CodeRed

Chapter 32

Vincent's POV:

Day's Amara has been missing: 20

"So if nothing comes up today. Then we will wrap this up." I say with a heavy heart and walk out of the IT office. It's been 20 days since Amara's been missing and nothing has come to light other than people calling in and telling us they have sighted Amara. And every single time it was wrong, our hopes crashed even further.

I still want to find her. Of course, I do. But the pain everyone here is feeling every day is unbearable. I spoke with Amara's family about stopping the search from our end and even though Pandora and Liam were against it and still wanted me to continue, Mrs Winter agreed with me. I think she is hurting the most. So for her sake and everyone's health, the search is stopping.

"Hey, babe." My head turns at the voice and I see Vanessa standing near the door.

"Hey, Vanessa," I say with no emotions in my voice. After that night, she has become so clingy with me. I've made it perfectly clear, okay maybe not perfectly (we had sex a couple more times after that day), but I've made it clear enough that this is just sex and nothing else.

"Are you okay?" She comes and sits next to me.

"Yeah. It's the last day."

"It's for the best." She leans into my arm and for a second I feel disgusted that it's not Amara.

"Vanessa. I thought we were on the same page about whatever is between us is just sex." She goes stiff for a second and then smiles.

"Of course we are! It's just that I can't believe this is the last day too." She gives me a sad smile and I sigh in relief.

"Maybe we shouldn't stop it?" I say with hope in my voice and she looks frightened for a second.

"And spend the next few weeks like this? We have to face it. I don't think we can ever find her." She shrugs and I notice that she had no sadness in her voice. There was a relief but nothing other than that.

"You're right," I say but I didn't mean it. Something felt off. For someone who's best friend is missing she doesn't seem that bothered by it. "Well, I have to go see what the IT team are up to."

"I have to go to my aunts anyway." I give her a quick hug and walk back into the office.

"Anything?" I call out and see a sea of shaking heads. "Savant?" He looks up and I nod outside.

"What's up?" He says once we're outside.

"Are we going to find anything today?"

"Honestly, I don't think so." He shakes his head and I nod.

"Okay. But just keep trying until the end of the day." I give a small smile but my heart was broken.

"Of course. I'll call you if we find anything."

***

I walk into my room and throw my keys on the desk. We have to go back to school tomorrow since the three weeks are up and our A-Levels are around the corner. But I didn't want to go on with my life when I don't know where Amara is. I can't.

My mind wanders to the worst scenario. Her dead in some ditch and we have no idea. No. I shake my and stop myself. I don't think I could live if that happened.

My eye falls on the keyring Amara gave to me on my birthday. "Please Amara. Just come back and I'll even eat mint chocolate ice cream. I don't care about the dumb ice cream flavour. I just want you to be here with me." I hold the keyring tightly and just pray. I didn't believe in god. But right now I am willing to do anything if it means getting my baby home. Tears start falling and I realise how exhausted I was from keeping my emotions bottled up.