Everything I Didn't Say

t w e n t y - t w o

Before I start this chapter, I want to say that yes, we hit 1K reads and I say we because this was most definitely a joint effort. Thank you to everyone who reads every chapter whenever they're updated and comments their feedback and votes. You're the reason I smile.

TWENTY-TWO

"HAVE YOU SEEN Link?" I asked by way of greeting as I sank gratefully into the chair next to Jenna.

She looked up from her lunch. "Well, good afternoon to you too."

"Sorry" I breathed, resting my palms on the cafeteria table. "How are you?" I tried again.

"I'm okay but from the look of it, I can tell you're not" Jenna said. "I can also tell you want to vent. So, go ahead, I'm listening," she waved a patient hand for me to continue.

"Have you seen Link at all today?" I questioned.

She considered and then nodded firmly. "Yep, I saw him this morning get out of his car. I called to him but he didn't hear me so I went on in by myself. Why? Wait - didn't you just have drama together?"

"We were supposed to. But he wasn't there" I answered.

She shrugged flippantly. "He must have ditched, then."

"But ... that's not like him ..."

Jenna mused over this thoughtfully. "True. His mom would kick his ass to the kerb if she found out he'd skipped just one lesson. Not to mention, drama's his favourite" she explained.

I looked across the table to his usual chair, now empty. "I wonder where he is."

"He'll be around somewhere Isla. Don't sweat it, he's just going through one of those times" Jenna told me, sympathetically patting my hand.

"Yeah, you're probably right" I murmured unconvincingly and picked up the piece of pizza I'd collected from the lunch line. Taking a bite that tasted of cardboard, I turned over all the possible places Link could be in my mind. The football field - no, still too cold to be out there for pleasure, the library - no, definitely not Link's type of place. Where did that leave? Oh god, I didn't know!

"Are you fretting over this?" Jenna probed.

I shook my head. "No."

"Lies!" she accused and jabbed her finger at my chest, making me jump. "Why are you so worried? Link's probably letting off steam somewhere over his latest mood-swing. Why is this one any different?"

"It's not" I said quickly and slumped back into my seat. "I don't know why I'm overreacting."

"No, neither do I" she responded evenly.

As Jenna blabbered on mindlessly about our latest geography homework, I couldn't find the effort to focus. My brain just kept wandering to where my boyfriend was and what he was doing.

"Okay ... I feel as if we're in the same situation again, you know the one where you're not listening to me ..."

"I'm sorry! I'm worried about Link, alright? You happy now?" I blurted, rather angrily.

She startled before narrowing her newly plucked eyebrows at me. She got her Mom to do them every few weeks otherwise she refused to leave the house. Peeking closer, I could see that underneath them, it was still a dull red colour. "Not really. Why are you so worried? It's not like this is a new thing."

"I know ... it's just, I feel really uneasy about something and I don't know why" I admitted wearily.

She patted my hand sympathetically. "It'll all turn out right later, don't you worry your pretty little head over it" she told me.