If You're Hurt They Bleed

Hide and Seek

My heart stopped. I immediately looked down to my wrist, praying for no change.

Only one, thin line. I breathed a sigh of relief, but quickly went back to worry when I remembered the situation.

"I'll call him," Molly suggested. "Before anyone panics." She looked tight at me and I shrugged.

"Okay, for now, Sam? You're Dr. Pomatter." Mr. Robinski was amazingly calm.

Molly walked back over, a tense look on her face. "Voicemail."

"I'll call his mom!" I exclaimed, remembering that Linda had given me her number.

Molly gave me a weird look but said nothing, and I pulled out my phone.

"Hello?" A tired voice answered.

"Hi. This is Maya, George Porter's daughter?" I said, unsure if she would remember me.

"Oh, of course! I can't help you with anything though, my license was-" I cut her off, knowing the rest of that sentence and too worried to hear it.

"Do you know where Grayson is?" I asked hurriedly.

"No." I heard fear creep into her voice. "I thought he was at rehearsal."

"He's not. Are you sure he didn't say anything?"

"Yes. I- I-" She was becoming frantic.

"We'll find him, Ms. Barton." Molly took the phone from me. "We promise." She hung up and I snatched my phone back.

"Don't say that!" I hissed.

"Say what?" She questioned, bewildered. "We promise. It just... it gives her false hope, okay?" I sighed and put my phone back in my pocket.

Mr. Robinski came up. "Any luck?" He asked. We shook our heads, and the worry started to break through. "Everyone split up! We're searching the school. If he's not here I'm calling the police."

Everyone scattered, and Molly and I looked at each other, unsure. "I think we should split up. We'll find him faster that way." I suggested.

She nodded quickly, and set off.

I went in the opposite direction, thinking back over the short time I'd known him. Suddenly, I remembered a moment from a few months ago. I knew where he was.

I snuck into the choir room, checking each practice room. He wasn't there.

I was beginning to think I didn't know him as well as I thought when I heard music from the band room. Some one was playing base guitar, and singing One Song Glory. I would recognize that voice anywhere. Letting a smile onto my face and grabbing a guitar from Robinski's office, I opened the door a crack and played what I knew from melody, singing along with a simple harmony.

"Maya!" He stopped playing, surprised. "I didn't know you could play."

"Since third grade. I was obsessed with Taylor Swift and begged my parents for almost 2 years before I got a guitar." I laughed. "My dad was the one who finally caved. We built an electric, and that was that. Obviously my taste in music got much better, though." I blushed, embarrassed that he now knew that information.

"Obviously. Do you know any Rush?" He asked hopefully.

"Of course. They're my dad's favorite band. I would learn and perform one of their songs every year for his birthday." I bit my lip, sadness coming with the happy memory.

"Fly By Night?" He started playing, and I joined him.

"That's my favorite out of their songs." I told him as we finished the ending.

Checking the clock, I noticed rehearsal was halfway over. Robinski might have called the police by now.

"We'd better head back to the auditorium." I suggested.

"That's probably a good idea. I didn't tell anyone I was in here." He looked a little ashamed.

"I figured that out." I winked. "Robinski was really worried. Oh, you might wanna call your mother too." I turned, walking backwards.

An appalled look showed up on his face. "You called my mom?"

"Well yeah, we didn't know where you were!" I told him. "Molly thought she was going to have to make out with Sam. It was traumatic." I smirked, turning back around.

Grayson grabbed my hand, shocking me.

"Ouch!" I pulled away.

"Sorry." He grabbed my hand, and there were still sparks, but they didn't hurt.

As he pulled me in, only one thought was running through my mind: what now? This was all you've been searching for your entire life. What's the new plan?

And let me tell you, I had no clue.