Chipless

Chapter 16- The Masseys

*Anthony's POV*

I lay on the couch and Lily sits on a beanbag as we watch a movie, 'Divergent'. It reminds me a lot about my life this last month or so. Character is different from the rest of society, evil dictator person, death around every corner, that sort of stuff.
"You ok?" Lily asks, pausing the movie, "You seem really out of it."
"Just deep in thought." I respond.
"Ok." She shrugs. Just as she goes play the movie she gets a text.
"Who's that?" I ask.
"No one." She tells me.
"Come on, tell me."
"It's none of your business." She does her best to hide her screen.
I snatch her phone like I use to do before I left. But this time it's not just to be an annoyance. My eye twitches and the corners of my mouth turn down. "Why are you texting Jared Massey?" She doesn't answer, but she try's to grab her phone back. I'm a lot quicker than she is and have faster reflexes. "Spit it out."
"He's... He's actually really nice and pretty funny too." She hesitates.
"But he hates me and I hate him!" I say. In sixth grade, Jared and I where best friends, but the next year he joined soccer team and became a total snob. He was the first person I came out to and in seventh grade he completely lost my trust by telling everyone I'm gay. He told me I'd never find anyone and no one in their right mind would love me. I'd love to see the look on his face when I tell him I have a boyfriend.
"I didn't know you'd come back!" She says, "And I didn't think you'd care."
"Of course I care!" I tell her, "You're my best friend and I don't want that secret-spreading soccer snob to hurt you."
"He just hates you because he homophobic." She sighs, "That doesn't mean he hates everyone." Before I can say anything she plays the movie and is no longer listening to what I have to say.

*Meanwhile in Ze's POV*

The night's pretty much silent except for the sound of Tessa kicking a rock with her boot and some cars beeping at each other. No one was talking to anyone else in the group. We had been looking around all day and we're all extremely tired. Ana stops at the corner and looks at a 7'11. "Anyone want a slurpee?" She asks. No one says anything and just follows her inside.
We all get our slurpee's and go to the cashier, who looks almost as tired as we do. "Guys! Guys! Look!" Tessa smiles. She points to a paper that says, 'Missing, Anthony Baxter'. It's definitely him, there's a picture to prove it.
The cashier looks up at us, "Anthony Baxter, you heard of him?"
"Yes!" The four of us say in unison, almost scaring the cashier.
"Wow," he says, "The Baxter case might actually be solved after all."
"Do you have a number we could call if we have some information?" Gavin asks, trying to seem professional. But that's not working out for him with that piña colada slurpee in his hand.
"Yeah," He's pulls a number of of his pocket and hands it to Ana, "There's a phone near the bathroom."
We all dash towards the phone and Ana dials the number. "Here, you take it!" She hands it to me as if it's a bomb.
I hold it up to my ear and think of what to say. But the person picks up, derailing my train of thought. "Lily Rain, who's speaking?" She groans.
"Ze Andrews." I say, using my real last name but not my first.
She gasps, "And I'm guessing you wanna talk to Anthony right?" I can tell she's happy now.
"Yeah." I nod.
"Okey dokey lokey!" She says, and passes the phone off to Anthony.
"Ze?" He asks.
"Yeah."
"Oh my god," He says, "I miss you so much! Where are you?"
"At some random 7'11." I tell him.
"Cherry Ridge and Main?"
I look at Ana, "Cherry Ridge and Main right?" She nods. "Yeah."
"Ok," He says, "Lily and I will come and get you."
"Ok." Just as I'm about to hang up Ana grabs the phone.
"Wait!" She says, I can hear Anthony on the other end but can't figure out what he's saying. "Do you know a Jared Massey?" She asks. I hear the tone of Anthony's voice change, he sounds pissed. "If possible, can you find away to tell him that I, Anastasia Massey am still alive, and will be coming home." Anthony says one last thing that sounds like a reluctant sure, and Ana hangs up.
She looks at Gavin, Tessa, and I, then says, "You think he's mad?"

*back to Anthony's POV*

"I hate her so much!" I groan. Ana, one of the nicest people I know, is related to Jared, a complete jerk. "That whole family is made up of idiots!"
"Think of it this way," Lily says, trying to calm me down, "now we know scum-baggery doesn't run in the family."
I know, it's a joke and she's trying to cheer me up. But I'm not in a joking kind of mood. "Look on the bright side," She smiles, "in less than an hour, you'll be reunited with Ze."
I couldn't help but smile at this. I miss him so much. I look up at the ceiling, "Ok."