Endless || Jonah Marais ✓

♪ THIRTY-THREE ♪

"What the fu-"

Aurora's argument is silenced by the arrival of another car pulling into the Reynolds driveway behind their rental car. She whirls around but Jonah gently grabs her elbow before she can storm up to the two teenage girls stepping out of the vehicle, causing her to settle for glaring daggers at them instead.

The brunette who had been behind the wheel slips on sunglasses despite the gloomy weather, looking as though she'd rather be anywhere else as she follows the upset blonde to the front porch.

"Who the hell are you?" Aurora demands, ignoring Jonah's feeble attempts to calm her down.

The brunette huffs in annoyance, quickly receiving a warning look from her friend as she murmurs something in her ear.

"I'm Laila," the blonde introduces herself, offering her hand. Aurora ignores the gesture and crosses her arms, causing Laila's hand to drop back to her side. "And this is Casey."

Zach furrows his eyebrows and glances back and forth between the two, attempting to remember where he's heard the names before.

"Why are you here?" He questions.

"To help you find Carmen," Casey snaps, her tone implying that it should have been obvious. "You won't be able to without our help."

"What makes you think that?" Aurora asks, not so subtlety glancing to where Mrs. Elliot is still speaking to Jackson's useless mother. "How do you even know she's missing?"

"Carmen's mom called us yesterday," Laila explains patiently. "And there's this place on the outskirts of town that Jackson always goes to."

"Take us there," Jonah demands, squeezing Aurora's arm in reassurance before she can pounce on the girls. "Right now!"

"You might want to change first," Casey remarks, gesturing to Aurora's pyjamas with an obvious look of disgust. "It's not much warmer there."

"Why don't you-"

"I have a sweatshirt in the car she can borrow," Laila cuts Aurora off, being the first to step off the porch. "Let's just go."

Zach is the first to reach the car, practically slinging his body into the backseat. Aurora follows after, claiming the middle seat as Jonah climbs in last and shuts the door. Casey jumps into the driver's seat, slamming the door harder than necessary as she starts the car. Laila claims the passenger seat and turns around, offering Aurora a kind smile and a hoodie with a high school's name and mascot plastered over it. Aurora mumbles a half-hearted thank you, accepting the warm fabric.

"How far away is this place?" Zach questions, staring at the passing buildings and trees anxiously.

"Not too far," Laila reassures him nonchalantly. "We should be there in about twenty minutes."

"Can you drive faster?" He pleads.

"I can't." Casey rolls her eyes in annoyance. "I'm already driving over the speed limit."

"Give it a rest, Case," Laila says, glancing back at Zach, Aurora, and Jonah. "He just wants his friend back."

"Friend?" Aurora raises an eyebrow. "He's her Romeo, dipshit. That's more than friendship, if you ask me. And dammit, Casey, I don't care about the speed limit."

"You like Carmen?" Casey asks Zach, not taking her eyes off the road in front of her and ignoring Aurora's comment.

"Yeah, why?" Zach questions, tapping his foot impatiently.

"I never thought Carmen would get a famous guy." She shrugs. "Jackson is the only guy that's ever really liked her before, I guess."

"Just shut the fuck up. No one cares," Aurora groans. "Now where are we going?"

"I think Jackson would've taken her to the warehouse," Casey says. "We all used to hang out there before Cam left for Los Angeles. It was our secret hideout, away from everyone."

"Are you the only two that know about it?" Jonah questions.

"Other than Carmen and Jackson, yes," Laila answers steadily. "Wait- I think Case might've brought Cole before."

"I'm glad that bitch is gone," Casey mutters under her breath. "Stupid asshole cheated on me with my best friend."

"Hold up." Aurora leans forward. "You mean to tell me that you believe that bullshit that Jackson spouted to you?"

"Jackson wouldn't lie to me," Casey states. "He never has."

"Bitch, please," Aurora snaps. "You need to pull that polished stick out of your ass and face the facts; Carmen didn't sleep with your fugly boyfriend."

"But Cole told us himself." Laila frowns, glancing back at the three. Zach's attention snaps up to her and Aurora's expression plummets. "What? Didn't Carmen tell you?"

"He told you that?" Zach asks slowly, his face falling with every word.

"That's supposedly why he left," Casey sighs. "He was too embarrassed with himself. And when Jackson found out, he was heartbroken. He went psychotic without her."

"Cole and Jackson aren't liars," Laila says with a weak smile. "I'm sorry, you guys. Carmen isn't the person you thought you knew."

"You have to be lying." Aurora narrows her eyes. "Our Caramel would never do something like that, let alone lie to us about it."

"The football team beat her up for making the school lose its two best players," Casey goes on. "It wasn't too bad, I don't believe. She only got a few bruises. She deserved it, though. She drove Cole away and made Jackson go crazy."

"What about the rumors you guys started about her?" Zach clenches his jaw. "Was that a lie too?"

"Is that what she told you?" Casey snorts. "Yes, actually. That was a lie too. There were no rumors spread. Cole spouted to a couple of his friends, and they took it too far. He never meant to hurt her like that. No one did- she just overreacted."

"I don't understand. Why would she lie like that?" Jonah asks. "She's never lied to us, and I don't think she'd start now. How do we know you aren't the ones lying?"

"I'm telling you what I know," Casey defends herself. "I mean- new place, new life, right? People can change, and maybe you got the wrong end of the line."

"But why would she make up something like that? She would've known we'd find out about it sometime."

"Secrets," Laila sighs. "Believe me, I'd like to believe her story too. It's believable, I have to admit. But after hearing different sides of the story, I know who's side I'm on."

Aurora glances over at Zach, who lays his head on the car window, his face hard in concentration.

"I know who's side I'm on too," he says softly. "I've always been on the same side, and I'm not giving up on the girl I love."