Promises - Joel Pimentel

Chapter 24

Ingrid's POV

I was home alone watching T.V until I had heard constant knocking at my door.

"Alright I'm coming, chill!" I stand up from the couch heading towards the door.

"Do you mind? What is-" I stopped halfway realizing who it was. "Oh, hi Joel".

"Where is she?" he was huffing as if he had just run a mile.

"Where is who?" I ask confused.

"Maya?"

"What makes you think she's here?" I ask lifting up an eyebrow.

He doesn't say another word. Instead, he lifts up a piece of paper in front of me.

'Missing teenage girl. If found please contact police straight away'

"What the hell Joel? If this is some kind of stupid prank it's not funny" I snatch the paper off him and observe the paper.

"She's your best friend Ingrid, I thought you'd know by now. It's all over the news too"

"Well, Maya and I didn't really end things the best way last time we saw each other" my voice lowers and so does my gaze.

I invited him inside and began to make hot chocolate as he sat on the kitchen stool. I was starting to fill Joel in the details about my last interaction with Maya.

"Now look Joel, I'm not the type of best friend to rat out every single thing Maya and I chat away about, especially to her boyfriend"

"Ex-boyfriend you mean?" he corrects me.

"Yeah we both know that ain't the truth. Anyway, I'm only telling you all this because Maya's life could potentially be in danger" I add a couple of marshmallows into his hot chocolate filled mug before handing it to him.

"Thanks" he says.

"Don't mention it. So, is that why you came here? To tell me about her?" I ask.

"No actually, I came here to ask you a couple of questions. To see if you knew anything about what had been going on in Maya's life before she had left for college again"

I filled Joel in all the details and answered every question he had.

"You really broke her Joel. She loved you and you betrayed her" I tell him.

He doesn't say anything except look down in guilt and shame.

"I know, I hate myself for it each day" he speaks up.

The room was then filled with silence.

"Anyway, thank you for everything. I didn't know how heartbroken she was until now." He makes his way to the door before stopping and turning to me. "Can I ask one more thing?"

"Sure" I reply.

"You seem so unbothered about all this, why?" he looks into my eyes hoping I'd spill out the truth.

"I guess... I just don't want to believe it's true. I'm not ready to believe Maya's gone" I reply back, shoving my hands in the pockets of my jacket.

"Ok, thank you anyway" and with that, he turns around to exit the door, taking the missing poster with him.

As soon as he had left, I shut the door harshly and that is when tears begin to stream down my face. My back was against the door as I was sliding down, covering my mouth. I feel the muscles of my chin tremble and my head began to spin, as if a piece of me had just been taken out of me. My knees were being held close to my chest as my jeans were becoming damp due to the tears falling down on them. My breath would hitch every now and then.

Joel's POV

I was currently at Renato's house, with his wife and the rest of the boys. We were sitting in the lounge in silence. Mr's Francis had been crying over her missing daughter ever since I had gotten here. She was holding her husband close with her arms wrapped around his waist as his arms wrapped around her shoulder. Kissing her head every now and then to comfort her.

"I trust our daughter. Maya's a smart girl she will be fine. The police are doing everything they can to find her and they won't rest until they do" Renato says.

"Mrs Francis if there's anything we can do, please let us know. Maya is a close friend of ours, almost like a little sister and we want to help" Richard speaks up.

"Have you contacted her college yet?" I ask.

"We have, and they're doing a thorough search around campus. They've also informed the local police there about the situation. Maya's phone and everything else was left behind, according to her roommate. They will be sending her things back to us" she says.

"Um, I don't mean to interrupt, but we did have an interview scheduled within an hour" Erick says hesitantly.

"It's ok if you boys don't feel like attending. I'm sure everyone will understand. No harm in cancelling just one interview" Renato says, looking around at all of us to hear our suggestions.

"The four of us can go and if Joel wants, he can stay if he doesn't feel comfortable attending" Chris recommends.

"You guys go ahead. Don't miss this because of me" I reply.

7:31pm

"Joel? Joel!" I heard my name being called as I snapped out of my thoughts.

"What? Oh, sorry" I look around my surroundings, realising I was still at the dinner table with my family.

"I said, are you going to eat? You've barely touched your plate" my mum says, examining my dinner plate which had stayed the exact same.

"Sorry, I'm...just not hungry"

"Joel I'm sorry. They will find her, I promise. Everyone is trying" she grabs my hand while her thumb begins to rub circles in my hand.

"Well they're not trying hard enough!" I burst out, slamming my fists on the table as everyone's attention turns to me.

"I'm sorry I-"

"You know what, I have to go" I interrupt my mum as I leave my dinner plate, standing up from my chair.

"Let him go mom. He needs to cool off" I heard Emmanuel say behind me as I made my way to my room, slamming the door shut in anger.

Sitting down on the edge of my bed, my head falls into my hands as I begin to sob away my emotions.

3 days later...

By now, it had been long enough and there was no sign of Maya to be found anywhere. I would go out there and look for her on my own but I know that would make matters even worse. I'd rather stay put and not risk getting into trouble with management more than I already am for breaking up with Amber.

"I don't know what's wrong with me, it's like I forgot how to be an artist. I used to be able to write songs about anything and everything and now, nothing." I had my guitar in my arm as my fingers danced across the strings.

Song writing has always been a part of my passion, it is half the reason why I'm here where I am. I haven't been able to live with the guilt that Maya may be gone because of me. Because I neglected her and didn't take care of her properly.

"Hey guys, is Renato here?" Ingrid enters the room with her hair all over the place and her face bright red.

It had seemed like she had just run a whole marathon and she seemed to be in a hurry to talk to Renato.

"No, he stepped out for a bit. What's up?" Chris asks.

"It's about Maya. I know where she is"