Run Away; C.R

(fifteen)

riley

you'd think i was crazy if i told you that i knew something was horribly wrong. i didn't get the feeling as if something wasn't right, no, i knew it.

that's why when everyone around me was sound asleep, knocked out on eggnog and sugar cookies, i laid awake.

i snuggled myself deeper into the blanket and buried my nose into the couch pillow, forcing my eyes to come to a close as i urged for my body to fall asleep. but the sickly knotting of my stomach wasn't budging, and i was pushed to do something about it.

i shifted my body off the couch to avoid waking emily, who was sleeping soundly and silently. i counted the number of boys on the carpeted floor.

still missing one.

my fists clenched at my sides, but i don't know what made me more angry. the fact that chandler is driving me over the edge with anxiety about where he could be or about the worry he puts his friends through without even thinking twice about it.

carefully making my way quietly through the maze of sleeping people, i tip toe over to the front door. i slip on my boots, fling my coat over my shoulders, and grab emilys car keys off the tray. i glance back at them one last time before opening the door, stepping outside, and closing it behind me, all in one swift motion.

chandler, you better be worth me getting a head cold for being outside, in december, at three in the morning.

+++

i would love to lie and say that i had found chandler roaming the streets on his motorcycle in the pitch black darkness of the night. but in all honesty, i've been searching town for around four hours now with no sight of his messy brown hair or oceanic blue eyes or mysterious black clothing.

and it all seemed pretty plain.

after having had enough, i parked the car on the side of the road, slammed the door behind me, and marched myself over to the phone booth planted next to the sidewalk.

i fished for some coins out of my coat pocket and inserted them into their designated slot. my fingers shook with worry and madness to find him as i unhinged the phone and pressed it up to my numbing ear.

i dug for the crumpled piece of paper in my back pocket that contained chandler's cell phone number and dialed it.

"this is chandler, can't talk now, leave a message or whatever."

his automated voice recording speaks, and i think of the only other possibility coming to mind at this frantic moment. i hesitated for a good five minutes before putting the memorized phone number into the slot and waiting for the ring.

"hello?" his low and cheery voice rang out in curiosity.

"zack, i need your help." i pleaded, and the line was dead silent for so long until he finally sucked in a deep breath.

"why me? you had such a problem talking to me yesterday. you had to call in your little boyfriend to shove me into a wall." he so blatantly reminded me.

"because you're the only one who might know where he is. he was pissed at you, and that's why he left. did he come to you or not?" i push for an answer.