One By One (editing)

Chapter Sixteen

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The morning managed to drag by at an unreasonably slow snail pace but I was able to keep myself busy with schoolwork. On my way to lunch, Gabe stopped me, tugging on my shoulder.

"I've been looking for you," he started, leading me out of the way of the crowds and up against a couple lockers. "You hung up on me last night."

"Yeah well boo hoo," I snapped. "Go cry to somebody else." I spun on my heel and began to walk away, angry tears blurring my vision.

"Carter?" He sounded surprised, a little hurt. But no sooner had I begun to walk away when he materialized in front of me again.

His facial features were hard but they immediately softened when he saw me sniff and wipe any remaining traitorous tears from my eyes.

"What?" I exasperated.

"It's okay to cry," he whispered softly even though the hallway was empty.

"Crying means I'm weak. The last thing I need to be right now is weak," I ranted. "Do you even know what is happening? In my home, in my life? My little brothers and sisters don't know what's happening. All I... all I can say is that it's going to be okay and hopefully everyone else will come back. But I don't know. I have no idea, Gabe." I whirled my hands around in an attempt to emphasize how much this stressed me out and how I had no idea what to do.

"Carter-"

"It's just," I sucked in a breath. "I don't even know where they are, if they're together, or if they're alive or not." I looked up at him, fear clouding my blue eyes. "I have no idea."

"Carter you don't have to do this by yourself. I know you have your family but I'm Luke's best friend, and I'm here too."
"Actually," I scoffed. "The last people I want to turn to right now are my family. The little kids are clueless and the adults...." My voice broke and I sucked in another breath as I shook my head. I didn't know what to think.

"Tell me about it." He tossed his bag to the side, slid down the lockers, and patted the spot next to him.

Even though I joined him on the floor, I hesitated, "I can't tell you Gabe. You're the sheriff's son, you're obligated to tell him stuff about the case and follow the rules and crap like that, right?" I leaned my head back on the cool metal and looked over at him.

He shot an annoyingly adorable smirk at me. "Never stopped me before."

Despite my best efforts not to give in, I eventually caved into smiling at him. "Oh, yeah? Not even if we go through your dad's stuff and try to find out where my siblings are?"

He didn't falter a second, "Not even then. However," His smirk grew wider, "If we did go, we'd need to have a quality cover up story."

"Like?" I prompted, ending with a rising inflection.

"Use your imagination."

My mind was racing as thought after thought came in at scattered intervals. Slowly, my thoughts transitioned from cover stories to the distraction in front of me.

I needed a break from school to figure out the family part of my life.

We wanted to find a spot to make out.

I'm scared.

We wanted to skip school to go on a date or a road trip.

I needed somebody to escape with me.