The Next Now

Chapter 50: Finale

Romeo's P.O.V

My chest tightens as I drive to the last Ice cream place that I visited with Henrietta.
I rush in and check, asking around like I had done at the other places.

The same reply; No one's seen her

"She's not here" I tell London as she picks my call, and I hear her let out a frustrated cry.

"Where else can we check?" She asks hurriedly, and the scowl on my face deepens.
I was hoping she could answer that

"I'll keep checking. I'll let you know" I hang up before she can say any other thing

Where could she have gone?

An hour ago, I had expected Jay to yell at me for no reason when he had called me, because he was fond of it.
Actually, I wish that's what he's done, but he'd called to ask for help.
Dread filled my body as he explained that Henrietta had run away from home.

Where else could she have gone?

She didn't go to Jay's house, or London's house, or mine.
She didn't go to the School or any of the Ice cream spots.
Others were checking the places they'd been to with her.

My friends have been waiting for me at the Hideout for nearly two Hours. They don't know that I'm out searching for Henrietta, but now that I think about it, we might just need extra hands.
Her Parents have already informed the Police, but it hasn't even been up to Two Hours since she disappeared.

I turn up the empty road that leads to the Hideout; It's probably the only place we've not checked

My eyes immediately notice a lone Bike by the road, and heart beat quickens as I stop my car
I rush out to the Bike, and my heart sinks.
Somehow, I was hoping this wouldn't be it.

But it is

For the past three and a half Months, I've watched this Bike come in and go out of the School. Every day
Even after our Ice cream trips, when I'd drop her back in the School to retrieve her Bike.

I had always watched her, and she had never known
A shiver runs down my spine when I realize that she just might never know

No!

"Henrietta!!" I yell, hoping she's not too far away

What was she even doing here?

She couldn't have- she couldn't have been coming to me, right?

No, She was mad at me.
She wouldn't have

A vivid image of her hands tightly gripping mine as I knelt and cried at the Museum runs through my mind.

She was- She hates me, doesn't she?

I remember her sitting on a chair beside my bed in the Hospital. She woke up and caught me staring at her before going back to sleep.
All the time, my eyes never strayed from her.

I cannot lose Henrietta

My chest tightens as I step on something on the ground

Keys

Yamaha Keys

I quickly text London and Aaron to inform them on everything before looking around the area
Maybe she's somewhere close

I decide to go on and check around the Hideout, but that's when I hear it.

My stomach churns and I swallow hard as I hear the blood curling scream of a girl.

It's coming from the very first house on the Street, after the bare roads and dried fields.

I sneakily rush up the stairs to the house and try to see inside from the Window at the front.
I couldn't make out anything from here, so I tried the door, but it was locked.