DELICATE ★ JENLISA

Chapter 38

~Lisa~

After Charles took the plea deal, I seemed to convince myself that all the incessant worrying on both Jen and I's part would be over. I suppose I just wanted Jen to be okay, and I knew that when Charles was released she wouldn't be, so I refused to let myself think about it.

It was impossible to do that now.

He had been released from prison and now Jen was, for lack of a better word, missing. I knew that she'd have to be gone for a full twenty-four hours before the police department could assume something was wrong, but I couldn't wait that long. I knew something wasn't right. She was supposed to get off work hours ago, yet she still wasn't home. What worried me the most was the fact that she had begun to respond to one of my many texts, then stopped, and had since been completely unresponsive. The only logical explanation that I could form in my mind was that Charles had payed a visit to her at work, she'd tried to text me, and the two were now off somewhere....

My blood ran cold. Charles had to be angry. What would happen if he got her alone?

Just how much was he capable of?

In the midst of my pacing, I bumped into Ashley, who grabbed hold of my shoulders and brought me to a complete stop. "Lisa," she said, her tone soft but demanding. "Are you even listening to me?"

"Yeah," I mumbled, "I just don't believe any of the words coming out of your mouth."

She sighed. "I'm sure she's okay. She probably went to a friend's house and her phone died. Honestly, I think you're blowing this whole thing out of proportion."

I considered it for maybe half a second. I knew the only friend she'd consider spending real time with was Taemin, but all of me knew that she wasn't with him. Somehow, I just knew. I pulled out of her grasp. "When the love of your life goes missing, you're entitled to sit around and wait for them to just show up. But we're different people, and I'm not going to do that."

Jackson spoke up from his spot on the couch in my living room. He'd been over this afternoon so that we could catch up, but now I was quite obviously panicking about Jen and neither of them seemed to want to let me do anything about it. "Charles seems like an asshole but do you really think he's stupid enough to try hurting her the day after he gets out of prison?"

"Yes, I do think he's that stupid. Honestly... both of you deal with criminals a lot more often than I ever have, how am I the only one that can piece this together? Jen's missing the day after Charles is released. She's never not answered me before, I have a hard time believing this is a coincidence."

Ashley and Jackson looked at each other and I practically rolled my eyes. It was as if I was a child and needed permission from my parents to go make sure my girlfriend was okay. I brushed past Ashley and walked right past the kitchen. Jackson jumped from the couch and ran over, sliding into the space between me and the door. "Woah, just wait a minute okay? Where are you going?"

"Charles's house," I muttered, trying to walk around him.

He grabbed my wrist and pulled me back, shaking his head. "As your friend, I can't let you do that Lisa. He's dangerous."

"I know!" I shouted in his face, trying to hold myself together. "Why do you think I'm so god damn worried? She can't do anything to fight against him, especially not with the state she's in, and if he gets her alone—"

"Okay, okay, I get it, but I'm coming with you," he said, releasing me. I didn't bother arguing. I pushed out the front door and got into my car as Jackson slid in the passenger seat, driving off and leaving Ashley alone in my apartment. I pulled up to the house and stormed out of the car, knocking on the front door over and over again until Charles opened it.