Night Phoenix

Chapter Eleven

I pace back and forth on my room until the lights turn back on. I look in mirror. I'm a hot mess. Hair crazy, makeup smeared, my fingernails bitten.

I heard crashing a while ago, but I was too scared to go look.

I peak my head out of the room and look down the halls both ways.

I slowly walk out of the room and walk towards where I heard the crashing earlier. I see Sanvi and a few other inspecting the ground. Thomas, Rhy's friend paces up and down.

"What happened?" I ask Sanvi.

She points to the ground where there is blood.

My stomach knots.

"Rhy has been missing for two hours." Thomas croaks.

I take in a breath. "He has to be around."

Sanvi shakes her head.

"We looked everywhere."

I stare at the dark red liquid on the floor.

"Does his parents know?" I ask.

"Know what?" Rhy's mother and father walk around the corner.

I take in a breath.

"Rhy has gone missing." I break the news.

His mother stares at the blood.

"Is that his blood?" Her voice cracks.

I shuffle my feet on the ground and nod.

"We think it is."

Rhy's father shakes his head in disgust.

"He probably ran away like the coward he is." He growls.

I scoff.

"Rhy is not a coward. He wouldn't run away, especially this close to a war!" I raise my voice.

His mother wipes tears from her eyes.

"I don't get it..." She cried.

I bite on my already non-existent nails.

Where is he? 

"Poppy, can you help clean up?" Sanvi hands me a wet rag.

As I wipe up the blood, my stomach churns. The thought of the blood being Rhy's scares me.

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I pace up and down the halls, waiting for Rhy to hopefully return from seeing Master. It's been two hours since I found out. Four hours since Rhys been missing. 

Thunder booms outside and lightning lights up the halls. I breathe unsteadily. 

"You okay Poppy?" Lance walks around the corner.

My body stiffens at the sight of him.

"Yes, I'm fine.." I mumble.

"Look Poppy, you've been ignoring me ever since... you know.." He whispers.

I nod.

"Lance, it's just.. Imagine if one of your friends kissed you. Wouldn't that make you feel uncomfortable around them?"

"You think of me as just a friend?" His voice was barely above a whisper.

I simply look to the ground, making my brown hair fall into my face.

"Sorry." I apologize as thunder crackles in the background.

He fakes a smile at me.

"It's okay."