Beetle

Chapter 25

"Brother Of Redford Mason Gives Heart Wrenching Speech"

"Ben Mason; Brother Of Redford Mason Breaks Down While Talking About His Missing Sister."

"Twelve Year Old Boy Goes Viral After Giving A Heartbreaking Message To His Missing Sister."

I'm crying but rage fuels me when I read headlines of two particular articles.

"Did Cheerleader And Party Girl Redford Mason Skip Town?" With a subheading that isn't much better, "Varsity football captain, Shawn Evans weighs in."

"Did Cheerleader Redford Mason Run Away Because She Was Pregnant?"

Even though there's question marks they don't deter from the impact these headlines have. I can't believe how naïve I was. To think, that anything less would come. I had piece of mind knowing Ben got my note but than why do I still feel so torn up about it?

Probably because, it seems as though Ben has gone famous, everyone is obsessed with how much he cares about me. Because if had Ben had gotten my note he wouldn't have given an interview fifteen minutes ago, about me missing.

Needing to leave, because right now I can't think, all I can do is feel. I grab my cheer bag with no thought but Jenny has many things to say but I ignore them all. I catch Remi shaking his head and Henry telling me "not to." I ignore them, pissed that they decide to show up now.

"Where you going to tell me?" I scream at Remi, "we're you going to tell me there's a national search for me!" Henry looks sickened and Remi looks even worse. "It's because of a speech your brother made", Remi cringes. "They showed it on the city news and it went viral. Which had them showing it on the National News."

I pull up a video of my younger brother with a face full of tears, pleading for help to find me. Because there's many. You know it's bad when your introverted brother is giving speeches on live television.

"Let's just say, your disappearance got a lot more attention than some", Henry means Jenny's disappearance.

"White girl privilege", Jenny says with an eye roll and even though she's right I don't care because all I feel is pure rage.

I slam the door with Remi still in the doorway and Henry frowns, "that was quite rude." I laugh a mean laugh, "last time I checked he's dead! So are you!" I awkwardly smile to a group of girls walking by. I don't even care when the three of them give me nasty looks, stare at me and whisper to each other.

"Come on, hurry up", I hiss to the elevator, knowing that Jenny and the two ghosts are following me.

I make eye contact with Jenny who's at the end of the hall, just as the elevator doors open. "Stop!" I don't say a word as I quickly get in and hit the button for the main floor.

I'm not surprised to see Remi who can go through ceilings and walls, waiting for me on the main floor. "Where's your partner in crime?" I ask referring to Henry, bored as I exit the elevator. Remi keeps his distance but continues to make his presence known, "you should weigh the consequences of trying to leave. You're upset, you just found out something devastating, you shouldn't do anything rash right now."

"Don't", I start- "tell Jenny if she's my friend or cares about me at all that she can't tell anyone."

To Remi's credit he doesn't break eye contact, "I'm not asking her to lie for you and if you cared about her at all you wouldn't ask that of her."

Once Remi realizes I'm not going to respond his voice goes softer, "I'm not telling you not to run away but I am telling you not to run away right now."

"Goodbye Remi", I say even though we both know that for whatever reason, regardless of what happens, this is not goodbye. Since we are stuck with each other because of my curse and his inability to move on.