The Secrets We Carry

Chapter Twenty- Three | Beautiful Inside and Out

Liv

When class ends Ashley and I gather our stuff and head over to our lockers. After I told her we were leaving we've been even more inseparable than before.

Telling her was hard and we both cried for hours. We missed half a day of school the day I shared the news.

We had headed to the park just off campus at lunch and that's when I filled her on our getaway plan. We stayed there till the early evening. It felt as though half my heart died when I told her.

We had reassured each other that we would FaceTime and she would come out and visit before school started and over the breaks. We made a plan to still go to the same college together, even if that college turned out to be different than the one we had talked about before. By the end we both felt ok with the situation. Ashely had wanted us to get away for a long time, so she was happy about that and it helped the sadness diminish.

I put my bag into my locker and shut it. Ashely finishes with her locker by the time I see the guys walking towards us. I notice that James isn't with them.

"Hey, you ready for lunch?" Josh asks as he reaches us.

I nod. "Where's James?"

"I assumed he'd probably meet us here, but I guess he's probably already in the lunch room." Adam replies shrugging.

"He didn't tell you when you guys ended class?" I ask, feeling like it's the dumbest question.

"No we didn't see him. He was called to the principals office." Josh answers.

"What? Why?" I turn my attention to him.

"No clue. We can ask him when we see him." Adam says as he takes my arm and starts towards Angela's locker. Once she joins us we head towards the cafe. My curiosity piques as I wonder why James was called to the principals office.

The cafe is loud and there's students moving around everywhere. We walk over to our usual table and my mood drops as I notice that it's vacant.

"I'll go get us lunch." Angela tells the group.

"I'll come with you." Josh offers and they head over to the line.

I look around scanning the crowds for James but don't see him anywhere. I pull out my phone and send him a text message.

"I'm sure he's fine." Adam says clearly reading my thoughts.

"I'm sure he is too." Even though I say it something is gnawing inside me telling me that isn't true.

Lunch ends up flying by and we all head out to our classes. James never came. I kept checking my phone every few minutes and had sent several messages, but got no reply.

By the end of the school day I was in full worry mode. I had sent him two more messages and still no reply. I race to my locker and grab what I need dumping what I don't. Ashley does the same and we run through the school towards Adam's locker. He had fifth period with James, so I'm hoping he spoke with him and knows what's going on. Once we reach him I take a moment to catch my breath.

"Woah. You ok?" He asks as I clutch my side and take in a few deep breaths. My heart was racing and I couldn't tell if it was from the exertion of running or the feeling of dread that was pulsing through me.

I nod. "Did James say anything to you in fifth period?"
Adam shuts his locker and turns to me. The look on his face tells me before he even says anything. "He wasn't in class." I say before Adam can even speak. I feel a knot in my stomach. I pull my phone out of my back pocket and click the home button. Still no messages.
I turn around and run down the hall towards his locker.