Project Seventeen

Missing

13

I was looking for somewhere to sit. Lucas caught up by my side and seemed to be looking too.

- Where should we sit? He asked me.

I locked eyes with Rita and she waved from across the room.

- We can sit over there, I said and nodded towards Rita's table.

Rita, Liam, Ethan, Rita's sister and another boy I had never seen before sat by the table.

- Who's your friend? Rita asked me and smiled at Lucas.

- I'm Lucas Hamilton, he presented himself and shook hands with her.

- I'm Rita and this is Liam, Ethan, Rose, and Nathaniel, she said and pointed towards each person.

- Sit down, rookies, Ethan said from across the table.

Liam and Rita made some room for us to sit. Lucas and I squeezed in between them and started eating our food.

- Jessamy, did you perhaps see Riley? Rita asked.

- Yeah, I saw him just a minute ago. But he had to go somewhere.

Rose raised an eyebrow.

- Did he tell you where he was going?

- No, he didn't, I answered.

- What did you guys expect? It's Riley we're talking about, Ethan said calmly.

- What do you mean? Rita glared at him.

- Never mind, Ethan said and raised his hands in protest.

The atmosphere got a bit tense and it got even more awkward when Liam cleared his throat.

Why did we make such a big fuss out of this? And where was he?

The dinner mood got better and everyone seemed to have a great time, except Rita who seemed to be bothered by something. I got a feeling it was about Riley.

After the dinner, everyone split up. Liam and that boy named Nathaniel took the elevator upstairs while Rose drove home since she didn't live in the building like the rest of us. Ethan told me that you can choose to not move into the building if you're perfectly safe at home. But if you're not, it's not an option, like in my case.

- You better go and find Riley right now! Rita told Ethan strictly.

- You're not his mom, chill, Ethan sighed.

- But I'm his friend, she snapped.

- I'm also his friend, Ethan began.

- Then maybe you should act like one, she said and turned her back at him and walked away.

- Goodnight, I told Lucas and Ethan before heading after her.

She stepped into one of the elevators and I quickly slid inside right before the doors closed.

- I'm sorry Jess, she mumbled.

- Sorry for what?

- All the arguing. It may seem like I'm overreacting, but Riley got into a big accident not long ago. He got really sick and he wasn't himself at all. He just got better and he's already training every day and disappearing from time to time. He's not taking his medicine and it's making me freak out! I mean, he's not even fully recovered yet!