vanished

CHAPTER TWO

The media room was empty when I got there, and I quickly found a place where I could hide and charge my phone. It took a while before I was able to power it on, a few messages popped in. One was from Casey, last night.

Hey Kat, please pick up!

Shit. I tried her number, still unavailable.

Was she going to tell me about the date? I needed to find the bowling alley guy. Why was she even in a bowling alley in the first place? My head was about to explode with all the thoughts in my head.

I had another message. We need to talk. Please?  J. I deleted immediately.

The time read 9:27 and my stomach released a loud rumble reminding me of my breakfast still in my backpack. I took it out, the coffee was cold but I drank it anyways. The smell of  burgers filled the air, I was hoping no one would come in here now. I was going to have to call Mr. Green to cancel my afternoon shift at the store.

A few minutes later, I heard footsteps outside the door. Scrunching up my breakfast, I laid flat on the floor so no one could see me. The door opened and I saw a pair of familiar shoes. Was that-

“Kat?” Harry.

“Down here.” He came over.

“What are you doing?” he stood, with a bewildered look on his face.

“Hiding, as you should be too. Get under now!” I drew him down, causing him to bump his leg at a table.

“What are you doing here anyway?” I whisper shouted.

“Finding you.”

“And?”

“Well, I ran into Shirley and I asked if she’s seen Casey since last night and she said she saw her at the palace on a date with a guy.”

Tensed, I asked. “Did she see his face?”

“Said he looked familiar but she couldn’t place his face.”

“How about the time they were there? Does she know when they left?”

He shook his head. “She left before they did.”

This whole stuff was getting complicated by the hour, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something bad might have happened to her. She went out with a stranger without telling me, that was a bad sign.  Whoever this guy was, I needed to find him immediately. My phone wasn’t full but it would last me awhile. I grabbed my bag and stood up, Harry followed suit.

“Heading to class?” he asked.

II wasn’t, I needed answers and I needed them fast. “I have to find out about the guy Casey went on a date with.”

“bowls and oles is on the other side of the town.” He said drily.

I moved towards the door. “I know that but I don't have a choice.”

“It’s more than a mile from here.”

Exasperated, I blew up. “If you got a way for me to get there, then say so. If you don’t get out of my way.”

He wore a placating smile. “Don’t get so worked up Kat.”

I was trying hard not to but I was at my wit’s end. My best friend was missing and I didn’t know what to do. “Don’t piss me off, Harry.”

I opened the door and started heading for the gym, there was a back door that led to the parking lot. Harry followed behind, I couldn’t care less right now. Harry was another person who cared about Casey and if he wanted to help I wasn’t going to stop him. Suddenly he grabbed me and dragged me into a room. The janitors closet? It was dark. A foul word rising to my lips but he beat me to it and clamped his hand on my mouth, and with the other he signaled for me to be quiet.