Roller Skate || Alex Gaskarth a.u.

Chapter 25: Missing

Kit

"Kit?"

Mrs.Gaskarth smiled at her as she opened the door of her shabby little house, but her hazel eyes were anxious, and her smile looked painfully forced.

"Evening Missus Gaskarth." she said brightly, ignoring the tense atmosphere.

Kit had come back from detention a little later than she would have liked due to the storm.

"I thought Alex was with you." Mrs.Gaskarth said suddenly, eyebrows knitting together.

"Ermm....I was at detention. Alex walked home by himself." Kit said, an uneasy feeling settling upon her, the cookie fantasy she had imagined immediately crushed.

"He usually comes home at four, so when he didn't show up, I thought he might have been with you." she said, biting her lip.

"Maybe he went to the Ri--I mean maybe he went to Jack's." Kit said quickly, remembering Alex warning her to not mention that he worked part time at the Rink because it would only upset his mom. But Mrs.Gaskarth only shook her head.

"Jack helps out at his mom's bingo club for the elderly on Mondays. He's definitely not there. Something's not right." Mrs.Gaskarth said anxiously, eyes peeking over Kit's shoulder as she looked out into the snowy night. The blizzard had eased off, but little flakes were still continuing to fall from the sky.

"Maybe he's just running late." Kit suggested, but Mrs.Gaskarth now looked like she was in a state of distress.

"Alex never runs late. It's not in the Gaskarth family to run late." she said exasperatedly, giving Kit a serious look.

"He's missing."

~

Ten minutes later, despite Kit's assurances that Alex was probably fine, they were out in the snow, dusty torches in their hands, on a quest to find Alex.

They went knocking on houses first, but were met with nearly all the same answers.

"No, I haven't seen your son, Mrs.Gaskarth. Sorry."

"Alex? He's probably just out and about!"

"Who's Alex? Is he that idiot that looks like a girl? The eyeliner guy?"

Mrs.Gaskarth was getting desperate, so Kit took her to the Rink, lying and saying that Alex sometimes hung out there.

But when Quinn told them that she hadn't seen him, Kit began to feel worried.

The Rink had been her best bet. And clearly he wasn't at Jack's. So where was he? It was getting dark now, the snow finally stopping altogether, but the temperature was descending noticeably now, and even the world's woolliest jumper wouldn't keep you warm tonight.

"Oh Kit! What are we going to do?" cried Mrs.Gaskarth as they bid Quinn goodbye and stepped outside, the cold slapping them hard in the face.

"Don't worry Missus Gaskarth. We'll find him." Kit said firmly, but she wasn't sure if she was trying to convince herself or Mrs.Gaskarth.

"We'll check near the school." she said soothingly, putting an arm around Mrs.Gaskarth's shoulders and guiding her down the path. When they started to approach the school, they split, both of them deciding it would be faster and more efficient for then to do so.

Night had fallen now, and Kit was starting to feel the night air chill around her neck. Her scarf was with Alex.

But where was he?