Peaked in High School

Hide and Seek

Everett's left elbow rests against the car window and his head is propped up on his palm as he drives one-handed down the highway. His mind has been reeling for the last fifteen minutes since he left The Clubhouse's parking lot.

Beau had seemed so defeated when he hugged Everett and walked away from him with an eerie finality. The confusion Everett has been feeling during this breakup is now at an all-time high considering Beau has disproven every point that Everett used against him when he originally ended things.

In fact, Everett was planning on asking Beau if he wanted to get drinks somewhere else to discuss possibly giving their relationship another shot. That is until they were verbally harassed as they were trying to leave the reunion.

Running a hand through his hair, Everett hits a button on his steering wheel that allows him to skip to the next song from his playlist that's connected to Bluetooth. A familiar opening line suddenly plays over his speakers, causing Everett's eyes to mist wistfully.

🎶My regrets look just like texts I shouldn't send🎶

One of Beau's sad rap songs made it's way onto his playlist.

🎶And I got neighbors, they're more like strangers🎶

🎶We could be friends🎶

He laughs self-deprecatingly as Mac Miller's words hit a little too close to home at the moment.

🎶I just need a way out🎶

🎶Of my head🎶

🎶I'll do anything for a way out🎶

🎶Of my head🎶

An exit appears and Everett makes the executive decision to get off on it. He can't go back to Sinting without talking to Beau.

Pulling into a McDonald's parking lot, he enters Beau's address into GPS and begins his journey back to the apartment.

-

"Everett?" Mrs. Coleman answers the door in a fluffy, baby pink robe. She has an equal-parts tired and confused look on her face. "I didn't think you were staying the night?"

Sheepishly holding his left bicep, he responds, "I'm not staying the night. I forgot something that I needed to tell Beau and I was hoping I could grab him for a second—sorry for waking you."

"I wasn't asleep yet, it's no problem. Let me get him," Mrs. Coleman says kindly before turning around to enter through the sheets hanging from the ceiling. Everett can hear her soft murmurs, but no response.

She returns with pinched eyebrows. "He's not here. Have you texted him?"

The thing is, Everett has texted him already. He asked Beau if he was home and got no response.

"Uh-" Everett stutters. "I actually think he might still be out with some friends after the reunion. Sorry again for disrupting your night." He waves at the concerned woman with—what he hopes looks like—a reassuring smile on his face.

"Oh, okay.... Bye?" Mrs. Coleman's confused words fade in his ears as he makes his way to the stairwell to walk downstairs.

He checks his phone again once he's back in the car. Still no text.

Where is Beau?

-

He drives to Bernie's and sees that it is still open. The place is buzzing with his peers that, most likely, made their way over after the reunion. Everett searches the entire diner before coming to the conclusion that Beau isn't here.