The Searching Secret

Chapter 32

I sat up quickly, the dream I just had still fresh in my mind. I sat there for a minute, trying to figure out what the dream meant. Once my eyes landed on the clock, I no longer cared. It was only fifteen minute until seven o'clock, and I didn't want to be even a minute late.

When I pulled up to a hole in the wall, apartment complex, I thought I had the wrong place. Yet, after checking the address on the card twice, and checking twice again that I put it correctly into the GPS, I knew I had to be at the right place. I got out of the car and glanced around. The light above me flickered a few times before it went out completely. So, when I located the main entrance, I hastily walked towards it and entered.

When I walked in, I almost walked out. This did not look like a place the Evan I knew would spend his time. I took a quick step back, as a cockroach scurried across the floor in front of me. There was no way this was where Evan meant to send me.

"Can I help you?" the red headed lady, at the front desk asked, followed by a few snaps of her gum.

Then again, if he was in hiding, no one would look for him here, so I might as well try. The lady looked at me, obnoxiously chewing her gum and twirling her hair with her fingers. "Um. . . I am here to see the guy in room 32."

The lady raised her eyebrows, and lowered her glasses on her nose. "Room 32, you say?"

"Yes, he said to be here at seven."

"And that you are," she replied, after looking at the clock. "But, ain't nobody in that room."

"Oh... well can you tell me where this is?" I asked, handing her the card Evan gave me earlier. I knew I was in the wrong place.

The lady took the card, and lowered her glasses again on her nose, to look at it. After glancing at it, she shook her head and handed the card back to me. "That be right here."

"You mean I am at this address?" I asked, pointing to the address on the card.

"That's what I said."

I stared down at the card for a minute, and then looked back at the lady. "Can you double check there is no one in room 32?" I asked.

The lady sighed, and typed something into the computer. "Rooms been empty since last night."

"Oh," was all I could say in response.

I figured I must have the wrong place, that was until the lady spoke again. "Very handsome young man was staying there. Always flirting whenever he walked by." The lady felt happy, as she remembered this.

"You remember the guy?" I asked.

She smiled again. "Mhmm, he was my favorite."

I knew it was this guy that was making her feel so special. And I just had to know. I knew it would be harmful to myself, but I had to know if the man who was here, was Evan. So, I quickly reached out and grabbed her arm.

I only go a flash of her memory attached to her feelings, before she shook me off. Yet, it was enough. The guy from room 32, was Evan. "What the heck!" she shrieked, terrified about being grabbed.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, as I grabbed a hold of the counter to try and steady myself. I was feeling lightheaded and dizzy, and I wasn't quite sure what was causing it. That fact that I just used my ability, or that Evan was standing me up. He wasn't even here. He didn't even plan on being here. I took in two quick breathes, trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall. Evan wasn't here, and I had let the one person who cared deeply about me, slip away.

"You okay?" the lady asked, now feeling concerned and slightly disgusted at my appearance.

I took another deep breath, as I nodded my head. "Can I use your phone?" I asked, just above a whisper. I knew I had messed up. This was all part of some game to Evan. He didn't really care. He probably doesn't even know anything and I gave everything up with Jay on a wild card. I had to try and fix it. . . Even though I knew I might be too late.

"Sure," the lady said, eyeing me suspiciously, as I quickly wiped away a tear that had escaped. "Through that door way, on the wall," she pointed.

I nodded my thanks, and quickly made my way to the phone. I hoped I wasn't too late. I picked the phone up off the receiver and quickly dialed the number I've known by heart. I felt like time was frozen and my heart sunk deeper with each echoing ring.

Finally the ringing stopped, and a voice came from the other end of the call. "Hello?"

My heart lightened some at the sound of his voice. "Jay," I said softly, followed by a cry I muffled with my hand. Tears were running down my face now, and I could no longer stop them. I was hurt by Evan's cruel game and the only place I wanted to be was Jay's arms.

"Riley?" he said concern filling his voice. "Riley, are you okay? Where are you? Is something wrong?"

"Jay," I cried. "I messed up . . ."

"What do you mean? Did he hurt you?" Jay asked, anger filling his voice now.

"No," was all I could get out, because of the sob I was trying to hold back.

"Talk to me, Ri," Jay said, after a long pause.

"He isn't even here," I finally managed to say. When he didn't respond, I thought I might have lost the phone connection. "Jay?"

"I'm here," he replied, sounding more annoyed now then anything. "What do you want, Riley?"

"I wanna come home, Jay," I cried into the phone. "I messed up, I should have left with you. There is nothing here for me." I paused for a response from him, but when I didn't get one I quickly got control of myself and added, "I want to be with you, Jay."

I heard him sigh. "Are you somewhere safe?" he asked at last, the concern returning to his voice.

"I don't know," I said, my voice wavering some.

"Can you get back to the hotel we were at?"

"Yes," I nodded, as I wiped another tear away.

"Good. Get back there and wait for me. I'll be on the next flight."

"Jay."

"Yeah?" He replied, his voicing seeming somewhat distant.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome," he sighed. "And Riley?"

"Yeah?"

"Everything's going to be okay. I've got you."

I smiled now, my hand holding the heart around my neck and replied, "I know."

When I hung up the phone, I took a deep breath, and tried my best to make my face presentable. Finally, I stepped back into the main office. The lady at the desk watched my every step. I knew she was worried, so I gave her a small smile and said thank you. Then, to avoid her awkward stare, quickly left the building.

I knew it would be a couple hours, at the very least, before Jay would arrive, but I wanted to get back to the hotel as fast as I could. When I reached my car, a smile had grown on my face. I couldn't wait to go home and see my family again, see my friends again, but most of all, I couldn't wait to see Jay again. There was still a few weeks of summer left. Maybe, we could actually save the mess of a summer I made.

I was just about to put my key in the lock, to unlock my car, when a damp clothe covered my mouth and nose. I tried my best to fight the hand that was holding it. I dug my nails into the arm the hand was connected to, and tried to use my heel to make contact with the body behind me. It didn't take long for my fighting to become weakened, and soon I was unable to fight at all. I become limp in my capturer's arms and then, everything went black.

A/N

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