Anything but Typical

Chapter 8

To say that I was freaking out was putting it mildly. Imagine an emo discovering black veil brides for the first time and you'll come close to how I was reacting when I found the anagram.

I started hyperventilating, and then it was getting hard to breathe. Slowly, I took a deep breath in and a deep breath out. About 5 minutes later I was back to flipping out again. 

About an hour later, when everyone came back to my house, I was a mess. I almost pulled out all my hair and out of frustration I had thrown a coffee cup (with coffee in it) at the wall. I was officially going crazy.

Noah walked up to me and slapped me across the face, before I could throw something else across the room.

"Boy. Chill out. Now I will slap you again if you don't tell me what's wrong. You have 5 minutes. Go"

I took another deep breath. 

Then I started explaining anagrams and how they related to the big ass pile of books that were sitting on my dining table. That would take a hell of a long time to clean up later. I mentally groaned.

"Ok," said Robin, carefully. "I don't understand why this has you all worked up."

"How do you not understand?!" I exploded. "My girlfriend is missing and the only information we have is a note saying 'help me'! How would I now flip out?"

Scarlet interrupted me before I could continue "So why are you throwing stuff at the wall? I'm not helping you clean that up by the way." 

I thought about my answer  this time so that I would have a little more control over myself this time.

"It's just so frustrating, you know?"

I looked at each of them in turn and sighed. Of course they didn't know. How would they? 

I started over again

"We don't have any information on where she could be and I'm honestly starting to freak out. What if she's dead and there's no hope left?"

Noah looked at Molly and gave her a look. A look that said, how high is this dude right now?

I looked at them in confusion. What did I say that would make them think that? They realize that Jess is in trouble, don't they? 

"You guys don't believe me." I said in a dejected tone.

Noah looked like he was about to say something, but Robin interrupted him before he could talk.
"It's not that, it's just, what do you want us to do about this? Drive across the country to find your girlfriend?"

I sat silently for a moment.

"That's precisely what I'm asking you guys to do. You guys are my closest friends and I couldn't think of anyone better to take with me".

Nobody said anything for a while. We were all just sort of sitting there staring at each other.

After what seemed like hours, but was probably only 5 minutes, Scarlet broke the silence.

"I'm in."

Molly stared at her in horror.

Scarlet stared right back.

 It was almost like they were having a conversation with just their eyes. 

What is wrong with you? Molly seemed to be asking

I just want to help Scarlet replied evenly

this went on for a few moments while Noah and Robin started making coffee.

I sat next to them, watching on in interest. This  reminded me of when I first met Jess's parents.

*Cue flashback*

It was a sunny July evening and Jess had persuaded me to come and meet her parents. I had begrudgingly agreed and I was standing on the porch, about to ring the doorbell.

Don't screw this up, Drew Jess had told me earlier that day.

I took a deep breath and rang the doorbell.

While I was waiting, I looking around the garden  surrounding the porch and noticed all the dead flowers. 

Well, somebody doesn't care about their garden I thought,running my hands through my hair nervously.

When somebody finally came to answer the door, a middle aged women stepped outside. She had blonde hair and green eyes. When I looked into her eyes, it was like looking into an older version of Jess's eyes. These eyes looked like they were tired because of everything they had seen in life. 

"Hello! You must be Drew! Jess has told me so much about you. Though I must say, you look a lot  better up close than you do in pictures". Said the woman, beaming.

I could feel a light blush, creeping up on my neck. What pictures had she shown her? Nothing too bad I hope. 

"Hi, it's nice to meet you." I said nervously. I was trying to make a good impression that day, but honestly, even if her parents despised me, I wouldn't have stopped pursuing her. She's too good to just let go like that. 

Jess later on joked that I went from 'hi sir it's nice to meet you' to 'your daughter calls me daddy too' but I didn't find it that amusing. 

As Jess's mom, who I later came to know as Nancy, led me to the house to the dining room, I looked around, at their painfully cramped house. There were picture frames cluttered everywhere. There were pictures of Jess and her little brother, Rory, through the years from birth up until the present. 

When we reached the dining table, Jess and her dad were setting places for 5.

As an attempt at conversation, I tried talking to Jess's father, Kyle. 

"Hello sir, it's nice to meet you". 

He looked over at me and studied me closely, staring at what felt like every hair and part of skin. It felt like I was a little kid again and I was at the doctor, and the doctor was trying to figure out what was wrong with me.

Kyle was trying to figure out what was wrong with me and why I shouldn't date his daughter.

"Well, Jess I expected someone better looking after all you raved about him yesterday." Her dad said, not taking his eyes off of me.

Ok, I had to admit that stung. A lot. I was expecting something more along the lines of "It's nice to meet you too."

Nancy gave her husband a hard stare that seemed to say "What is wrong with you?"

and Kyle gave her a look that said "Nothing much."

*Back to the present*

Scarlet and Molly's speechless argument finally came to a close when Molly gave in and said "I'm in"

When I confronted Noah and Robin about it, they just agreed without a second thought.

"Are you guys on drugs or something? Why aren't you telling me what a bad idea this is?"

"'Cause we support you, bro. We just want what's best for you." Noah said through a cup of coffee.

Robin nodded his head in agreement as he was chowing down another slice of pizza.

This was going to be fun. 

A/N sorry for the  late update I had no idea what to do with this chapter so my friend helped me a little with it s/o to  Lydia719