The Fault In Our Stars: After Augustus

Chapter Sixteen

"We're home!" I heard my parents' voice as the unlocked the front door.

"Hey," I greeted them back, then instantly remembered the disappearance of my cell phone. "By the way, have you guys, by any chance, seen my phone?"

"No, Hazel, sorry," my Dad replied.
"You should do something else, go out," my Mother added.

"I'm okay, but thanks anyway." I responded. And left the room, hearing a faint "no problem."

~~~~~~~~~

It was the next morning, and I still haven't found my phone. I tried calling it many times last night, but it didn't even ring. And I certainly don't remember powering it off.
Ugh.

"MOOOOOMMM!" I exclaimed.

She came rushing up the stairs, as she always does. Worried that my calls for her are calls for medical attention.

She let out a sigh of relief, "yes?"

"I am literally and utterly incapable of finding my cellular device in this house."

"Sweet Pea, you can go a couple days without your phone," she informed me.

"What if a couple days is all I have left?"

Silence.

"Never mind, it's fine." I said, killing the silence.

"Do something else," my Mom replied, "including trying to be hopeful."

She then left the room, leaving me wondering how she was feeling about our conversation.

I looked over at my bookshelf.

They say, reading gives us a place to escape. And I want to go to those imaginary worlds right now.

I scanned all my books, looking for a good book to cuddle up too. As soon as my eyes got to An Imperial Affliction my memories of Gus and that book came flooding through my head.

The book hand-off, our trip to Amsterdam, meeting Van Houten, visiting the Anna Frank House.

I want it all back.