It's been five years since the sudden disappearance of Cora Cadigan's mother. Five years since the case was closed before it even began.
In the final summer before the end of high school, Cora knows it's her last opportunity to find the answers she...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Fucking fuck."
My hair is flung out around my bed, like a halo surrounding me. I stare up at my phone resting between both my hands.
"Who the hell are you?"
Suffice to say, I didn't sleep a wink last night. How could I when so much was on my mind? Who was this guy buying the gum? What was his connection to my mother?
Most importantly, was he my dad?
It had been the question I'd asked myself most as I lay awake, staring at the hours tick by.
I didn't seem much of a resemblance. I mean, he had brown hair, but so what? That meant nothing.
"Who the—"
My phone begins to vibrate in my hand. Ryan's stupid, annoying face pops up on the screen.
I'd taken the photo whilst we were still together. I'd never changed it because despite the circumstances of our break up, I loved this photo of him.
I'd taken it from above, sitting on his lap. His eyes were tightly closed and he was smiling so widely. It'd been two weeks before our break up.
Despite being completely and utterly pissed off at him, I couldn't deny that he looked handsome. There was something just so personal about this photo, something that reminded me that my relationship wasn't all bad with him.
We just happened to be better off as friends. And that was okay.
"Hey," I answer quietly, keeping my resolve. I didn't want to talk about our fight. I didn't want to think about it at all.
"So, when were you going to tell me about what you found yesterday? Or were you just going to leave me out entirely?"
I sigh, clenching my teeth tightly. "Are you for real?" I scath. "You're seriously going to start another argument with me after what happened at the beach?"
"I—"
"Fuck you, Ryan," I hang up, harshly pressing the red button.
I fling my phone to the end of my bed, turning over to lean against my side. I watch the summer breeze simmer in through my open window. The large dreamcatcher I had hanging next to it was blowing in the wind.
