Intertwined

Chapter 18

Lauren's POV

My headache has only seemed to have gotten worse and the hot sun shining down on me is only making it worse. Dragging this heavy backpack and my worn out body has only proven to be a challenge. 

I checked out of the motel roughly an hour an a half ago and am now walking along the side of a busy highway. I've refused several offers for a ride. I want to walk, I don't want to burden anymore people or feel obligated to talk to them or owe them anything. There's a bus stop I'm heading to, it's not very far from where I am now. I'd arrive in close to thirty to forty minutes.

I stop for a moment to take a drink out of my water bottle before continuing down the shoulder of the highway. This is going to be a long walk.

Camila's POV

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN SHE'S NOT HERE? YOU LOST HER AGAIN?!" Clara screams at the head of the hospital who had one of Lauren's nurses right next to him. We have all been stressed out and worried all morning since we arrived at the hospital and saw the same chaos as the last time they lost Lauren. This time she really did disappear and is nowhere to be found. I am surprisingly not crying but very still. I'm trying to think of places Lauren might have gone, or why she really left. Sure, I'm scared and freaking out but I'm not physically showing it.

"Ma'am calm down. She's disappeared and we can't find her but the local authorities have been informed but cannot do anything until she's been missing for 24 hours since the patient is an adult. We have reviewed the security footage and saw that she escaped her room late last night and left the hospital. The footage ends at her disappearing from the parking lot and walking out of the hospital gates." The head of the hospital states.

"What the hell am I supposed to do for another 12 hours? She's been gone for 12 hours which means she could be anywhere by now. Do you have any idea what can happen? My little girl is an anorexic that is severely underweight, she self harms, is suicidal and dependent on pills. We were going to check her in to a rehab because she's a danger to herself. Now she is out there on her own doing who knows what and is probably dead because she is supposed to be on an IV to put the things into her body that she needs to survive! I'm going to find her on my own meanwhile the police sit around and wait. I hope this teaches you to watch out for your patients better." And with that Clara storms off with Mike following behind her. After a second of realization the rest of us walk in the direction they went.

We all get into the van and drive off onto the highway. "Let's put the clues together." Clara suddenly says, pulling in to a bank parking lot and parking the car. She turns to face us with a face full of determination. "She left at around midnight which means that most stores had been closed except for the 24 hour pharmacy's, gasoline stations and other places. She would have had to sleep somewhere and she knows better than to sleep out on the street." She states.

"But...she isn't close to anyone here so she didn't sleep at a friend's place." Normani chimes in.

"And she doesn't have much energy to walk too far..." Dinah trails off.

"There are a couple motels in the area around the hospital! Which means that if she did stay at one she would have had to pay which means she would have had to gone to a 24 hour ATM!" Ally says quickly.

"GOOD ALLY! AND LOOK! THIS IS THE BANK HER BANK ACCOUNT IS AT AND HER CARD IS CONNECTED TO!" I yell out in a voice dripping with hope and excitement. Clara immediately opens her door and runs into the bank.

We all run after her and just as we walk into the bank we see Clara talking loudly to a man in a suit and making lots of vigorous hand gestures. The man nods and leads her over to a computer. We all trail behind her like a pack of lost puppies. "Yes, I remember her. She said something about a record deal and that's why she needs all her money in her account. She took it all out in cash. Before I can reveal anything more can I see your ID to make sure you are who you say you are." Clara takes out her drivers license and hands it to the dude. He takes a look at it and nods. "Alright. What's the girl's name?" the man asks.

"Lauren. Lauren Michelle Jauregui."

"400,000 dollars in cash. She took every last cent out of her account. I hope that helps and that it helps you find her." The man says with an apologetic voice.

"Thank you. It did." Clara says vaguely before walking quickly out the bank doors. She gets into the car and waits for all of us to get in before talking. 

"Last night she came to this ATM and took out 500 dollars. I'm assuming it was for a motel room. About three hours ago she came here and took out 400,000 dollars in cash. There is a lot she can do with that money. Now let's think." She says calmly yet frantically.

"How about we check the closest motels that are around here to see if anyone saw her?" I suggest. She agrees almost instantly and starts the car. For the next hour we go around to different motels asking about Lauren and getting negative results. But just as we were about to give up a lady that runs a motel that is about five miles away from the bank says she saw her.

"Are you sure it's this girl you saw?" Dinah asks once again, showing the lady a recent picture of Lauren.

"Yes, except she looked skinnier and had dark bags under her eyes. She walked like she was just trudging her weight on her back. She looked really tired but when she checked in she talked in a worn out, cracked voice although I can still hear the nervousness in it. She said she needed to stay for the night up into this afternoon. Paid in cash." The lady responded

"When did she check out?!" I jump in quickly

"She checked out....SHE CHECKED OUT JUST TEN MINUTES AGO! SHE SAID SHE WAS GOING TO GET HER BAGS JUST AFTER SHE HAD FINISHED CHECKING OUT! SHE MIGHT STILL BE IN THIS AREA OR IN HER ROOM!"

"What room??!!" Mike yells hopefully

"Room 1-109. Here take a key. You already showed me your ID and I have a kid as well so I'll do this just for you." We take the key and run down to that room that is on the first floor. As soon as we arrive and unlock the door we run in hoping to see Lauren but the sight tears down that very same hope. Her bed had been folded and everything looks just as it would in a motel room when you first arrive. Nothing in that room showed a sign of Lauren being here but the faint smell of vanilla that Lauren has. Everyone sighs and starts inspecting the room. I go over to the nightstand where a notepad lay. I pick it up and see little doodles that Lauren always used to do. In the corner of the paper was a heart with my name inside of it. Tears begin to make their way into my line of sight and my vision blurs. 

Lauren was just here and she is in her darkest state but still shows that she loves someone even though she's running away from everything. God, I love her. I just want her to come home.

Wait...

Lauren was just here...

"LET'S GO!" I yell, making everyone jump.

"What's wrong? What's going on?" Dinah asks.

"Lauren was just here! Here is one of the doodles she usually draws. That means she really was here. The lady said she left ten minutes ago which means that she might still be around here. Let's go!" I say frantically.

I run out of the room and to the office where the lady that had helped us was. I give her the keys and thank her for her help and then I run out. When I reach the car everyone is in there waiting for me. We take off in search of the dark haired, green eyed girl we all love. Maybe we will find her but it isn't guaranteed. But we've got to keep looking or else all hope might be lost in the reality that Lauren really is gone.