Meet Me Under the Willow Tree

Two Weeks Later: Maeve

I would never deem myself as the athletic type. Coincidentally me and Cassie had both hated gym, but right now my feet were moving faster and faster by the second.

I had no idea how fast I was going or how long I'd been running, my thoughts were solely on my destination. What had been our safe haven, a place that we could truly call home.

The beach. And above that, the cliffs.

Lucia had called my mom, and that night, as PJ had slowly walked across the smooth wooden floors of our living room, I'd frozen. I didn't freeze in the normal way you do when scared about a test or when you're about to receive a flu shot. Or when you're watching a scary movie and you just know that a jump scare is coming up.

No.

I froze because I knew I was too late. In that moment there was no doubt in my mind. The feeling was almost impossible to describe. My body went numb and my muscles locked up, a cold sweat broke out on my forehead as goosebumps rose on my arms and legs. I didn't get a chance to hear how my mother responded to Lucia because just as fast as it had frozen, my body thawed and I jumped from the couch.

I was out the door and down the street and as I had turned back, I could see my mom and dad on the doorstep of our little house, calling my name. I strained to hear them, hoping their voices would work some clarity into my mind, but it was impossible. Against the wind their voices were only whispers.

I had gone to Cassie's house first, crossing my fingers. My mind is racing in a rush.

"What happened? Is she okay? ...Am I too late?..."

The former thought was harder to comprehend, I was never too late.

Cassie's house turned out to be a bust. As I had run through their door, I noticed two of three things. Lucia, Cassie's mom, and Mateo, her little brother, were both in tears. Although Lucia was hysterical, walking up and down the living room screaming and crying, I noted that Mateo was sitting on the stairs quietly sobbing in his hands. I immediately made a beeline to him but stopped when I saw Diego, and I stumbled back in surprise.

There Diego was, looking as calm as ever sitting on the couch scrolling through instagram, he even had the audacity to laugh at whatever was on his phone. It shouldn't surprise me that Cassie's dad doesn't care what happens to her or even the people around him.

Cassie

Right, I'm here for Cassieopia Vina, my best friend, my sister.

I ran up to Mateo and crouched beside him asking where Cassie is and if she's okay.

The two words that came out of his mouth next had made my blood return to ice and goosebumps rise on my arms

"She's gone"

Surely he didn't mean 'gone'. Surely she had just gone for one of her walks, which she always does. Surely I wasn't too late.

And so here I am, still running, the tears in my eyes making everything blur. My lungs constricted with effort and my breaths came short. Dang! I really should have paid attention in gym class when they were teaching us how to maximize your breaths when running. I could not give up right now. I would not give up right now, it wasn't a choice.

I focused on my feet, putting one in front of the other, over and over again, making sure my foot didn't catch on anything but it was tough considering how many tears flooded my eyes and that I didn't know the difference between my foot and the road.

I stopped when a blinding white light came into my peripheral, the intense light temporarily blinding me and my hand instinctively came up to shield my eyes. As my vision began to return, the light slowly dimmed to reveal a single headlight from a motorcycle parked on the side of the road. The rider was astride the bike, helmet on and visor down, showing me nothing.

My heart hammered in my chest, the mixture of fear, confusion, and adrenaline causing my hands to shake.

"Ask her about Cassie"

I hesitated for a moment, was I really going to go up to a stranger? My mind was still struggling to process everything that was happening, but the thought of Cassie needing me was enough to push me forward.

I cautiously approached the rider, my heart pounding in my chest. I stopped a few feet away, unsure of what to say.

"Um... excuse me?" I called out tentatively.

The rider turned her helmeted head towards me, her visor still down, obscuring her face. She remained silent, but her body language seemed to indicate that she was listening. She looked to be about seventeen, raven black hair delicately tumbling down her shoulders. She wasn't necessarily a large person, if anything she looked to have a small stature with lean muscle, but the air around her made my heart beat faster.

"I... I'm looking for my friend Cassie," I began, my voice shaking slightly. "I thought maybe you might have seen her. She's latina, has black hair, and was probably running."

The rider didn't move or respond, her silence only adding to my growing anxiety. But then, slowly, she reached up and lifted her visor, revealing a pair of piercing ice blue eyes

"I saw a girl about ten minutes ago," she said, her voice husky. "Why?"

I took a deep breath, the tears were still blurring my vision. "Did you see which way she went? I need to find her."

The rider paused for a moment, her gaze still locked on mine. "She headed to the hills by the beach." she grudgingly said.

My heart sank at her words, confirming my suspicions. Cassie was at the cliffs, and if I didn't get there in time she might be gone.

"Thank you," I said, turning to leave, not wanting this stranger to see me at my lowest.

"Wait," the rider called out, stopping me in my tracks. "I don't know what you're up to, but be careful. Those cliffs are no place to screw around. "

I nodded, and started running again, my feet moving even faster than before.

What felt like hours later I'd finally made it to the cliffs. I searched the line of the fence until something caught my eye and as I took a closer look I think my heart skipped a beat.

There, I could just barely make out the silhouette of Cassie, standing on the other side of the fence, looking down at the cliffs.

"Cassie,"

I whispered, almost shocked that I actually found her. Newfound tears started streaking down my cheeks. The wind was howling and whipping my hair this way and that. Stinging my face.

I found her. She's going to be ok.

I found her.

"Cassie!"

This time I screamed her name, begging her to turn around and look at me, for her to see that she's not alone, to see that I'm here for her. I was still running, panting heavily, but I wouldn't give up, not when I was so close.

I saw her move her head, and hope trickled into my heart and mind.

I saved her, I thought, I really saved her.

And then she jumped, and all hope went with her.