Jizzie | Hand on Heart

Chapter 22 | Clearer skies?

Joel's POV

She never came home.

I waited for her, for an hour and she never came.

The code span around and around in my mind, burning a whole in my brain.

But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't connect the dots.

"You look like shit." Hayley comments as I come downstairs, "I'm guessing you didn't see Lizzie yesterday."

"She wasn't home." I grumble.

"Text her then."

"That's a stupid idea."

"You are so stubborn."

"I can't text her, because I don't know what to say."

"Then why'd you go and see her yesterday."

"Actually, I never saw her. And my plan was to just wing it."

Hayley rolls her eyes, chucking me a bagel, "no, that's the stupid idea."

"Where was she yesterday."

Hayley looks at me, "how am I supposed to know."

I put the bagel down, "where could she possibly have gone."

"Joel, she's a person, she has a life and other things to do."

The knife that plunged into my heart when I found out that Lizzie was lying to me, digs in further.

I was foolish to assume that she was just wallowing at home, she was probably just putting on a strong front at school.

My eyes glaze over in anger, she probably doesn't even care.

Hayley gives me a concerned look, before gently prying to crushed bagel out of my fist.

I pull my phone out my pocket and go to Lizzie's contact.

I stare at the name for a second, before my instincts take over, and I press the red text at the bottom.

"Joel what are you doing."

I exhale, shoving my phone back into my pocket, "tying up loose ends."

I feel her eyes trained on me as I walk out the room.

Meri greets me in the hallway, and I clip on her lead.

"I'm taking Meri for a walk." I yell, walking straight out the front door without waiting for her response.

I find myself walking for over an hour, and eventually Meri gets tired and starts trying to sit down at every possible opportunity.

I start turning around, when Meri plops down onto the pavement, refusing to get up.

Huffing in frustration, I attempt to push her up gently, but she lets her tongue fall out her mouth and refuses to move.

We still have an hour walk home.

I guess I stopped paying attention to the time, and apparently where I was going because the street looks unfamiliar.

"You're a long way from home."

I twist my head and see Oli walking towards me.

"Hey dude." I attempt to smile.

"It's been a while." He muses, petting a very tired Meri on the head.

"And you're still wearing that panda hat." I joke.

"Hey." He smirks, "it's for the culture."

I smile, and properly this time.