So Everybody Loves You

Adeline's POV

It's been a week since the night that guy had almost caught me outside of my own house. We still didn't know who he was. I didn't know if he was still hanging around, if he was still watching, but I figured he was. Billie Joe had been keeping a protectively close eye on me ever since then. He'd walk me out the door and to my car every morning for work. He'd be waiting for me every night when I got home. And he just had to go to the store with me and anywhere else it was necessary. Believe me, I didn't mind. The more time with Billie, the better. I just wish it wasn't under these circumstances. I was sitting on the couch with the kids watching the Sunday morning cartoons on TV when Billie Joe came into the room with a bit of a worried and agitated look on his face. He was on the phone with somebody. I stood up walking over to him and wrapping my arms around his waist. "What is it baby?" I whispered to him. He looked down at me biting his lip in frustration. His big green eyes flashed from my face to the other side of the room and back. I looked back at him with a questioning look on my own face. "Okay. Yeah. That's fine. Bye." He hung up the phone and slipped it into his back pocket placing his arms around me and drawing me closer to him. "What is it Honey?" "Just-Uh-It-It's Rob. He uh, he wants me to come into the studios tonight." I looked up at him dumbstruck. "O-okay. Baby, why are you so uptight about that?" "I just, I don't wanna leave you here alone. You know how it is when we go to the studios. Sometimes we don't get back until 2:00 in the morning! I-I don't want anything to happen to you." He said, staring down directly at me. I hugged him closer. "Nothing will happen sweetie. I'll be fine." "But what if something does?" "We've just gotta hope for the best. The house will be locked up tight, and you can call and check on me babe." He waited a few minutes before answering. "Okay." He finally agreed. After letting Mike, Tre, Rosa, and Brittney know they were leaving, Billie and he guys were off.

It wasn't until later that night, around 9:30 that Rosa and Britt decided they were going out. "Wait, you guys are going out?" "Yeah. Just for a little bit, we won't be gone long." Rosa said. "But, but I thought you were going to stay here tonight. You know, with the guys being gone and all." "Come on Add. That guy hasn't been around in over a week. You're okay! It'll be fine right? Just for a little bit. We promise! And hey, you know we'd take you with us, but you have to watch the kids. I'm sorry hunny." Brittney said, hugging me before rushing Rosa out the door. Great. Just great. "Mommy." Melanie came walking in. "Yes baby?" "I can't sleep." "Neither can I." I said, picking her up and carrying her up to her room laying her gently back down on her bed. I sang softly to her until her eyes dropped shut and I knew she was asleep. I walked downstairs into my nearly big empty house. It felt empty. All the kids were asleep and I was up alone. Great. I picked up the phone and dialed Adie's number. "Hello?" "Adie?" "Yes." "Hey, it's Adeline." "Oh hey Adeline, what's up?" "Can you come over to my place for awhile? I know it's kind of a late notice, but the guys are at the studio and the girls went out and I just really don't wanna be here alone ya know with everything that's going on. I mean, I understand if you can't because of Joey-" "No, no. It's fine, I'll just bring Joey over too." "Okay. Thanks Adie." "No problem Hun." About twenty minutes later, the doorbell rang, and I rushed to it as quickly as possible, for fear of what happened to me the night I was left stranded on the doorstep.

"I can't believe they'd just leave you like that." She said. "Tell me about it." Joey had fallen asleep with his head in her lap. "Do you mind if I take him up to Coby's room?" "No, sure! Go ahead. Here, I'll help." I helped her carry her young child up to my child's room where there was a set of bunk beds for when Joey often slept over these days. We got him all tucked in and walked back down to the living room. We had just got engaged into another conversation when there was a knock at the door. I glanced at the clock and back at the door cocking my head to the side giving Adie a side glance and a curious look. It was almost 11:45, who could possibly be here this late? Billie and the guys? They knocked again. I cautiously got off of the couch with Adie following my motions. We walked to the door and I peeked out throught the peek whole and saw a tall man standing there. It was Billie, Mike, or Tre. That's for sure. He was in uniform. A cop. I opened the door to reveal James, my neighbor standing there. "Hello James. What-what are you doing here?" I asking, stumbling over my words a bit. Adie looked a little relieved, but at the same time, she looked a little defensive. "Oh, I'm just here to talk to you about something Adeline. I take it your boyfriend's not here?" "No why?" "Because, I'm a little worried about him." I gave him a questioning look to which he replied. "May I come in, so we can discuss this?" After eying him once more, I opened the door to let him in. After all, he was a cop. I led him over to the sofa where Adie and I had been having a normal conversation just minutes before. "So what's wrong with Billie Joe?" I asked. "Well, I'm afraid there's something up. Have you noticed Billie being gone a lot lately?" "Not in the last week or so no." "Okay, but before that." "Well yeah, I mean, he's a rock star, he has a job to do. He has to go into the studios. He leaves early and comes home late." "Ah, I see. Well As this may sound a little shocking to you. There have been murders happening." My eyes widened as well as Adie's. He'd better not be getting at what I think he is. "These murders started about three weeks ago. Unfortunately, you say your boyfriend stays out a lot, and which being his neighbor, I can't help but notice that myself. And then now, for the past week or a little more, they've stopped. You say he's been home more for that amount of time. And now he's out again?" "Okay, what are you getting at? Because if you're trying to say Billie Joe is a murderer you're wrong! You can call his boss and ask him. He's there at the studios right now, call there. I dare you-" "Woah, woah, woah, now hold up little lady. No one ever said he was doing the killing." "Riiight. Cause you're just sitting there pointing out the coincidences for nothing correct?" "Hey! You better shut up or I'll-" His eyes flashed with anger. Adie's eyes widened and she pointed to something at his side. "You-you!" She stuttered. "You're the murderer!" "What are you talking about?" I then noticed the blood stains on the sides of his shirt and the knife the was held in his belt. "Adeline, run!" Adie shouted.

