The Vanishing

Chapter 26

You left campus?” Patrick was red in the face, livid.

“It was only a few hours. Plus we can take care of ourselves, dad.” Wyatt smirked. I cringed at the comment, and Patrick huffed loudly.

“Speaking of dad, maybe we should call him.” Patrick suggested, eyes narrowed into slits.

“You wouldn’t dare.” Wyatt said, looking aghast.

“You know I would and he’d drag you home in a heartbeat.” Patrick said back, getting in Wyatt’s face.

Well, this was fun. I turned to leave.

“Wait. We had a plan.” Patrick said, as he walked backwards in front of me as I walked away from them.

"Well now we're throwing away the plan." I said under my breath.

I could hear Patrick shout "Arden, wait a minute!" from behind me but I kept walking. 

I strode into my room and slammed the door behind me for effect, laid down on my bed and rubbed my hand down my face. Tears threatened to spill down my cheeks, but I wouldn't let them. Just when I started to think about what happened and process it, Nina walked out of the bathroom. Oops, now I wish I hadn’t slammed the door.

She saw my face and rushed over to me.
"What happened?" She asked, concern gripped her elegant features.

I shook my head, not knowing how to begin to explain what happened. "I know I'm supposed to be bait, but I couldn't do it." My voice was thick with fear and stress. Her brow furrowed as she waited for me to continue. I explained how we skipped school for the carnival but ended up being chased out.

"They had guns, I don't know. We just ran." I said, a traitorous tear escaping my eye and rushing down my face.

"It's okay." She said while putting an arm around my slumped shoulders. I put my head on her shoulder in return. We sat there for a moment, neither of us knowing what to say.

"What do we do now?" She asked.

"I don't know, just take it one day at a time I guess," I sniffled and tried not to roll my eyes at myself.

"Patrick has been looking for you all day." She said tentatively. 

I pinched the bridge of my nose and fell back onto the bed with a huff.
"You'll never believe what happened today." I said.

"Lay it on me." Nina said as she laid down next to me, propping her head up with her arm.

I told her about Wyatt and I kissing at the top of the Ferris wheel and her jaw dropped.

"You did not!" She clapped her hand over her mouth.

"I did. I totally did." I tried to hide my blush by covering my face with my hands.

"Oh my god. What about Patrick? Where the hell did that come from?" She asked suddenly. 

I groaned. "I don't know, I felt like he was into me but lately he's been kind of distant."

"Distant how? When you aren't around, you're all he talks about. Hell, you're all he talks about when you are around!" Nina huffed.

"Okay, so not my best idea. But it isn't like we're dating." I said, cringing beneath her glare.

"You might as well be. You two are the most coupley non-couple I've ever met." Nina said.

"This is not the reaction I was expecting. What happened to 'oh, he's dangerous stay away from him' and 'he has anger issues'" I air-quoted.