Guilt: A Fractured Minds Novel

Chapter Seventeen

"What do you mean by that?"

"I think something may have happened to her. There's a reasons she hasn't contacted anyone yet. What if she got abducted or is injured somewhere? What if she-"

"Alexandria you need to take a breath. Okay? Just breathe." Humoring him I take a breath, "Now you are saying that you think something more happened than her? More than her not wanting to be found?"

"Jared I know that 'her not wanting to be found' isn't true because that's not what happened."

"How do you know that? Huh Alexandria?" Jared stands up and begins to pace in front of me. His shoes causing the wood chips to squirm under the weight.

"I found her journal and the last thing written in there was that her boyfriend was going to take her on a date of some sort."

"That proves nothing! If you were going to disappear why on earth would you write it down in a journal? A place that others could easily read it? I'm assuming that you wouldn't want to be found, so you'd keep it all to yourself."

My grip on the metal chain grows tighter as I say."She wouldn't do that. She's not like that."

"Oh really?'

"Yes really. So what are you saying? That she was taken or something?"

"No Alexandria. I'm saying that we don't know what happened to her therefore you shouldn't jump to conclusions. It does nothing, but spins you in circles. You are so desperate to make something out of nothing that you don't even see how insane it all is. This has to some sort of grief stage because that's the only way your behavior makes any sense."

"I'm not in any stage of grief. I know that something happened to her, but I just can't prove it. It's not insane-"

"Yes it is."

"How could you not even consider what I've said?"

"I have been. I don't believe your theories because it's like the rantings of a mad man. Solving Victoria's disappearance is a job for the police department, not you." Biting my bottom lip while getting off of the swing I watch him as he stands as still as a statute. Unmoving and cold as the words tumble from his lips, "What you've said is illogical. Bad things happen all the time whether we like it or not. Sadly there's nothing we can do to stop it and you're sister's disappearance is one of them. That's all there is to it, she's just missing. Nothing you say or do will change that fact."

Standing right in front of him almost nose to chest I look straight into his eyes and say, "I'll find her."

Pain envelops his features at my words, almost like he knows how this will end: in pain.

"Al-"

"Jared I'm going to find her with or without you. Just wait-"

"Ally, this is just the grief talking. You don't want to go down that path because it will just cause you more pain in the end."

"You were right about him Alex... Are you happy now? Did you get what you wanted, huh? It hurts that you were right! Why did you have to be right? Why?" At her harsh words I look into her sharp brown eyes.

"No, this isn't what I wanted-"

Her emotions raging out of control her words turn into weapons, "What did you want? For me to be miserable?"

"No, I'm just trying to look out for you." I say my eyes flickering to the people around us. The few that are closest to us had watched as he broke her heart before leaving. Before I walked over and her anger took her emotions over.

"I don't need anyone to look out for me-"

"Victoria you know just as well as I do that the two of you have-had-an unhealthy relationship."

"No Alexandria. The unhealthy relationship wasn't between Nicholas and I, it's with you and I. I hate you." With those words like the last nail on the coffin lid she marches off towards one of the many coolers.

"Alexandria?" Closing my eyes a few tears slip through ignoring Jared momentarily. What have I done? I was right? What was I right about, the fact that Nicholas is a crappy boyfriend or was it something else? Where the last few words spoken between us hateful? I'm so sorry Victoria, I think to myself as Jared takes a step backwards away from me. Shutting my eyes tightly I refuse to go to Jared for comfort considering the words that he's spoken to me. I can't because he's just like everyone else. Why did I ever think telling him was a good idea?

Opening my eyes Jared is gone like the sun slipping towards the east.Wiping my cheeks to erase the remains of my tears. The hole inside of me seems to grow bigger than before. Wasn't this what I wanted?