Polaroids

18|Gone

It's been almost a week...

Almost a week since I've talked to her....my best friend...

Once, seeing each other was a thing of joy or excitement, now, we just walk by each other like strangers.

She's still with Josh, and it seems like they're legitimately happy. I hang out with Teresa during and Allison after school.

We lived separate lives.

To the unknowing eye it would seem like we were fine with it, I bet she was, but I wasn't.

Although I was still mad, I still missed her. I felt bad that we ended everything like that, and all because of a boy, the dumbest reason.

I decided that if they were truly happy together, I could put my own selfish reasons aside and be happy for her.

The night we fought I had gone home and felt the numb I've felt in a long time. Before those horrible feelings and memories flooded back I wanted to escape. I rushed to the bathroom and found the last bit of hidden drugs I had kept years ago, yes, I felt guilty I still left some hidden, but I knew a day would come that I needed it, and the day had come.

I looked at the white substance. My stepmom, my parents, Damien, Josh, Stephanie, Emma....I thought about all the people pushing me to do this, again I was loosing hope, my past was coming back to haunt the things of my present, and there was nothing I could do about it.

I probably stared at it for almost an hour, nothing can explain how much I had the urge to just get high and forget about everything...

But I didn't..

Don't know why or how but I didn't. Some sort of guardian angel or magical force gave me the will not to. I was proud to say I flushed them down the toilet and just went to bed.

I told Allison and Teresa and they were proud of me. Seeing the happiness in their eyes gave me hope, but I just wished I could see that on Emma.

"You know you guys can't ignore each other forever" Teresa says as we sat by the balcony of my room and watched the sunset. Allison sat besides me.

I bury my face in the crease of knees as I fold them up to my chest.

"I know.." I say quietly traces circles on the wooden floor.

"As much as I hate her right now, resa is right, you guys have to talk" Allison says. She was particularly mad about the situation. Apparently she ran into her this afternoon and she seemed unphased until she mentioned the almost relapse.

It meant she still cared... right?

Well either way I was going to talk to her.

"I want to but I don't even know where to meet her or how to start" I say a bit frustrated.

"I hear she's going with Josh and some of his friends to the town fair tonight, meet her there and talk" Teresa says.

"I would but I want it to be just us, going to a place where Josh would be with her most of the time won't work....I have alot of stuff to do tomorrow, so i'll just talk to her at school on Monday, okay?" I say. They nod as replies. Teresa rests her head on my shoulder as Allison rested her head on the other. I take a deep breath as I watch the ombré sky bleed into darkness as the sun slowly set.
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Monday.

I got to school especially early today. I wanted to do this as quickly as I could, and coming this early would mean there'd be no interruptions, especially not from Josh. At this point, I was far from being Inlove with him, he was nothing but a player and a jerk, but since Emma was happy with him I guess I could keep my hate in the dark.

I checked my watch for what felt like the one hundrenth time.

7:45am

I had gotten here around six, after all that's when she comes to school to do some warm ups with her cheer coach.

I look around to see absolutely no sight of her, and it was starting to worry me.

I decide to go to the gym where they'd be practicing, maybe she decided to go straight to practice?

"Good morning" I say as I walk into the gym. The girls are sat on the bleachers with worried looks on their faces. "Um have any of you seen Emma?" I ask and they look at me wierdly.

"Haven't you heard the news?" One girl speaks up. I furrow my brows "what news?" I ask. Mia gets down from my seat and takes me to a corner.

"What's going on Mia?" I ask. The look on her face was starting to scare me. " Katherine look, I don't know how, but Emma has been missing for almost two days now"

I felt my soul almost leave my body. My eyes widened and my skin tensed as I heard her words.

"W-what?" I ask barely able to make audible words. "Yes, no one's seen her since the town fair on Saturday, they say she went out with Josh and some of his friends, they were just wondering about when she said she needed to pee, from then no one saw her the rest of the night. They called the police and they searched the whole area but she wasn't there and her phone was switched off, they checked her house or the school but she's nowhere to be found, it's really scary" Mia explained.

My body began to shake in fear.

"Wha- How did this happen?? And why haven't I heard anything about this??" I ask in confusion.

"I don't know but almost the whole town knows about it" she says. I run my hands through my hair stressfully. "How could this happen without me even knowing?? Have they started a full on investigation?"

"Well the first 48 hours are crucial so they're looking" she says.

"I... I have to go" I say running out of the gym. I go straight for the field, where I knew he would be.

Luckily he's sat on the bench quietly. I walk towards him, anger fueling every step.

"Katherine" he stands up noticing me. Before he could continue, I punch him square on the face, darting his cheek to the other direction.

"What the hell!" He yells at me. "Why the hell did you do that??" He asks holding his jaw. I stare at him angrily.

"Where is she?" I ask. I grab his collar. "Where is she!!?" I ask.

"What? Who-"

"Where's Emma??" I reply.

"Why do you care?" He asks Rolling his eyes at me.

"WHERE IS SHE"

"How am I supposed to know?"

"You were the last person she was with, so where the hell is she? What did you do to her? Beat her up? Kidnap her? Did you get too desperate and rap-"

"Don't even complete that sentence. Look, I was the last person with her, yes, but I'm just as worried as you are and I don't know where she is Katherine, I really don't" he explains.

"Liar...y-you did something to her!" I hear my voice crack with worry.

"I didn't do anything okay? She's gone, just...gone..."
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A/N

Soooo another surprise chapter!! The description is slowly gonna start making more sense. I'm so happy I've finally reached the point of mystery 🙌 I've been trying to get here for the longest (╥﹏╥)

Well I hope you enjoyed this! It's longer this time. Also tell me what you think about everything, feeling the suspense yet? Well if no you'll feel that alot in subsequent chapters!! Anyways, I updated, you're welcome, and have a good day ( ◜‿◝ )♡