Fighting the Fall ✔

Chapter Twenty Seven

Chapter Twenty Seven

Lydia Dunst

All I could do was worry about Dustin. I knew seeing Bishop and McKenna off was something he had to do alone, but I was worried about the state of mind he was in. I didn't want him to take off, run away from his problems because I knew, if it were me, I'd run.

Even with my boxing gloves strapped onto my wrists, I felt like running. I stood in front of the heavy bag, thinking about punching it, working out my frustration but instead I just stood there with my hands at my side. I never noticed how much wear the bag had. I'd hit it until I passed out. My blood and sweat was soaked into the fabric. Not three months ago I would have described myself as a boxer. It was all I wanted to be. Now I wasn't so sure.

"Come on Lydia." I psyched myself up, cracking my neck side to side. I stood on my toes, waiting for the adrenaline to kick in, but it never came. I tightened my grasp and hit the bag, pain shot up my arm. "Dammit!"

I threw off my gloves and held my wrist, until the pain went away.

I looked at the time. It was six o'clock. Dustin should have been back by now.

I didn't want to be the girlfriend that constantly worried about her boyfriend. I always thought those girls were pathetic and annoying, but I wasn't worried about him cheating on me, I was worried about his safety. I had a bad feeling and usually I was right, usually. I looked at my last text to Dustin, I hope it goes okay, text me when you're coming home. It was sent two hours ago, delivered but not read.

I scrolled through my contacts and hesitated, before clicking on Josh's name. It rang once, then twice and then a third time before he answered.

"Hello, hello." He sounded like he was in a good mood and I was about to ruin it.

"Hey Josh, have you talked to Dustin?" I tapped my fingers on the arm of the chair, nervously. I felt like I was going behind Dustin's back, talking to his best friend but he wasn't giving me another choice.

"No I haven't. Why? What's up?" I could hear him starting to get worried.

"He's not back yet. I just feel like he should be and he's not answering me." I explained, feeling crazy saying it out loud.

"Oh shoot, I didn't even see the time. Yeah, he should be back by now." He agreed with me.

"Should I be worried?"

"He's not an in between kind of person. Either something's wrong or not. Plus he doesn't share, he'll just keep it to himself until it eats him up."

I nodded and then remembered he couldn't see me. "What does that mean?"

"Yeah, I'm worried."

"Do you think he's at the park?" I asked, I hated that I didn't know Dustin well enough to know where he'd go, or what he'd do when he was upset. There was no intuition that said, he'd be "here".

"We can check. Pick you up in ten minutes?" He offered.

I looked towards the wall of mirrors. My hair was standing up on end and sweat was beading over my foundation, but I didn't care.

"Yeah sure." I quickly agreed.

I'm a terrible girlfriend.

I gulped. I had to tell myself what I was doing wasn't wrong. I trusted Dustin with my life, but I was worried for him. How could I sit idly by while he was suffering? I had to do something. I pulled a sweater over my head. This was the right thing to do, I had to find him.

There was a knock at the door and I opened it to reveal Josh. Neither of us said anything, we just walked to his car.

"They're his life, he's spent so long doing everything to just keep them safe. I can't imagine what it feels like to let them go. After all this..." Josh muttered. I buried my head in my hands and shook my head.

"I really don't know." It was why I was so worried.

"But hey, he's not one to give up, alright?" He squeezed my shoulder as we pulled into the park. The parking lot was empty, Dustin's truck wasn't there.