ꜱᴋᴇᴛᴄʜᴇꜱ

Chapter 28

~Zane's POV~

"Why?" I scream at myself. "I shouldn't have. I should have never made her go to rehab. It's my fault. Why?" I soliloquies. I let out a sound out of frustration, rubbing my temples, hoping this was just a dream but after looking back and forth at the card on the desk and the phone by my bedside; it is real. 

I've been rolling on the bed, unable to sleep. I pull the duvet down, cover my face with the pillow under my head. Angry, I put it aside and sit up, aggressively running my hand through my hair.

I fall back on my back my bed and puff. 

Urghh...

I turn towards the alarm clock on my beside, the green numbers displaying 2:22 am. In the next few hours, my parents will be waiting for me for me to pick them up from the airport.

What am I going to do?

This is all my fault. Cassie wouldn't be missing if I hadn't been in support of sending her for rehab. But where does Vanessa stand in any of this? Vanessa wouldn't tell Cassie's parents she was at the rehab center if she wasn't, and the cover up stories.

I stare at the wall, wide-eye. Gosh, I'm so stupid.

Something is definitely wrong and Vanessa is aware. I pick my phone, frantically trying to reach Cassie's phone but it's always going straight to voicemail. Vanessa has a lot of explaining to do.

"Hi!" I say at the receptionist desk.

"Yeah hello. How may I help you?" A woman in her mid-thirties replies with a smile on her face; her red hair bob falls a little bit below her neck, wearing glasses.

"Sorry please, I'm looking for Vanessa Carter. Is she in?"

I'd not been able to sleep, eager to hear Vanessa out. She seriously needs to explain what's going on. I rushed over to Cassie's home at 8 am this morning, informing them of the situation. Mrs Evans wasn't the most happiest in the situation, in a hysteria if I must say. I told them of my plans to meet up with Vanessa and there was no objection, but I told them if the situation was getting out of hand or complicated, we'll have to report to the police. 

Yes, my parents are coming in the next one hour and that's why I need to see Vanessa as quickly as possible. I don't know what's happening with Cassie. I try not overthinking the entire situation but I can't help it. 

"Hello?" I jerk at the voice. I look at the lady before me, worried. When it seems like she gained my audience, she clears her throat. "Mrs Carter has resigned-"

My brows furrow. "What! When?" I ask hurriedly.

"She resigned last week Friday. Didn't she tell you?"

"I had no idea," I sigh. "Do you have her house address?"

"I can't divulge that to anyone. You could call her up and ask-"

"The truth is that I tried that but she's not been picking up," I lied. "And it's kind of an urgent situation. I need to meet her face to face."

"I'm sorry I can't be of help-"

"No problem. Thank you very much."

 I step away from the receptionist's desk and proceed to calling Cassie's dad.

"Yeah hello Zane,"

"Mr Dean, I'm at the office and just heard that Vanessa resigned-"

"What!" he exclaimed. I can hear her mum begging to know what's going on.

"That was my first reaction to the information. I tried getting Vanessa's home address but she wouldn't agree-"

I can hear Dean passing the phone over to his wife who sniffles before saying anything. "Hello Zane," she speaks. Her voice is shaky and smaller than usual.

"Yes ma'am-"

"I think we may have Vanessa's address written somewhere in the house. I'll go search for it but probably on your way back, you could pick it up. We don't want to go there so that we don't further complicate the situation-"

"There is no problem ma'am. I'll come get it later in the evening, after I get my parents from the airport."

"Thank you so much Zane."

"Anytime. I'll call you before coming over."

"No problem."

I sigh, tuck my phone back into the front pocket of my jeans before proceeding towards the exit.

"You are so grownup now," my mum says from the back seat of the chair.

"I do have to admit you're right," my dad's deep voice says by my side, my mum chuckles.

"So has moving on from Ciara been?" I look at my mum through the rear-view mirror. Her blond hair is let loose and her newly acquired accent. It's nice and I love it.

Whenever they come back, it's hard to stay mad at them. A part of me resents them for creating that feeling of abandonment and another still loves them for trying to make up for those months.

"It's been okay mum. I met someone else, Cassie."

"Cassie? You've never spoken of her before." 

"Dad, that's because I didn't understand how I felt until recently. I do need her and I made a really big mistake that I hope life would give me a chance to make amends," I say, technically still in my head.

"When can we get to meet this Cassie that's capture my little Z's heart?" my dad asks with a smile on his face.

"Dad!" I whine. "I'm 17 and at the moment, it's complicated but she'll get to meet you once the dust is settled."

"Okay son, but have you made amends with Tay?"

"No, why?"

"We thought of inviting Tay over for dinner tomorrow..."

At the mention of her name, Zane's expression hardens.
"...we think it'll be great if you two can make amends and go back to the way it used to be-"

"But she caused it. She ruined everything-"

"And says she's sorry for everything," my mum pleas. "Just one dinner Zane."

"Fine," I say in a defeated tone.

My parents begin chattering but I can't help but tune them out when everything on my mind is nothing but Cassie.