Trapped (Bullied Book 4) (Bullied Series) Vera Hollins (best large ereader txt) 📖

“Good,” Blake answered and squeezed my hand, his eyes glimmering joyfully as he looked at me. “Because I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

On Monday, it seemed like the whole town knew the mayor’s son had been kidnapped for the second time. The media went nuts, trying to dig into Blake’s past as much as they could, and the headlines talking about both kidnappings seemed never-ending. People were shocked to hear that Blake had gotten kidnapped when he was only fourteen years old, along with his girlfriend who’d been raped and brutally killed, which sparked public outrage.

The news outlets were starving for drama, so when they heard a girl had been involved in the second kidnapping too, it was like offering blood to sharks, drawing their unwanted attention to me. The reporters had been calling the whole day trying to get an interview with me, but Mom refused every one of them. By Tuesday, she couldn’t handle the phone constantly ringing in our house, so she unplugged the device and cursed journalists—or as she called them, vultures—six ways to Sunday.

The mayor was quick to hold a press conference in an attempt to reduce the damage this could cause to his reputation. He claimed they’d needed to keep the first kidnapping a secret because they feared for their son’s safety, which only gave rise to more questions. However, he skillfully dodged them by talking about Bobby Q, Isaac, and Lawrence and the long time they awaited in prison. He ended with a promise that he would do everything in his power to make sure they received the punishment they deserved, which earned him a round of loud applause.

The way Nathaniel dealt with the public outcry was revolting, and I felt sorry that Blake’s dad couldn’t be someone who cared for his family more than his public image. Blake didn’t make a big deal out of it since he was already used to it, but it only made me want to show him even more that he was loved and cared for. He wasn’t alone in this world. Not anymore.

Since we were on spring break, I used the free time to be with Blake and work on my music. My mind replayed the scenes from that house on repeat, and my music helped me shut it out at least for a while. It helped me forget the dark side of this world that I never wanted to experience again. However, I couldn’t stop the tears as I played my guitar, letting all those negative feelings flow out of me before they ate me alive.

I cried and cried, welcoming each new breath I inhaled more than ever. I could see many things in a new light and appreciate what I had, which fueled my strength to pursue my dreams no matter how hard it would be. One step at a time.

At night, memories unveiled themselves in front of my eyes like a movie reel. Emma. Blake. Me. Lost and broken dreams. Second chances. But I had Blake’s nightly call to help me deal with bad feelings. After almost an hour, his deep voice would lull me into dreamless sleep, and it would almost be as if nothing had happened.

On Thursday night, I edited and uploaded the video of my solo on YouTube, right after I changed the name of my channel from Valerie to Jessie, using Blake’s nickname for me as my new stage name. I was finally revealing myself to the public, and as I watched the video load and play on my screen, I felt a strange mixture of anticipation and relief. I was taking another big step forward after my festival solo, and it was just the beginning.

The next step would be live performances, and I already had some plans for the summer. My stomach twisted just imagining it, but all the anxiety would be worth it. It would be worth it to perform for many people and see their faces as they got immersed in my music.

I smiled. One day. One day, I would make it happen.

My new phone rang, and my smile grew bigger when I saw Blake’s ID.

“Hey,” I said as I sank into my bed and settled myself against the pillows.

“I just saw your video. You look like an angel when you sing.”

I squealed and blushed. I wanted to hug my phone to my chest. “You really think so?”

“Yeah. All those views you have? Half of them are from me.”

I giggled. The previous night, I’d told him about my channel and my dream to become a singer, and he had spent hours browsing through my videos and liking them. He teased me, saying I was about to pee myself with how excited I was each time he clicked on a new video, but it was hard not to be in seventh heaven when he was quickly becoming my number one fan. He even asked me to send him one of my songs so he could use it as a ringtone for my calls.

“I’m just glad I have any views at all. I was so nervous when I posted it.”

“Don’t be. I’m sure everyone will love it. I’ll have to fend off your admirers real soon.”

I started chuckling and couldn’t stop. “Already jealous?”

“Can’t help it when I have such an attractive and talented girlfriend.”

There it was again. I couldn’t get any happier, and my longing for him pulsated stronger. We’d seen each other only this morning, but it felt like it’d been days, and I missed him. I’d never known being his girlfriend would feel so, so good. I still had to pinch myself to prove to myself I wasn’t dreaming.

“You’re so full of compliments today.”

“Is that a problem?”

I grinned. “No, I just feel like you’re going to spoil me soon.”

“I wouldn’t mind that.”

“I miss you.”

“I miss you too. I can’t stop thinking about you. But you already know that.” There was a raspy quality to his voice