Voicemail

After Gus left me on the driveway, I buried myself in my room and turned my phone off. People started ringing me about whether or not they were coming to the party and I couldn't deal with that right now. I didn't want to talk to Ryan about what happened and I certainly couldn't tell Annabeth. Austin would just tell me to shake it off and Momma would just roll her eyes.

I pull my comforter up to my tear-stained face and frown when I see I got mascara all over it. I continue to hold it tightly against me and I replay Gus's words over and over until the sun goes down.

I don't know why I have never fallen for Gus. I have never seen him as an option and I don't know why. He is the greatest guy I know but for some reason, I have never been attracted to him in that way. I thought he and Annabeth would go so well together and I really thought they were smitten. They seemed to be into each other and always looked so lovey-dovey on dates and whenever else I saw them together. Maybe the pregnancy was just too much for them so soon. Maybe the reality of things got them thinking about their lives as a whole.

That's the only reason I can think of why Gus would say something now. He could have come to me so many times over the years and he chooses now to do it- although, my answer would have always been the same. It was only a matter of time before I crushed his heart and soul I guess. Ugh I'm awful.

And, he said after he spoke to Ryan, he figured he had to tell me his feelings. What did Ryan say to him? Ryan said Gus had wanted to make sure he was serious about me. Maybe Ryan told Gus he was also going to propose sometime soon. Is Ryan thinking of proposing? I love him to pieces but even I think three months is still too soon to be hoping for a ring.

I sigh and force myself to stop crying. I roll over and pull myself to the other end of my bed. I whip my nightstand drawer open and smile when I see Celia restocked my stash for me. I immediately dive into the fine Chardonnay as I try and think of anything other than me crushing Gus's heart.

I flop back against my plush pillow and take another swig from the bottle. It's been a while since I drank up here alone in my room and I realize I don't have to be drinkin' all alone up here. Isn't right now the reason to have a boyfriend? Someone to come and cheer you up and wipe your tears away while you sob into their soft cotton v-neck? I didn't want to talk to Ryan about this, but now I realize that's what boyfriends are there for. I push myself off my bed and snatch my phone up off the floor.

I take a few more long swigs as I wait for my phone to turn on and after it does, I see several texts come in and then a missed voicemail from a number I don't recognize. Since my phone was off, I don't when it was left. I press play and then a chill snakes down my spine. A cryptic muffled voice says, "Tell anyone what you saw at the Wellington House and you'll be the next one buried."

I hold the phone in front of my face and am paralyzed with fear. The voice sounds like a computer so I have no idea if it was male or female. I listen to it again and after it finishes, I immediately call Ryan. His phone goes straight to voicemail and I start panicking. What did I see at the Wellington House? Who knows I was there?

I toss my phone onto my bed and after what happened with Simon and Kenny, I know better than to trust my phone. I don't want anyone knowing I am calling Ryan if I try him at the police station. I then realize there's someone else I can call.

I quickly snatch my phone back up and dial Austin's number. When he doesn't answer, I try Margot. She finally answers, but before she can even finish saying hello, I blurt out, "Are you with Austin?"

"Yeah, why?" She asks and I quickly say, "I need to talk to him, it's an emergency."

I hear her murmur something to Austin and when he comes on the line he says, "What?"

"Where's Ryan?" I ask and flatly he replies, "Dunno."

I roll my eyes that he's being so passive about my frantic behavior and say, "I need you to come home. Now."

He finally gives me his attention, "Why? What's going on?"

"Austin, I need you to come home now. I need to show you something. Or...shit...I don't know if that's safe. I don't know if someone is watching," I babble out and Austin replies, "Sawyer, what's wrong. You're scaring the hell outta me now."

I shake my head while trying to think of a solution quickly.

"Can I come to Margot's? Is that where you are?"

"Yeah, I guess. Tell me what's wrong," He demands and I fly around my room grabbing a jacket and sliding into my converse.

"I can't. Text me her address. Get ahold of Ryan and tell him to get to Margot's now."

I hang up the phone because I don't want to answer any of his questions. I sprint down the stairs and shout out to my momma, "I'm leaving! Taking the car!" I don't give her an opportunity to reply and dash out of the house.

I plug in Margot's address into the GPS and peel out down the driveway. I'm paranoid on the drive over and I keep glancing behind me to see if I am being followed. I don't see any other headlights as I take the back roads off the highway, but I switch up lanes as often as possible all the way to her house.

I sigh in relief when I see the Hamiltons have a big fancy iron gate at the bottom of their driveway. I feel safer as I drive through the opening and I watch it slide shut as I make my way up the driveway.

Like us, the Hamiltons live in an old plantation that's been in their family for generations. Unlike us however, the Hamiltons have modernized it to look more modern and chic as well as added security cameras.

After I climb out of the car, I look up to the gigantic house and like the Wellington House, it looks rather spooky at night. I trot up the cement staircase and when I reach the door, it swings open. Austin is standing inside the lavish foyer and ushers me inside. My eyes glide around the brightly lit entryway and I am impressed at how modern it looks. Austin looks comfortable in the house and I understand why he spends most of his free time here instead of his own house. He folds his arms in front of his chest as I say, "Where's Ryan?"

"On his way. He should be here any minute. You have us scared half to death you know," he spats and I glare at him, "Good. Because I'm scared."

Margot comes sauntering down the grand staircase and when she sees me, she asks, "Everything okay, Sawyer?"

She genuinely looks concerned so I give her a polite smile. I shrug and reply, "Yeah, I just need to talk to Ryan and Austin about something. It has to do with work."

She nods before planting a soft kiss on Austin's cheek. He looks to her as she says, "I'll be in the theater room when you're finished," she glances to me and adds, "Make yourself at home. There are fresh brownies in the kitchen."

She smiles before gliding away. Austin watches her disappear around the corner and then looks back to me.

"You look like hell."

I wipe my hands down my face and now that my adrenaline has died down a little, I realize I am slightly buzzed. I think back to my bottle and frown when I realize I downed over half of it. I probably should not have been driving. Ryan is going to kick my ass.

The ringing doorbell has me pulling my hands off my face and Austin leaves me in the foyer to answer it. Ryan is standing on the welcome mat and when he sees me, he says, "Dear lord Sawyer, what happened?"

As Austin shuts the door, I spot a mirror on the wall across from me and cringe at my reflection. My hair is a mess, mascara streaks stain my face and my eyes are still horribly swollen. The mix of crying all day and my terrifying voicemail has me looking as wound up as I feel.

I spin around as Austin says, "Let's go into the kitchen where we can sit down."

Ryan grabs onto my hand and as Austin leads us further into Margot's house, he says, "Wasn't sure what could be so bad that Austin had to find me at work. He said you were frantic, in a complete panic. And now that I see you, you look awful."

I give him a knowing look.

"It's been a day, Ryan."

"I only left you what? Nine hours ago? Obviously, a lot can happen in nine hours," he says as he squeezes my hand. I nod in agreement and Austin finally shows us into the massive kitchen area. He flips on several light switches and Ryan pulls a chair out for me at the long wooden table.

They both drop onto a seat and look at me. I dart my eyes between them and then say, "I just got a threat."

I pull my phone out and drop it onto the table. I put the message on speakerphone and press play.