Everyone Talks

12 - It's Hard to Confess

Nellie sighed as she leaned her head on her hand and watched various students walk by the stone table she sat at. Glancing down, she wrinkled her nose at the soggy french fries from the small kitchen in the high school common area and pushed them away. They were halfway edible on a good day and she had barely touched them since she sat down 20 minutes ago.

"What does it say today?"

Nellie looked up, finding Charlie staring at Emory, who picked up her phone and flipped through it. As much as Nellie hated CreekTalk, she almost hoped for some kind of lead. At least something to look into while she waited.

"Just that the sheriff's department is still at school... gotta list of people they've talked to," Emory said. She glanced up nervously at Nellie. "You're at the top of it."

Nellie sighed and held her hand out. Emory handed the phone over. She skimmed through the list. Most of it, she already knew. But there were a few that she hadn't noticed being there. Frowning, she got a screengrab and held it back to Emory.

"Send that to me."

"Ya know, you could just download the app yourself," Emory replied.

A ding sounded, and Nellie glanced at her phone. Just the text from Emory.

"It say anythin' more about The Extra Credit List?" she asked, ignoring Emory's comment.

"Not today." Nellie looked up, watching Emory scroll through it. She then looked up at her. "Ya hear anythin' from your dad?"

Nellie turned her attention back to her fries, swirling one around in ketchup, even though she had no desire to eat it.

"No, but Giselle told me what she got from the PIO at the sheriff's department. They definitely think she went missin' Friday night. She was supposed to stay with a friend and go to the City on Saturday for some dance thing. Stay there overnight. When she didn't come home for church on Sunday, they called the friend and found out Sophia canceled on Friday night via text," she said.

She looked at her phone.

Before bed, she had sent Facebook messages to three girls she thought might be on the team with Sophia, but so far, none of them had responded. Nellie'd been checking her messenger non-stop all day.

Nellie looked up at her friends.

"I'm tryin' to find out who she was supposed to stay with and talk to them, but so far, no one's gettin' back to me," she finished.

"But what about-"

"Caleb!"

Nellie turned her head, eyes wide, as she found Caleb standing in front of her. For such a big guy, he moved unnaturally quietly. Or maybe she was just distracted. His shoulders hunched, he glanced around at the two other tables near them and the many students making their way back to the building. It was the tail end of the lunch period, and most people were likely hitting up their lockers before class.

He finally met her eyes, his jaw clenched tight. She remembered their exchange last night and couldn't understand why he would approach her, especially with so many people around.

"Can I talk to ya, Nellie?" he asked.

Mute, she nodded and stood, shooting a confused look at Charlie and Emory. She hadn't gotten the chance to tell them about last night. She walked over to the far side of the building and around the corner, knowing they would have a bit more privacy. The only kids walking through the alley between the high school and the art building were the band or music kids, but they didn't have class after lunch.

"What can I do for ya?" Nellie asked, crossing her arms as she looked up at the tall football player.

Caleb sighed heavily as he looked around again. Apparently convinced they were alone, he turned his dark eyes to her.