Her Italian girl

Chapter 4

"Natalie is missing!" We hear professor Lewis say, "what?!" Christina asks. "She's missing??!" I say, running out of the bathroom with Christina behind me.

"NAT?!"

Christina and I search the whole museum. Top to bottom. Corner to corner. Even outside. "Anything?" I ask walking up to the security office. They shake their heads and I look at Christina, completely breaking into tears. "Shh.. shh honey it's okay, we will find her" she says, rubbing my back and playing with my hair. "What if we don't? What if she's gone?!" I say frantically. "She's not gone.. maybe she went on a walk" she suggests. I shake my head, "she would have found me first" I say with tears running down my face. "Okay.. okay breathe.." Christina says, holding my hands. "I'm sure we have security on it and notified the school. We're going to find her" she adds. I nod slightly. Quickly the whole class is back on the busses but I stay behind with the professors.

I lean against the wall, my arms crossed and thinking. I shoot my head up, running onto the busses, "he's not here" I whisper to myself and run to the second bus. "Nathan?!" I shout.

He's not here.

I run back to the professors. "Nathan is missing too!" I say. "Two students missing?! Oh lord I'm going to get fired" professor Lewis says. "No- no" I look to Christina. "Nathan, when he was talking to me earlier, he was trying to get me to set him up with Nat. But she doesn't like him anymore. He's an asshole. He took her Christina." I say with a panic. Her eyes go wide as she understands. "Okay.. okay uhm.. goodness okay." She says taking a deep breath. "We will find them. The museum is looking at the footage" she tells me. I sigh and cover my face with my hands. "This is sich bullshit" i mumble.

—————

Nathan was found a couple hours later, but Nat is still missing. We're all back at the hotel and the police are searching for her.

"He did something.." I say, sitting next to Christina in the hotel lobby while staring at him from across the room. "I know he did" I sigh and she looks to me. "We can't blame anyone yet." She tells me and I look to her. "I know him Christina.. .. his mom left years ago..  his dad is abusive.. and he's just like his dad. He snaps. He's laughing and playing one second, and the next thing you know, he's shit faced drunk and choking you until you can't breathe. I know him." I say looking down. "How do you know..?" She asks carefully. "I just do.. okay?" I say with a sigh. She nods and looks in his direction.

———
Christina pov -

It's the next day. No sign of Nat.. the other teachers and I noticed that nathan hasn't left his hotel room since last night and everyone has their suspicions. Currently it's breakfast and milana won't get out of bed. She slept with me last night. She cried most of the night, didn't sleep much but I can't blame her. It's her best friend. Basically her sister. I would be a wreck if my best friend went missing and there wasn't anything I could do. I left milana to sleep, going down to the cafeteria with the other professors and teachers.

So. Many. Questions.

"Ms.Ricci?" I student asks. "Yes?" I reply. "Any sign of Nat?" They ask and I shake my head no. While everyone is eating, I hear all the conversations going on. Some pointing fingers at Nathan while others say it was milana and she finally got annoyed with her best friend and killed her. Absurd accusations..

I want to comfort milana, I do. But with all this going on? It's too risky.. students will notice my absents, the teachers will start asking questions.

'Screw it'

I think to myself and stand up. "Okay everyone shut up and listen." I say looking to all the students. "As of right now, yes, Natalie is still missing. We do not know who did it but I can assure you milana did no such thing as what some of you are accusing. It is absolutely absurd to what I'm hearing right now. So I suggest, if you would all like to finish this year of school and not fail, keep your mouths shut and stop spreading rumors" I finish and walk out of the room. I can't even look at them. Acting all immature, it's ridiculous! I need to check on milana. I head to the door, "shit.." I mumble.

Milana pov -

I wake up, tired and exhausted.

"Not the way I saw this trip going.." I say to myself.

I sigh and somewhat get ready. Heading down to find Christina. I stand in the door way, everyone looking at Christina as she speaks. I just stand there. Speechless. Eventually she stops and heads towards the door but sees me. I smile faintly, thanking her for standing up for me before she walks closer to me and we both leave the room. "Thank you.." I say softly as she walks us back to our room. "For?" She asks. "Standing up for me.." I say and hold her hand once we're in the room. "It was the right thing to do. You don't deserve this.." she says. I just look down. "I miss her.." I say tearing up. She hugs me tightly. "I know honey.. I know you do. We're going to find her. I promise." She says, rubbing my back. "We don't know that.." I say with tears falling down my face. "I do." She says reassuringly. I nod but the  there's a knock at the door.

Christina kisses my cheek, walking over and opening the door. Standing on the other side are two police officers. "Is milana here?" They ask. "Yes, why?" Christina asks. "We need to bring her down to the station for questioning" they tell her and my heart drops.

Me? Why me? What did I do?

Christina looks to me and I nod. "Okay.." I walk over. "Can she come?" I ask them. "Of course. You need a teacher with you anyways for your safety" they tell me. I nod.

The officers walk Christina and I down, through the lobby past all the students. Some making "oooo" noises. Others shaking their heads and some even laughing. I keep my head down, eventually getting in the cop car with Christina and covering my face.

"It's going to be okay" she says again.

The officers give Christina a look in the mirror that doesn't go unnoticed by me.

"No it's not." I sigh and look down.

AN: sorry It's short and sorry it took me so long to update 😬