We took off flying up the stairs. Our first thoughts were on the kids. But it was best if we all stayed together and the kids were in two different rooms. How were we going to fix this. "Adie, go to Joey and Coby, I'll go To Mel and Maria!" I whispered in a rushed voice and flew into the room slamming the door and locking it after listening to make sure Adie made it as well. I pulled out my cell and dialed Adie cell number praying to God she had it on her and that it was on silent. I didn't hear her ring tone, so I didn't know if that was a good sign or a bad sign. Obviously, it was good cause she must have had it on vibrate because just seconds later her voice came through the line. "Hello?" I heard her shaky terrified voice whisper. "Adie, I want you to take the boys and get them out the window and down the big oak tree and run to my car. I'll be there, don't worry about me." "Okay." She said, sounding like she was at a breakdown point. "And Adie." "Yeah?" "Make sure nothing happens to my little boy okay?" "I promise Adeline." "Okay. Just hurry." I clamped my phone shut and rushed over to my daughters bed. "Maria." I whispered in her ear shaking her gently. "Maria, come on baby wake up." I looked back at the door often out of nervous habit. She opened her eyes. "Mommy what's wrong?" "Come on baby. Mommy will explain later, I've gotta get us outta here right now. Let's get Melanie. Stay quiet honey, don't talk above a whisper." "Where's Jacoby?" "He's with Adie honey don't worry. Melanie. Melanie honey wake up." I said, pulling her up from the bed to where she was sitting up right. "What's going on?" "We're leaving. Out the window. We have to go. There's a bad man here to get us and we have to make it out okay. You guys are more important to me than I am so I'm making sure you're out first. Whisper. Let's go." I led them to the window and lifted it carefully. I had Maria and Melanie fully out the window and climbing down the tree house steps when the door knob was being jammed. I froze and turned around. "Come on Mommy!" Maria called. "Don't stop now!" I turned back toward the window and attempted to go through it again. But thought better of it. I'd never make it down in time, and the door was nearly busted in my this time. "Maria!" I called down. "I'm tossing you my keys! You run to my car with Melanie as fast as you can and don't worry about me! Adie, Jacoby, and, and Joey will be there waiting for you. Tell them I'm running a little late and I'll be okay." "But Mommy!" "No buts Maria do what I say! Here's my keys." I reached in my jeans pocket and grabbed the set of keys as I heard another big kick go into my door. "Here honey!" I dropped them to the ground and watched as my daughter searched frantically for them. It didn't take her long as the glitter from one of my key rings caught the moonlight. She snatched them up from the ground and looked up at me. "Go Maria! Run Honey! You've gotta go! Take Melanie and go!" I urged her. I watched as she grabbed Melanie's hand and ran away into the darkness with her in the direction of my car.

Adie's POV

"Come on boys, go. You're going to have to climb down as best you can." I had gotten the boys awake and explained everything in a rushed hurry. Now they were climbing out the window and out onto the tree limb. I prayed beyond prayer that Adeline and the girls were going to be at the car like she said they would be. I pray to God they were. I hurried out after the boys and ran quickly to the car looking behind us often scared he might have suspected us climbing out the windows, but we made it to the car. When we got there, I saw Melanie and Maria, but Adeline wasn't there. Oh good Lord. This couldn't be good. "Maria! Where's your Mommy?" I asked worried as can be. "She said to tell you to just take us and go. She said she's running late but she'll be okay." I knew there was something more to it than this. But I couldn't risk the kids' lives. I got them in the car and drove off and pulled out my cell phone.

Adeline's POV

I watched until I could see them no more and took that as a good sign. I silently prayed that Adie and the boys would actually be there. If they weren't, I hoped the girls would know to unlock the car, get in, lock it back, and hide. As soon as these thoughts entered my head they were forgotten just as quickly as the door was busted through. I immediately turned around coming face to face with James once again. "What do you want from me and my family?" I spat. "Oh, dear Adeline, you're a little slow now aren't you? Probably the only thing I wanted from all the other neighbors I've ever lived by." "And I'm supposed to know that?" "Don't you do a little checking up on who you live next to?" "No, I keep my nose in my own business." "Well, you should learn to start doing that honey." "Don't call me that." "I'll do as I please." "Not in my house you won't." "As I was saying! You should really learn to start checking up on your neighbors, never know when the next one's gonna pull a knife on you." "What like you think you're going to? Well I'm sorry big boy but things don't always go as planned. You better back up off me or I swear I'll-" "You'll what? Call the police?" He laughed then. And evil mimicking laugh. "I am the police honey. So who ya gonna call?" All the while I was being slowly back into a corner. I swallowed the lump in my throat and continued to back up more until my shoulder blades hit the wall on either side of me as I was finally backed into the corner and he was right up in my face. I was scared now. Really, really scared. But I tried hard not to let it show in front of him. "Who ya gonna call Adeline? I am the police huh? So who are you really gonna call?" My eyes drifted down to where his hand was slowly drawing the knife from his belt. I swallowed yet another lump in my throat as he raised the knife eye level to my face. "Ya see this right here? It's fixin' to be the last thing you see sweetheart. So you can kiss everything in this room, and everything you ever loved goodbye." With that the knife was being held up against my throat and I squeezed my eyes shut. This is it. It was all over now. And I silently sent out one last "I love you." To my family as I prepared for my future and the end of it all at the same time.