ROSE

16. Disappeared

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When the alarm went off, I was already awake. Every time I fall asleep, I find myself thinking about something bad happening to Anthony which makes me open my eyes to shake it away.

The first thing I did when I woke up was call Anthony but again, his phone was still closed. I will try again later today.

I got up to get ready for class and was not even surprised when I saw the bags under my eyes when I looked in the mirror. I looked like a trash bag. I looked dead.

Today was Tia's birthday party and I thought about calling and telling her that I can't come. I wasn't at all in the mood to dance and party. I just wanted to finish my class and come home to sleep. But I felt bad. Tia wasn't really close to me, at least not as close as Rita is to me, but we were also close and not going to her birthday will make her sad.

I decided to make this decision after class. I left a little early to buy my coffee without even waiting for Anthony. Something in me told me that he won't show up. His phone was still off anyways. I sort of gave up trying to find him, more when I went to the gym to ask for his address and didn't find Cameron or anyone I saw around Anthony before.

I looked at his locker again and from the way his locker was placed, I could tell that he didn't open it since yesterday. I was placed the same way I saw it yesterday. I closed my eyes, trying to just keep myself together and decided to walk to my class.

I tried to concentrate a little to take my mind off these bad thoughts but my concentration didn't last longer than five minutes before my mind found its way back to them angry thoughts.

I was happy that Rita changed my schedule and gave me Friday off especially because it's Rita's birthday today but the more I walk through the day, the more my intentions to go to the party vanishes.

It's been more than 30 hours since I last heard from him and it scares me so much. It puts me in a depressing mood, not knowing where he is or how he is doing or why isn't he answering or even when will he come back.

I grabbed my phone on my way back home and called Rita.

"Hey." I started.

"What's up?" She yelled, with the excitement is being so clear in her tone.

"I don't know if I will be able to come." I said.

"What?" She yelled.

There was loud music where she was, I could hear it, but I was too weak and lazy to yell right now.

"Okay, I went out. What did you say?" She calmly said as the loud music started to fade away.

"I said; I'm not sure if I'm the mood to come to the party today."

"Are you kidding me?" I could tell her face was holding an annoyed expression as she sighed. "I'm coming to get you. You better be ready before I arrive. We need help with planning the backyard!"

Knowing how much Tia means to Rita, I wasn't surprised when I found out that Rita is doing the party at her own house for Tia's birthday. It was honestly better for me because she lives closer to me than Tia.

I tried to tell her that I will apologize to Tia but she even refused to listen to me. She even walked in my apartment, helped me pick a dress and forced me to wear it and even forced me to put makeup on even if when I didn't want to.

"I don't usually use a lot of makeup on my face, Rita!" I whined.

"Too bad, you will today." She stayed concentrated on my face and what she was putting on it.