Boy in Pink

Chapter 44

When I woke up, Braedon wasn't in my arms. In fact, he was towering over me, arms crossed, looking stern.

"Mmmm..." I groaned, "morning, pretty boy."

"Rory, it's pitch black outside!" He yelled, and I rubbed my eyes open. He was right. I could barely see him right in front of me.

"Fuuu..."

"We weren't supposed to fall asleep!" He shouted, raising his arms and doing his cute-angry arm movements.

"You fell asleep, and so did I. We were tired, love. Don't be so hard on yourself - and me."

"...I still am mad at you," he murmured but slipped back into my arms.

"Tired again?" I asked, and he nodded.

"Yeah... it's late..."

"Let your body sleep. You need it," I whispered as I pressed my lips to his forehead.

"We need to move, but... I'm tired..." He muttered and buried his face into my chest. We stayed like this for a couple minutes, until I just had to break the silence. It was eating me away, after all.

"B, what did they actually do to you?" I screwed up. I felt him tense in my arms.

"Rors, not now, please..." He gripped my sleeve tightly, and I felt him tremble. B, I'm sorry, but I can't let this go...

"B, please... I saw the scars. I know you didn't want me to but-"

"But, you did anyway. You looked where I didn't want you to. You betrayed me!" He cried, his body shaking with his loud voice.

"I was just worried... don't hate me, please..." Now my voice was the one trembling. I couldn't lose him. Not after what happened to us.

"Rory Pines. You betrayed me." He pulled himself out of my arms, and I wanted to grab him back before he did something stupid. "You know what? I'm leaving." He turned away and tried to walk off, but I quickly grabbed him. The direction he was going in was a forest. It was dark and creepy in daylight, and would be worse at nighttime.

"You can't go there."

"And you don't get to tell me what to do, asshole," he spat angrily, and I tensed. He's my boyfriend... he isn't thinking clearly. I... I don't know what to do... Please, someone, give me a miracle...

Just then, a loud and aggressive roar was heard in the forest's direction, and Braedon clung back onto me. "I take that back, I'm not leaving... Still doesn't mean you're forgiven!" I sighed softly but was glad he wasn't leaving. I led him back to our little corner, where we curled up again. "It's really cold right now..."

"I know, baby. I know. Just close your eyes and try to sleep for me, okay?" He nodded and nuzzled his head under my chin, and I smiled softly. "Alright, g'night," I whispered, and he murmured a soft, "g'night, bb..."

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As soon as we woke up, we started walking again. Neither of us had a sense of direction, which sucked. But finally, after days of arguing and walking, we made it. Home. We parted ways, Braedon going to his house and I going to mine. I knocked on the door. No response. "PineCone?" I called, slowly turning the handle. The door was open. I panicked and grabbed my phone out of my backpack. I dialed 911, all the while trying not to cry. "Please, pick up!" I yelled into my phone, making myself slump onto the floor and trying not to break down.

"This is 911, what's your emergency?" The operator said, and I sighed softly in relief.

"I need help... my sister, she- I think she's been kidnapped..." I whisper, letting the tears fall.

"Alright, sir, where did you last see her?" They asked, and I took a shaky breath.

"I... My sister was kidnapped and brought to a sketchy shed place..."

"Can you show it to me, sir?" I sent the location, and the voice went silent for a moment. "Can you tell me some background information? Don't worry, I'm sending officers to that location and yours, okay? What's your address?"

I told them my address, and they went silent again. A few clicks of a keyboard, and they said to me, "They'll be over in 5 minutes, okay? Now tell me how this all happened."

"Well... basically, my sister was kidnapped by this man and used as bait to get me to get their to bring me to a mental hospital... I don't have much info on him... but before he brought me to the mental hospital, he said he would be bringing Lorelei - my sister, home. But she's not here!" I cried, tears rolling down my face.

"Calm down for me, okay? Breathe in and out, sir." I did as they said, taking one shaky breath at a time. "There you go... Now, what's your name?"

"It's... Rory Pines..." They went silent, and I heard a few more clicks of a keyboard.

"Wait, you're Rory Pines, the kid who went missing for months..."

"Wait, MONTHS!?" I exclaimed loudly. "No, it's only been a few days... right?" I tried to make myself believe it wasn't that long, but I didn't even believe myself...

Months. It's probably around September now. I checked my phone's calendar to make sure. Yep, September 1st... That's... no. It can't be September. I missed so much... Brae must be freaking out by now.

I heard a knock at my door, and I jumped. "It's okay, Rory. It's the officers I sent over. I promise it's okay to open the door, okay?" The operator reassured me, but I was still traumatized, so I peeked through the window. Sure enough, it was 4 men in police uniforms. I let out a sigh of relief and opened the door.

"Wait, you're just a kid..." The first officer pointed out.

"I'm 17, actually. Or am I 18?"

"We're just here to find your sister, kid," the second officer said, and I nodded. Right.

They took me into their police car, where I shared Lorelei's last known coordinates with them. As they were driving, I got a call from Braedon. I picked it up, and heard my boyfriend's panicked voice on the other line.

"Rory, were we really there for months!?" He cried, and I could hear the tears in his voice.

"Apparently, B... I know, I'm shocked too." I tried to reassure him, but nothing was working. He was still freaking the hell out. All I heard was him panicking and crying. "B, you know I love you, right?" He sniffled softly.

"Yeah... why?"

"I need you to shut up, okay? I love you so much, and panicking isn't going to help anyone right now, okay?" He sniffled again, and my heart felt heavy. "If you cry again, I'm coming over and making you feel better!" That managed a soft, half-hearted giggle out of him.

"I'd like it if you came over, honestly..."

"I gotta find my sister, okay? After I find her and she's okay, we're heading over straight to your house, alright?" I could hear the smile in his voice as he whispered, "okay. Hope you find her."

"Me too."