****
VII.
"Oh shit, we got to go Eden." Aaliyah alarmingly said, grabbing her shopping bags from the floor and snatching Eden's arm to follow her.
"What's wrong ?"
The unexpected actions from Aaliyah addled Eden's brain making her barely catch up to Aaliyah's pace. They quickly made it to Aaliyah's car and still Aaliyah hadn't said anything.
"Hello, can you please stop and tell me what's going on? Where we going?" Eden asked getting in the car along with Aaliyah who had already started it. Aaliyah sighed before turning to face Eden.
"Something is going on with Zach" Aaliyah said backing up the car.
"Ok?"
"Okay well I have to take care of some business. Look, you don't have to go into work for another 10 minutes. What do you want me to do? Take you to your job or are you coming with me to Zach's?" Aaliyah asked.
The options of being late to her new job or accompanying Aaliyah to Zach's place made Eden indecisive. She couldn't risk being late and getting fired but also the way Aaliyah was sounding there was something clearly wrong with Zach. She wasn't an insensitive person so she decided to go with what she felt was right.
"I'll come with you."
"Okay" Was all that Aaliyah said before speeding to Zach's house. As she drove she managed to text Chase about Zach and to meet her there. It was already 4:20 by the time they arrived to Zach's place.
It was a house Eden's never seen before— in fact never even had the money for— he exterior of the house was incredible: white synthetic vinyl siding, squared and rectangle window panes with blinds hiding the inside, the gable roofs had eave overhangs and a balcony in the front with arched shaped window doors.
The house looked new, almost too brand new and it was build on a small hill with a tall black fence surrounding the property. Eden was in shock about the house actually being Zach's. No wonder he acted the way he did, he had money. Eden thought to herself.
Aaliyah parked her car and to their surprise a black car pulled up and parked behind her. She looked through her side windows and saw Chase get out the car and run across the street to Zach's house.
"Look, I know I took you with me but this is something that I don't think Zach wants you to be involved in. Chase and I are just going to see what's up with him real quick and I promise I'll take you both to work. Ed will understand. May you just stay here and wait for us?" Aaliyah asked getting out the car.
"Yeah, yeah." Eden smiled.
"Thanks. I'll be back." Aaliyah closed her door and approached Oliver's car and told him he didn't have to worry about Chase and that she would take him to work. Oliver understood and drove off while Aaliyah ran off to Chase.
"What the hell is going on, Lee?" Chase asked fumbling for his spare key in his jeans.
"He just sent me a weird ass voice message and he sounded drunk." Aaliyah said biting her nails. It was one of her bad habits when she became nervous. Although, this wasn't the first time Chase and Aaliyah received weird text messages, phone calls or voice notes from Zach, it still made her nervous about how bad Zach state of mind was. The two rushed inside the house and began calling out Zach's name.
"Zach, where you at?" Aaliyah yelled out. No response.
"Zach" Chase shouted throughout the house as he skipped up the stairs to search the rooms as Aaliyah searched the first floor. Nothing. Nobody. No answers. Chase slid down the railings of the staircase and met Aaliyah in the kitchen.
