Run Away

Chapter 31

"I can't believe you let her leave," Zane complained to Owen for what felt like the millionth time but was more like the tenth.

Owen rolled his eyes at his best friend's annoyance with him. He had let Evie leave the party, but he didn't understand what other choice he had. Evie had made it clear she wasn't interested in him, regardless of what Zane thought he knew.

"Just leave it alone, okay," Owen voiced his annoyance.

Owen moved away from Zane and went to where Mark was standing with Danielle and Jensen. He needed to distract himself from what he was feeling. It was Owen's birthday party and he should be enjoying himself. Still he found it difficult to concentrate as his mind kept wandering, thinking about Evie.

Jensen was telling the group about how he nearly got detention that week for something stupid he did during his Maths class when Owen's phone began to ring. He moved away from his friends and the noise of the party to answer it.

Looking at the screen, Owen noticed it was his mother ringing him. He thought it was odd, as she would have picked Evie up over an hour beforehand.

"Hey mum," Owen answered his phone.

"Owen, I hate to do this to you, but we need you to come home," Sandra spoke in worried tones on the other end of the phone.

"Why? What's happened?"

"It's Rhi- It's Evie." Sandra answered.

Owen's heart stopped briefly at the mention of her name, fear and worry grabbing at his throat.

"Is she okay?"

There was a pause while Owen waited anxiously for his mother to answer him.

"She's run away," Sandra replied gently.

"What? Why?"

"I'll explain it all when you meet us at home," Sandra went on, "Your father and sister are out looking for her, but haven't found her. I'm at the police station working with detectives."

"I'm coming," Owen cut in, hanging the phone up.

Walking quickly back towards the party, people tried to stop him to talk, Owen pushed through, rudely ignoring them. He found Zane talking with Lacey and Xander. He grabbed Zane by the elbow and pulled him away, not wanting to talk to him in front of everyone else.

"What's going on?" Zane surprised by Owen's abruptness.

"Evie's run away," Owen answered, "I've got to go home and help my parents. Can you sort everything out here?"

"Of course, go."

Owen didn't wait for any more reassurance from his best friend; he broke out into a jog across the sand, jumped in his car and drove home, breaking the speed limit here and there in his rush to get home.

He pulled his car up onto the driveway, clipping the kerb with the front tyre. The lights were on inside the house. Owen jumped from his car and ran inside to find out more of what was happening with Evie.

"Mum. Dad," Owen called to his parents as he entered through the front door.

"In here," his father replied from the kitchen.

Walking into the room, Owen saw his father and Kelly sitting at the table.

"What's happening? Where's mum?"

"She's on her way home. Sit down so we can talk."

"No, we need to go find Evie," Owen refused, "How do we even know she's gone?"