Without Direction

Chapter 5

One day rolled into the next and before they knew it, it was the week the AS/A level  exams started and the year 12's had been hard at work preparing.

"Pops. We have 10 minutes, I want you out of that room and ready to go." Chris Mead shouted from where he was stood in the kitchen."Poppy?" Chris called for what seemed like the umpteenth time. He had been calling her continuously for the last 5 minutes, it was her first day of exams and she couldn't be late.

Chris, himself had been rushing around, he had an early morning meeting with Michael, Tom and Sian before the first exam. He couldn't be late either. Poppy should've been ready by now. She wasn't even going to have time for breakfast at this rate, they'd just have to pick something up on the way.

"Poppy?" Chris called, again as he deposited his mug into the sink.

When Poppy didn't answer Chris knew he had no choice but to see what was wrong. Maybe she over slept and she herself was rushing around to make sure she wasn't late.

Opening the door he noticed that Poppy wasn't in her room. Her bed sheets were made, her school stuff was gone, it was like she hadn't even slept in here. She hadn't left early. He had been up since 5 and was generally a light sleeper, which had made parenting a teen that much easier so surely he would've heard her?

"Shit." He muttered. Entering further into the room, Chris - out of fear - checked his daughter's wardrobe, praying that she hadn't run away. It wasn't that he thought Poppy would do such a thing but he could recall previous years where she would freak out about assessments but Charlotte had been there then, she was always great with that kind of stuff.

Sighing in relief, the teacher backed out of the room when he noticed nothing was out of the ordinary. Maybe Tom and Michael had been right, she was acting out because of Charlotte. He had been reminded that the anniversary of the accident was fast approaching and he knew it was going to be difficult on not only Poppy but himself too.

"Come on pops. Where are ya?"

Chris panicked. His daughter wasn't home, he quickly reached for his phone, dialling anyone and everyone that would know where Poppy was. His first point of call had been Lauren.

He stood running his hand over his face as he waited for his daughter's best friend to answer. When she finally did, he sighed in relief. "Lauren? Lauren, yeah it's-"

"Mr Mead? Everything okay?" Lauren asked, slightly weary. Granted, Chris Mead was her best friend's dad and it hadn't been unusual for her to speak with him but this seemed...strange.

"You haven't heard from Poppy have you?"

On the other line, Lauren paused before she spoke. "...no, is she okay? She was pretty nervous about the exam today. We told her to come over but she said she wanted to stay at ho-"

"What? I thought she was revising with you lot?" Chris was now even more concerned not only was Poppy not there but she hadn't been where she said she was going to be the previous night either. Had he missed something? Was all the arguing with Amy Porter a way of acting out?

"Mr Mead? Is she okay?" Lauren asked nervously. Poppy had been acting out recently, what if it was more than just exam stress?

"Look. Lauren. I've got to go but if you hear from her, just let me know." He pleaded, before hanging up and quickly leaving his home.

All these questions and no answers.

****

Chris searched everywhere.  He had left soon after getting off the phone with Lauren Andrews. He had tried calling and calling his daughter but she wasn't answering and he was seriously concerned. She, like every other teenager was glued to her phone and she would always answer her dad's calls, without fail.