Over the next week, I get a little bit more information from Kayla, piece by piece. I am stilling trying to put this puzzle back together. Kayla is home again, the house has been cleaned up. Dad is taking breaks from his hunts. I don't know when I will be able to start my regular hunting anymore. MItch is still missing, and Kayla and I are being expected to go back to school. I haven't talked to Beth much, lately. I hardly ever talked to my little brother, but I realize how much I have been missing now. Dad doesn't want me out searching in the woods, but he himself is hardly home, because he is so desperate to find his only son.
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At school, I just drag thrpigh all of my classes, like a zombie, I am zoned out, just shambling down the halls. I sit next to Bethany in science though, and she decides to snap me out of it.
"Dude, we need to go do something," she exclaims, annoyed by my silence.
"Like what?"
"Hmm . . . We are shopping after school today!"
I just look at her. I don't really do a lot of shopping, but it is usually more bearable with Bethany.
"We will drive to that mall in Grand Rapids!"
"Bethany, that is several hours away! And I can't leave Kayla home alone, especially right now."
"We can bring her with, and see a movie at the cinema in the mall. Some kid's movie is supposed to be out I think. Besides, you have complaining for monthes about that pair of boots that 'would be so handy, yet perfect fasionably, and you so like'!"
"I did not say anything about fashionable!" She finally gets me to laugh, and it takes several minutes for us to stop, by wich point, we were starting to recieve wierd looks from our peers and science teacher.
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Later, at lunch, I am looking around the cafeteria and just happen to notice that James isn't here. I don't think much of it first, but by the third day of his abscence, I am getting extremely curious about his whereabouts.
"Hey, Beth," and I earn an eyeroll for cutting her off, mid rant. "Where is James? I have't seen him all week-"
"Have you been looking for him? That will raise his ego alright," and she raises an eyebrow, slyly.
"No, but his annoying voice and prescense tend to delve into my life many times a day," and I sigh, exasperated. She may try to joke it off, the possibility that I might have feelings for him. But as her best friend, I can tell that such possibilities hurt her, even though he hasn't tried to go out with her a second time. She has fallen way too hard for someone she doesn't even know. Poor Bethany.
"He didn't show up that first Monday MItch went missing. And you weren't here."
"Hmm . . "
"Or any day after that," How odd . . .
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Surprisingly, the next day, I am in class, and guess who, sure enough comes into class, ten minutes late. None other than James Pond.
"Really? James Pond? Actually coming to school before the end of the day?!" I sarcastically chide at hime.
"In the flesh!"
I roll my eyes, "Where on earth have been Pond? I heard you went A-Wol for awhile there."
