Framed

Ten.

"Everything is pandemonium."
Lauren put her head in her hands.

She and the others had been called by Selena after she had told the police that Dinah was missing. They were currently at Dinah's house, in her room, hoping she would come back eventually.

The only two of them that were missing were Louis and Lucy. Louis had told Harry that he was boggled down with homework, and Lucy hadn't answered their messages since after school.

However, Lauren had heard from Vero, a mutual acquaintance of theirs (aka pot dealer), that Lucy had been at home when she saw her a few hours ago.

They would be okay, Lauren decided amid her contemplation. For now they needed to focus on Dinah.

Lauren Jauregui was a brooder. She wouldn't consider herself emotionless by any means, since her teen hormones raged through her like a dust devil in the desert. However, when confronted with trauma or stress, most often the first place she would turn to would be a place she knew her thoughts were safest - in her mind. To Lauren, the best way to let things pass was to mull them over until she could resolve the situation.

Then again, her best friend going missing was no ordinary situation to just think away.

"If she's dead I'm going to bring her back just to kill her again." she quietly seethed, wringing her hands. "She can't just fucking leave us like this."

"I know, Laur," Ellie said, rubbing soft circles on Lauren's back. She noticed that her friend was shaking silently.

"Right when I need her and she fucking leaves."

Camila doesn't answer. She mutters aimlessly to herself as her phone tried to connect with Dinah's, trying to hear some trace of her phone that isn't on her voicemail.

Normani was sitting on the floor, in complete shock. Her skin was blanched due to worry, eyes still puffy from the tears she had cried just a few hours ago.

When she had found out that Dinah had gone missing, due to overhearing Lauren and Harry talking, she had stifled a sob in her throat, and simply said, faking a smile on her face -

"You know, I didn't think she disliked me that much."

Then the sob rang free from her trembling throat, and even Zayn had to resist wiping a tear from his eye.

After all, rejection is a pitiful form of a letdown, because one's expectations are often too high from the start.

-

It takes another two hours for Dinah to answer the phone calls that have been hounding her since Selena found out she was gone.

Camila had been expecting being left to voicemail yet again, once again being left to shout "WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU??" over the phone multiple times until the system hung up on her.

But this time was different. Dinah answered, voice laden with exhaustion, but also something else that Camila couldn't quite trace.

"Don't look for me." Dinah rasped out. "I don't want you to go looking for me."

"That's like asking Ally to become a Satanist, it's not gonna happen, Cheechee. Why are you telling us this?"

"I...I just need time for myself. I need time away from it all..."

Camila would have spoken in reply if it hadn't been for Lauren rushing and snatching the phone from her as Dinah waited for a response from Camila.

"What the fuck, Dinah? What the fuck? You're turning your back on us, Hansen. You're leaving us in the dirt when we need you most! Why?!"

"I'm not abandoning you."

"It sure fucking seems like it! Everything seems good and then you suddenly vanish!"

"I...I wish it could be that simple, Lauren."

"Then tell us. What is so urgent to you that you will literally drop everything and leave to attend to??"

"I'm not gonna tell you that."

"Then you're dead to me. I needed you. We needed you. And what do you do? Cast us off. Throw us aside like old sneakers."

"Lauren." Camila wrestled the phone out of her girlfriend's grip.

"Dinah," she begged once she had the phone in her hands again. "Please don't do this. Please don't leave."

"This is probably the last you'll hear from me for a while. If ever."

The creaking of a bus stopping echoed through the phone. Dinah cursed under her breath, and continued talking. "Tell my parents I'll be okay. That they won't find me, even if they do look. Tell them I'm sorry."

"Dinah -"

"Don't try calling me again. I'm going to trash this phone soon."

"Dinah, what about your siblings? Your family? You wouldn't leave them, Dinah."

"There are some things that become more important. You'll all be okay."

Once again, the creaking of a bus, and the sound of feet ascensing stairs was heard on Camila's side of the call.

"Look. I need to go. Keep an eye on Mani for me."

"Dinah-"

"Please."

And the phone was hung up.

-

Welp

I know it's really short but I'll have another update coming really soon

ALSO - after almost a year we have hit 10 Chapters yaaaaaay :))

I love you all and i hope you have a great day 💜

Stay safe and stay lit ;)

- Sel