RUN!

4. Buzzcut Season

Song: Buzzcut Season by Lorde

Avery is officially declared missing the next day, after 24 hours pass. For someone with absolutely no apparent social life, the whole school is buzzing with rumors. It seems as though everyone saw Avery that morning, for some she was wearing shorts, for others she was wearing a gown, for some she was with a couple of guys and what not. Bull.
It's all bull.

The Chan house was practically filled up yesterday, after she came home from the station people from school and from the neighborhood kept showing up to say one thing or the other. I really wonder what they were saying because nobody knew Avery so what comforting thing they could tell her. Well I should probably stop pointing fingers, I haven't had the courage to even walk up to Avery's locker since Monday.

"-police will question as many students as possible," Yara finishes whatever she was saying, drawing me back to our table. Damien leans forward, his lips drawn into a thin line.

"I don't think anyone will have anything to say. Avery was a big time loner."

"And everybody seems to have seen her," Lee adds pointedly.

"I saw her," I pipe up before I can think against it. They don't say it but I know what they're thinking about. Everyone thinks Avery was with a boy or with a group of boys and not in a good way.

"You what?" Damien asks, dead serious.

"I saw her. She was going for a jog," I add, sounding as though I was trying to convince myself.

"A jog? How did you see her?" Yara frowns.

"She lives on my street. I woke up earlier than usual and saw her sitting across. She'd just finished her jog and she most definitely went back in the direction of her house."

There's a moment of silence, each of them looking at me funny.

"Are they here?" I ask when I'm sick of the silence.

"Who?" Yara inquires.

"The cops."

"Um...yeah? They're currently interrogating Jessica."

"I've got to go." I start to get up when Lee grabs my hand.

"Dude what the fuck are you going to do? This is an investigation, you could only be making yourself a suspect!" He whisper yells.

"Well what am I supposed to do? Sit pretty while some idiots give them erroneous ideas?" I whisper yell back.

"Wait it out you dumbass!" He glares at me and I realize he's scared. Lee only yells at me when he's anxious or angry and he's the only person who can get away with calling me a dumbass. But he shouldn't be scared for me, I'm not the one who's missing.

"Fine, I'll wait but I'm going to do something else," I tell them simply. When I grab my bag Yara simultaneously grabs hers.

"Where are you going A.D?" She glances at the eyes we have now attracted. The last thing she wants is a scene.

"I'm going to find something that explains this."

"Adonis wait-" she begins to yell but I'm already outside before she can continue.

It may be far fetched but the first place I think of is her locker. I don't know the passcode and asking the authorities would probably sound fishy but I'm just going to give it a try. However secluded Avery was there were a few things everyone knew about her. She was born on the 13th of August 2004 and she's quite allergic to nuts of any kind. This information probably won't be able to solve the mystery but there's no point in not trying. I don't know what Avery's locker looks like and this is a problem I'm still deliberating on when I enter the hallway. It's the first thing that catches my eyes. The flowers, red, white and purple, all taped on the locker.

On Avery's locker.

"The fuck are you guys doing?" The words come out harsh and louder than I planned. The girls standing in front of the locker practically jump at my voice. Classes are going on, I'm not supposed to be here and neither are they.

"Adonis, we were just praying for her-"

"With flowers?" I interrupt the girl I think is called Quinn. Her usually calm and stuck up expression is gone, replaced with fear and anxiety. Probably because I've got enough power to lead them to an eternal war with the school authorities and also because I'm angry. I'm extremely angry.

"Flowers are for dead people Quinn. Avery's not dead, heck she's only been missing for a day!" One of Quinn's minions begin to speak but quickly shuts up when I stall up towards them. Without thinking, I tear away each flower, making a show of throwing them on the floor.

"Adonis they're for Avery!" Quinn cries.

"Go pray in your house or in a fucking church but don't bring flowers over here ever again do you here me?" I glare at her, at all of them. I feel a hand squeeze my shoulder and turn to find Lee standing next to me. I didn't even see him.

"You girls should go to class," he tells them softly, giving them an apologetic look. When they've disappeared he turns to me.

"What's wrong with you?" His dark eyes seem even darker as he regards me. I shake my head and turn to the locker, absentmindedly trying out her passcode.

"Is this about your brother?" He tries again.

"Avery's not dead."

"Well she could be and you would blame yourself for that, because you think it's your fault."

"I don't." Fail. I try out another order.

"Why are you doing this? What did she tell you?" Yes. I open her locker, partially wondering if I'm tampering with police material but I can't help that now can I?

Her locker is clear and neat, without any permanent design except for stickers of herself and her mum. Tells us that she cared enough about the woman that she wouldn't up and out one random day. Her Calculus textbooks are arranged in order of size but there's one book that sticks out.

"A.D,"Lee calls.

I pull out the book and examine it. It's grey and latched with a small lock. I'd have to figure out a passcode too but if I knew High school girls at all then I know that this is a diary. Satisfied, I turn to Lee.

"You want to know what she said?"

"Yes."

"She said she can't sleep and she jogs when no one can see her. She didn't disappear Lee she's been taken and I'm going to find her even if it's the last thing I do."

Lee's lips part slightly, taking my words and tone in. Perhaps he can see that there's no way around this so he lowers his head in resignation.

"I'll help you. We'll find her and it won't be the last thing we do."