Growing Up and Other Tall Tales

Chapter 56

"What happened?" I grit and she opens the door further to let me in

I march in and involuntarily my gaze picks apart the room in search of Lyra. Like it always does.

The room is full of worried, tired, angst ridden faces. Hye-Rin is sitting on the couch pouring water into glasses as she looks up at me. Nick turns to me from the window he was looking out from and Kathy walks over to me, chapped lips and hair partially wet from a hurried shower.

"You've not heard from her either?" she asks as a way of saying hi

"No." I shake my head

"It's been two days." Nick sits on the dinner table, his fingers feverishly running through his hair, his knuckles white with tension

Diana comes up from behind and leans against me slightly.

"What happened?" I ask again

Kathy tiredly looks at Hye-Rin who sets down the water and takes a deep shaky breath. "Two days ago, Lyra didn't come home."

"She usually comes home late. After her shift at the café." Diana interjects. "So we didn't really notice her gone until the afternoon of the next day."

"We thought she woke up early and left to the library or something." Kathy sighs. "She does that."

"But then Nick—"

"She didn't come to school." Nick says. "And that never happens. Ever. She never misses school. Even after the car accident, she was back in school way before she was supposed to."

"So he called us. To ask if she is okay because she wasn't picking up the phone."

"Again." Hye-Rin cuts in. "She never ignores calls. Not from us."

They fall silent.

"And?" I ask

"And nothing." Nick snaps a little. "Nothing. I wanted to go to the police but Diana." He glares at her, an unfamiliar fire burning in his eyes. "Diana stopped me."

Diana looks at me, her eyes pleading me to tell her she did the right thing. I pat her arm. She did. If something happened to Lyra that was our kind of bad, the police are best kept far away from all of this as possible.

"I'll put some people on it." I say steadily. "We'll find her."

"People?" Nick asks warily and with justifiable distrust. "Dude, you aren't a mobster. You are a businessman." Diana looks away.

"Same thing." I shrug. "Why didn't you call me before?"

"How would you know anything?" Kathy asks. "It's not like she's dating you or something."

She's right.

I'm in the outer circle of friends. If Nick or any of the girls had no idea where she was, why the hell would I?

"Why don't we—why don't we all get some rest?" Hye-Rin speaks up picking up on the tension. "Nick, you can take Lyra's room. Your leg still needs rest after the match. Aiden—"

"I'm going to the office. I've to make some calls." I say hurriedly. There is nothing to do here. And the last thing on my mind is sleep. I look at Diana who nods in agreement.

"It's nearly midnight," Hye-Rin says carefully and Diana shakes her head at her

"I'll walk you out." Diana says and grasps my upper arm pushing me to the door gently

"Keep them away from the police. Don't let the news spread." I tell her

"I know." Diana agrees. "Aiden, do you really think it's one of ours?"

I sigh and then shrug. "Most probably. They'll make contact. I'm going to see if I can get a head start on who they are before that."

"If something happens to her..." Diana closes her eyes

"I'm getting her back." I say