To My Dearest Enemy

Guilt

September 23

"If you're here to make anymore accusations, go fuck yourself and get out of here." Stella said as she shut the door behind her and stepped onto her front porch.

"I came to take back my accusations and tell you how incredibly sorry I am. You have to understand that I'm so pissed and scared. I even thought I had something to do with her disappearance for a minute. JD kidnapped her." Matt said.

"We're all feeling like pieces of shit, especially Jill and I. We argued with Hayden the last time we saw her and what if she doesn't come back? What if she's dead? Having you make these absurd accusations only made us feel worse. I swear to god if you said anything to put us on the suspect list..." Stella said.

"I didn't, did you? Put me or you on the suspect list?" Matt asked.

"Myself. And I may have told the detective to ask you where you got that bruise on your jaw." Stella sighed.

"You knew what to expect, what'd you do wrong?" Matt asked.

"I snapped at him when he asked me why you were still my ex if I forgave you and then I got pissed at you so I told him to ask you." Stella said.

"My bruise is irrelevant. I doubt they'll ask." Matt said.

"So what are you just here to apologize?" Stella asked.

"I would ask you to take me back, but I doubt that's gonna happen anytime soon." Matt said.

"Yeah, that won't happen for a while." Stella was going to have a hard time forgiving him.

"I don't think it's a good idea with Hayden being missing for us to make mistakes we'll regret." Matt said.

"Yeah." Stella agreed.

"I tried going to Alana's, but her dad wouldn't let me in. What's going on?" Matt asked.

"Our parents wanted to talk to us. I gotta go, Morgan showed up. We're gonna regroup later, you can come I guess." Stella said.

"Alright. Bye." Matt said. Stella faked a smile at him before opening the door, walking in her house, and shutting the door behind her.

———

Jill laid in bed staring at her ceiling. It was almost midnight and she couldn't sleep. She was busy thinking of Hayden. Thinking where she could be. She was probably scared, alone, hungry, and dehydrated. Maybe locked up. Or maybe she was dead. Maybe they killed her. Or maybe they were torturing her. She turned onto her side as she teared up. She couldn't help but feel it was her fault for Hayden's disappearance. She would never be able to forgive herself if she found out it was her fault. Her phone began to rang. She quickly snatched it and answered without checking the caller ID.

"Hello?" She asked sleepily. All she heard was heavy breathing. "Hayden?" She pulled the phone away from her ear and checked the caller ID. Blocked. "Hayden is that you?" A heavy door could be heard opening and then heavier breathing and panting. "Hayden!" Jill shouted. A grunt could be heard and  something that sounded like a body hitting the ground was heard. The call ended. Jill began crying as she dropped her phone. Her bedroom door flew open and her lights went on.

"Jill oh my god!" Lucille rushed to her side.

"Relax. Deep breathes. What happened?" Jill couldn't stop hyperventilating. Hayden was alive, and she wasn't okay.

———

Matt was sprinting down the street towards Alana's house. He was more afraid and angrier than he was before. Hayden was not okay and he knew that for a fact now that he had received that frightening call. They had to go to the cops and that was alright. Hayden may have gotten ahold of JD's phone and called him with it, but that had to have been a signal that she was still alive and he had to go to the police. He had to hurry. Alana was close to the police station, so he had time to get her, but he didn't have time to run across town. He pulled out his phone as he turned the corner onto Alana's street and called her.