Fog Lines

Chapter 5: Jay.

I shoulder check Brian as I pass him and enter the cafeteria. The room is nowhere near as full as before, as this is only first lunch, but it was still very quiet. I could make out the shapes of Lily and Mia at our table but Jack's nowhere to be seen. Wonder where he went off to. I stumble in surprise as Brian hits my shoulder and passes me once, laughing as he goes.

"Asshole," I mumble and follow him to the table. I throw my backpack under a seat and sit down beside Brian. Mia looks at me and Brian quizzically.

Brian glances at me before looking back at Mia and asking, "What?"

"Maddi and Jack aren't with you? We haven't seen them since the assembly," She explains.

"Yeah, they weren't in third period either. They just kind've disappeared," Lily adds.

I pull my phone out of my pocket and open the message app. "I'll text Jack and see where he is."

"Aren't you going to text Maddi? We don't know where she is either," Mia points out.

I hesitate for a moment before confidently responding, "Well of course. She is my sister after all."

Before I can text Jack, Brian says, "He's in the nurse's office with Maddison."

We all look at him in surprise, and Lily asks, "How'd you figure that out?"

"I texted him just now since you were taking forever," he replies bluntly.

Why is He with her? I huff slightly and put my phone back into my pocket.

Brian looks down at his phone and says, "They're on their way."

No sooner does he say that Jack and Maddison appear at the table.

"Hey. Sorry we're late, Madd had to go to the nurse and I didn't want to go to science," Jack explains, seeming to be more awake then earlier.

Mia, Brian, and Lily all nod their heads understandingly and start to eat their food. I watch as Maddison and Jack sit down next to each other. They do some strange nod to each other and Jack sits up.

Jack clears his throat and asks, "So what are you guys doing for spring break?"

Lily perks up at the question and answers quickly, "I'm going to Canada to visit my grandparents for the break. I'll finally get to visit my favorite aunt for the first time in 10 years."

Mia looks over and at Lily and smiles before saying, "I don't think my family is doing anything."

Jack glances at Brian, who is still on his phone, and asks, "How bout you, Brian?"

He looks up from his phone for long enough to say, "I got plans," then goes back to taping away at his phone.

"Well," Jack begins, not even waiting for me to answer, "My mom gave me permission to take some friends out for spring break using our nicer car. So if you guys wanna come with us you can."

I huff slightly and say, "Well, I'm not sure what our parents have in plan, but I'm pretty sure I and Maddison won't be able to join you."

Maddison looks at me with a strange expression, like a mix of confusion and annoyance, and retorts, "Umm, actually. Mom has already given me permission to go, and she said that you have to go with. Both Mom and dad are going to on a business trip and they don't want you to be home alone."

"What? When did you talk to mom?"

"I called her when we were in the nurse's office."

I scoff and ask, "And when was she going to talk to me about this?"

"She's going to talk to you when we get home," she answers.

"Fine."