Here In Rosefalls | √

Twenty-Eight: Text Messages

n/p: Lights Up - Harry Styles

*unedited*

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Bland.

The night was bland, as it held no notions of life, people were fast asleep leaving the streets unoccupied. But instead of staring at the night, alone, there was a small crowd in my - thankfully - spacious bedroom. It felt less depressing, now that my subconcious couldn't talk it out with me all night, instead these wonderful people would be helping us out.

My phone lit up as messages from my mom continuously flooded day by day. Due to a board meeting that called her way earlier than they should have, my mom had to pack her bags the night I was still drowning in sorrows. She haven't stop messaging or call me, knowing my closeness with Gwen.

Warmth bubbled in my chest as chatters surrounded me, eventhough it still felt empty without Nathaniel here, but it was enough to make me feel content.

"...Falkov? That pervert?" I heard Beverly exclaimed in disgust after knowing he had been around her neighborhood, off doing things we haven't found out.

Soon.

Charles sat beside me, a bright smile carved on his lips, displaying his always perfectly arranged teeth. Layla have always joked about him being a toothpaste ambassador, but he'd shrug it off politely or walked away without acknowledging the joke.

He was probably embarassed though.

Returning the smile, "Have you visited Nate?" I asked, setting my phone aside. My mind was still occupied with all the truths Layla told me earlier, but it was starting to make sense, a bit.

He nodded, his dark hair shuffled along with his movement. "Still unconscious, but I might go for another visit tomorrow. My sister is dying to see Bronte,"

"You sister is here? I mean, in Rosefalls,"

"Yeah, her plane just landed, eh, Layla drop my keys please,"

My head turned to face her, she was mischievously waving the technically key-less car key. If there was even a word to call it.

"When are you taking me in a ride, huh?" she complained in return, then tossing his car key away. A groan escaped Charles lips as he strode to her, inspecting his key.

Beckett on the other hand, was strumming his Taylor's guitar, in the circle was Pipere and Jimmy inspecting the traced Falkov's location.

Of all places, why their neighborhood?

Did he thought Otto would've hid the files away for Gwen?

Was he trying to convince Beverly to spy for us?

And Rosalia? I couldn't even comprehend how she'd fit in the picture, she was too unbothered, but she was Gwyneth's best friend.

"There was something else I had to tell you," Layla took Charles's spot, her messy hair was tied in a ponytail now. She glanced at Beckett, nodded, causing him to lean his guitar at my bedpost, and strutted towards us.

He landed with a soft thud, "Just theories," he reminded Layla, then taking the pillow on the floor before laying his head on it. His eyes staring straight at the carved ceiling.

"We think... well, ugh, Beck I can't fucking say it! You go ahead," she seemed extremely guilty, as it complemented Beckett's relunctance to tell me.

I didn't say anything, but rather confused. There was more?

Beck shut his eyes close, veins was bulging on his neck as he clenched his jaw, ever so unwilling.

He cleared his throat, "Otto," he croaked out. "He's nowhere to be found, so I-"

"We," The brunette beside me corrected.

"Well, we, thought he might be hiding something."

"Given, he was among the last person to be with Gwen," Layla continued.

Slowly, everyone's attention diverted to us.

I then shot my head towards Jimmy Anders, who was the only one who had literal question marks circling his head. "Who's Otto again?"

There were indistinct snorts, and scoffs in the entire room.

Layla wiped his face in frustration, "Gwen's boyfriend, he even went to your party, idiot."

Jimmy scowled, "Hello, do you think I'm capable of remembering every faces here?"

"The place's not even big, Jim." Charles claimed, with his arms across his chest. Pipere shrugged, "Can't say I remember the guy, but I remember his name. Why is it, again?"

Realizing the attention we gathered, we had no other choice but to disclose it to them.

"The other day, at the station," Beckett paused. "He asked me about the clip, it's just, there's something to his eyes... He knew something, I'm sure of that."

The clip. We handed the clip to the authorities, but never heard the end of it.

Something rised in my head, but Beverly beat me to it. "What did you say?"

"The truth, we handed the clip and Stella's laptop to the authorities. And strangely-"

"And they told us nothing about it."

As soon as I said that, our phones received notifications almost at the same time and I instantly shivered. We all glanced at each other, then started to gather closer.

At a point, my vision hazened and my fingers trembled, it brought back the tremors I had that very night.

"What the fuck is happening here?" Jimmy clamored, obviously terrified.

There was a loud sobbing, from Beverly as she suddenly dropped her phone. "No!" A blood curdling scream resonated from Pipere next.

My eyes met with Layla's, as she looked up from her phone, muted. When I gazed at Beck, he shook his head, "D-Don't watch it, Stella." he croaked out, stammering.

I slapped his hand away, unlocking my phone. Instead of a video, I received a message and I could feel blood draining from my face, it was a clear indication.

Ignoring the sobs and cries or swears from my friends, my head searched up for any hidden cameras or microphones in my bedroom.

"Guys, find... camera... microphone." I couldn't form a coherent word, as I sprung from where I sit and started to search for any microphones or hidden cameras in my room.

I traced my finger under my desk, caught some dust in the process, then thought of the closest furniture to us when we gathered.

First the couch, Beckett was still searching and it seemed like there was nothing to it. Then, the television, high chances it could be.

My hand was aimlessly searching, tracing every edges I could find. And when my hand caught something, my heart was beating like crazy. I lifted my shaky arm, showing the hanging microphone.

I threw it away, and cried as loud as I could.

A little gift for figuring it out, you might enjoy it. My ears are everywhere. - F

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