I held Esme in my arms, twirling her one last time before capturing her lips with mine.
She smirked into the kiss and deepened it.
"Esme wouldn't do that..." a small voice spoke in my head. I pushed the girl away just in time to see Esmeralda running away into the woods.
Third Person POV
"Esme!" Andrew called out, running after her. The girl he had been dancing with strutted away, the smirk never leaving her face.
Daevd, Ted, Sammy, Mila, Ella, Aliza and Noel quickly stopped dancing. The rest of the party was continuing like nothing had happened.
Mila was the first to run after Andrew, Sammy following in pursuit.
Daevd and Noel stared at each other for a solid minute before they ran after the lovers.
Aliza started to move, but Ella quickly stopped her.
"It's too dangerous. Especially since you don't know the layout of the woods," she explained hastily. Aliza nodded slowly.
"Can we continue then? Or maybe g-go back to the cabin?" Aliza asked. Ella smiled softly at the freezing girl before leading her back to Cabin 15.
"I hope they all get back soon," Ella whispered. Aliza looked up at her, raising an eyebrow.
"You don't have confidence in your brother? Nor our friends? Ella, they'll be alright. Everyone there knows how to take care of themselves; it won't do anyone any good to worry," Aliza commented.
Ella stopped walking and stared at the younger girl before saying, "since when have you been the lecturing one?"
Aliza shrugged, "there was never a need for me to be."
As the two girls reached shelter, it began to pour like hell outside. The ground became slick with mud and water, the starry sky now a dark gray.
People just moved to the indoor part of the dance, not give a crap about the commotion since it wasn't their business.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Meanwhile, in the woods...
The thunder stole away the teens' cries as the lightning provided very little help to the view of the twisted ground.
"ESME!" Andrew frantically screamed as his adrenaline kicked in.
-----------------------------------------------
Daevd and Noel screamed for Esmeralda until their throats were completely raw.
Daevd opened his mouth to begin, but Noel cut in before he could, "don't argue. It's true and you know it. Besides, we have no way of knowing if anyone found her yet."
Daevd brushed off Noel's speech and persisted, "Esme!"
Noel snapped. He grabbed Daevd by the shoulders and pulled him into a hug; mainly to hide his own tears.
"Esme... Es..." Daevd broke, crying into his boyfriend's soaked vest. Noel kept silent, rubbing Daevd's back as he continued to sob.
"We need to go back," Noel hollered as the deafening thunder surrounded them. A lightning bolt appeared fifty yards ahead of them, illuminating the clearing they were in.
"You're probably right... we can't afford to get lost on a night like this... it would be beyond foolish," Daevd sighed.
-----------------------------------------------
"Esmeralda!" Ted and Mila yelled, cupping their hands to amplify it.
"It's not working!" Ted shouted at Mila as the lightning cracked.
She turned to face him, hair and clothes drenched. It was then that he noticed...
"You... you still have the bracelet that we all made together. Man that was..." he trailed off as she walked closer.
"Five years ago. But I feel like that's the least important thing at the moment," she smiled despite herself, teeth chattering. Ted's eyebrows narrowed as he pulled her into an embrace. Mila looked up, "Ted?"
"I'm not gonna let my friend die of hypothermia. We need to head back," Ted decided.
"No!" the lightning flashed, "my best friend is somewhere out there. I'm not just going to abandon her like this."
"Mila... the others are looking for her too. And I'm sure as hell that she'd want you to be healthy, no matter what the scenario."
Mila silently looked up at Ted, her face solemn and heart dead-set. He sighed.
"Fine, but we're resting for a while. Under the tree, where it's the most dry. And we... we can figure out some way to keep you warm..." Ted trailed off, lost in thought. He shook his head and picked up the freezing girl, carrying her bridal style to the nearest pine tree. There they sat, Ted rubbing her arms to keep up circulation. She was shivering and clinging to him for more warmth.
"As s-soon as we get back, I-i... I want a warm bath," she managed to say. Ted nodded and held her even closer.
"We'll go to the managers' cabin and take some extra blankets for you. We'll bring extra cookies too. How does that sound?" Ted breathed. Mila smiled softly.
"ESMERALDA!" a call came from the teens' right. Mila looked around in confusion. Sam burst into sight, panting and also in despair.
"Sammy! Over here!" Ted called out. Sam looked around in confusion before spotting them.
"Any lu-?! OH MY GOD, Mila!" Sam cried, running to her friends. She could feel the bite of the cold against her numb skin, yet she brushed it off.
"S-sammy? What are... has anyone found Esme yet?" Mila asked, perplexed. Sam sighed and held her close.
"No... not yet Mi... Hang in there, one of us is bound to find her," Sam smiled lightly at Mila.
"Esmeralda's gonna be okay, just focus on yourself," Ted continued, separating Mila's hair from her neck. He sounds exasperated, Sam thought.
Mila then nodded and shut her eyes before going limp.
-----------------------------------------------
"ESME!" Andrew screamed as he fell to his knees, hanging his head. Hot liquid trickled down his face as he let his thoughts run wild.
When he finally decided to look up again, the lightning flashed and revealed some familiar-looking weeping willows.
His eyes widened and he trudged his way over to the cove. Pulling back the branches, it was pitch black.
He walked to the center and sat down, slacks already soaked.
