4 a.m. ☞ dt

1.7 - grayson

4 a.m.
1.7 - grayson

i had no idea where charlotte could have gone. i checked everywhere in the seattle area that i knew she loved. i even went home with her parents to see if she had gone there. but i had no luck anywhere.

she wasn't at the gym, she wasn't at the motel, she wasn't at the diner down the street. she wasn't at the coffee shop a few blocks down from work, or even safeway itself. she wasn't anywhere and i was becoming fearful at the thought of what could have happened to my beautiful girl. one of the first times i met her she was getting harassed, and in this fearful town anything could happen. she could be killed for all i knew. my anxiety was driving me crazy. i hadn't felt this nervous since i lived with my drunken father.

suddenly, it hit me. furiously and staggeringly i ran out of the motel room from the bed where i sat letting the green door slam behind me. luckily, i had gotten her parents numbers before i left their house.

to: mr. young
12:32 a.m.

hey mr. young, i know it's late and i'm sorry but i still haven't found charlotte. i can only think of one other place she could be. do you know xavier's address?

i hit send and paced restlessly down and up the sidewalk. i knew she had to be there. she must've felt guilty or angry or something and needed a second confrontation. a vibration in my hand knocked me out of my stance and stole my attention away from my racing mind.

from: mr. young
12:34 a.m.

grayson, thank u 4 contacting me. i've been awake waiting to hear from u. i hope she's ok. the address is 1323 pacific avenue apartment 47. find my girl.

ignoring the middle-aged man typing, i shoved my phone into the pocket of my dark-wash jeans and pulled my grey hoodie over my head. i had changed after i got to the motel, knowing i'd be out all night searching for charlie. pacific was a ten minute drive from here so i called a lyft to drive me. five minutes later, when the decently fast ride had arrived i hopped in.

"what's up, man?" the man, who was probably in his mid-twenties greeted me. i nodded back, chuckling darkly to myself.

"looking for my girlfriend. you?" he looked at me through the rear view mirror with a raised eyebrow.

"big fight?" he asked, ignoring my response and focusing on my own leisures. i rolled my eyes.

"not really. she was just confused."

"well why'd you confuse her?" he butted. i huffed, feeling more guilty than i already had. that man was getting on my last nerve. now was not the time to ponder on my life decisions but to fix them.

"i didn't mean to. i was trying to help her with her parents," i replied, giving the driver a bit of an attitude.

"it sounds to me like you should let her fight her own battles."

"it's sounds to me like you should shut your mouth and drive if you want a good rating," i snapped. the dude put his hands up in defense for a moment before continuing to drive. i immediately felt like a douche. if i wasn't under all of this stress then i wouldn't have freaked out.

the more i thought about it and the more the man commented dread began to fill my system. i always thought she couldn't fight her own battles, but she was a strong girl and i respected her for it. i blurted all of her business to her family and she didn't ask me to. i just wanted to help her and i had caused so much anxiety for her. i brought back so much pain.