”

“What? Of course I do!”

“Alex.”

“What?”

“That guy that you brought? Your date. What’s going on there? You never said anything to me about him.”

Spencer huffed in disbelief. “Don’t change the subject! This has nothing to do with him!” She lost eye contact before finding it again. “But- It has everything to do with the fact that you’ve been avoided me!”

“I haven’t been avoiding you.”

“Really? I’ve called and texted you and nothing!”

“I didn’t have my phone!” Callie defended.

Spencer shoved her hand down, pulling out Callie’s phone. Eyeing it Callie, clenched her jaw, gaze falling to the ground. “What? Out of excuses?”

Callie sighed, the burning subsided. “No- Spencer that’s not—”

Spencer rolled her eyes. “Just forget it.” She handed her the phone. “At least tell me who kidnapped you. Was it Toby? Jenna?”

The lump came back, rubbing her wrist. “I don’t want to talk about that.”

“Why?”

“I just don’t! Okay? My dad is already dragging it out more than he needs to. And it happened weeks ago.. It doesn’t matter anymore.”

“Doesn’t matter? Why didn’t you go to the police?” Spencer question, anger long gone. In response Callie just shrugged. She was embarrassed, and Spencer sensed that. “Cal—”

“Please just drop it, alright? I’m fine.” She wobbled knees trying to give out but she wouldn’t let them. She winced, tightening her grip on her wrist. It burned more and more, chest growing more needy. “I- I’m fine..” Her vision blurred as words started to slur.

“Cal?” 

The girl’s eyes began to droop.

“Hey-“

She fumbled into Spencer’s arms.

“Callie! What’s wrong?” Her eyes watered, watching as the girl started to breath erratically, she panicked pulling out her own phone. “I’m calling your dad-“

“No. No. I’m not supposed to be here. Don’t…” Callie interrupted, weakly. The thought of her dad storming into the school, eyes on her from her classmates as the chattered and gossiped about her, cause the aching to intensify, she winced louder, biting her lip, tasting metallic. 

“But—” Spencer tried.

“Don’t.” Their eyes met, something lingered in her eyes, it made Spencer doubt getting the girl help. She knew she should’ve but whatever it was stopped her from doing so. “I’m fine.” 

Spencer believed her, nodding, helping her stand. “Are you okay to walk alone? I can drive you home.”

She shook her head, disapproving. “No. The car will wake him.”

The Hastings rushed to answer. “I’ll walk with you.” Callie’s face hinted at doubt. “Please?”

“Okay.” Her face held a small smile which she returned.

Spencer’s phone then dinged, her eyes scanning the message, smile instantly dropping. “We need to find Emily, now.”

Callie blinked, dizzy. “What? Why?”

 “Toby… She left with him and Hanna found this file on him.”

Sensing Spencer panicking Callie cleared her throat. “Okay, let’s go.”

________

The girls met with Hanna and Aria in a private mirror filled room. Spencer closed the door, walking forward, Callie in hand.

“Is that Jenna’s file?” Her eyes trailed down to the paper Hanna hugged close to her chest.

She shook her head. “No, I got Toby’s. Turns out Jenna wasn’t the patient.. The therapist had her come in for one session to see how she felt about Toby coming back home.”

“And this is important because..?” Callie muttered confused earning a nudge from Spencer.

“Oh, my gosh.” Aria gasped. “Well, what else does it say?”

Hanna opened the file. “Well, that date prove he wasn’t away at school when Ali disappeared, he’s her killer.” Callie shivered, Spencer noticed giving her hand a light squeeze, which kept her grounded. “He was still here in Rosewood.” Hanna further explained.

“What else?” Aria asked, snatching the folder, looking at it for herself.

“See for yourself.” Hanna shrugged.

“Session 12, August 15th…” Aria read on about how Jenna and Toby were romantically involved. Although, Callie already knew that thanks to her kidnapper.

“So that’s what Ali had on him?”

Hanna nodded at Spencer. “It’s enough to want her dead.”

“And us.”

“It would explain why he kidnapped Callie.”

“Hanna!”

“What? He did. Didn’t he?” All eyes were on Callie and she felt her throat close up, palms began to sweat.

“That doesn’t matter right now. We need to find Emily.” Spencer spoke up, Aria nodded and reach inside her purse to call the missing girl.

“She’s not picking up.”

“Text her!” Spencer urged.

Callie grew uneasy. “We have to find her.” She knew what Toby was capable of and even though she was terrified that didn’t matter when one of her friend’s was in trouble. Her hand fell from Spencer’s grip. “I have to save her.” She ran out of the room.

“Callie!”

The girl’s called out her name but she couldn’t hear, adrenaline pumping at an all time high. “Emily?” She checked around the halls. No Emily in sight. Callie grew more worried every second she didn’t spot the girl. “Emi-” Callie came to an immediate pause at the sound of screaming.

It was Emily.

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