One Drop of Golden Sun

Ch. 35 Written Words

*Lokela

By the time Lokela made it back home, his whole body ached. Lunch had been three minutes to scarf down a cold chicken sandwich one of his cousins had dropped off, and forget any other breaks. With Ray gone and several cousins working at other jobs, there weren't enough hands at the shop.

The instant he crossed the threshold, though, energy flooded his muscles. He had all night, and he intended to make it count. Taking the stairs two at a time, he raced to her room. He knocked, because he had learned his lesson. No answer.

She must have been out back, although the other roommates still in town were in the kitchen and living room. Except for his dickhead brother, of course, who trailed in on his heels and went to the kitchen. Lokela rushed up to check his room just in case Ray was waiting in there.

Empty, just like he left it.

He stuck his head out the window. The garden lights were dark.

"Ray!" he hissed. "Are you out there?"

A hesitant knock at his door made him spin. It was Doug, leaning on the doorframe, arms and legs crossed, looking decidedly uncomfortable.

"Yeah?" Lokela asked.

"She's gone."

"What the fuck do you mean, she's gone?"

Without waiting for an answer, Lokela shoved passed him, into the hallway. He stormed into her room. The bed was made, her things in the closet, backpack on the floor, jewelry and trinkets on the stand. "What the fuck do you mean she's gone?"

Doug had trailed after him. He held up his hands in surrender. "She asked me to drive her to the airport. She wouldn't say anything else. But I thought you would want to know, since you seem to be looking for her."

It was a sucker-punch to the gut. He hadn't seen it coming. His lungs emptied, and in an instant, his head filled to the point of bursting. Doug clapped his shoulder.

"Are you all right? Just take it easy."

Lokela knocked him away. Where was his phone? She had to have sent him messages. This wasn't possible. But when he took the phone from his pocket, there was nothing from her. The guys crowded at the bottom of the stairs—Felipe, Travis, and Trevor. Miller stood off the to the side, expression dark.

Lokela stumbled down the stairs, numb. "Did she say anything to anyone?"

They shook their heads.

"Some guy showed up this morning to talk to her," Felipe mumbled. He kicked at the flooring.

"Some...guy?" Lokela was ready to bash some guy's head in. "Who the fuck was it?"

"I don't know. I can't keep track of everyone's friends. Look, he rang the bell and asked for her. They talked a few minutes, but it's not like I listened. A little while later, she came down with Doug and they left." Felipe shrugged. "Girls, you know?"

"No, I don't know. Did he hurt her? Say something that made her upset? What the fuck did he look like?"

"Man, you need to calm down." Miller moved to the front the group. "Get it together. She's a grown-up, she can take care of—"

Lokela swung his fist. Miller half dodged, half blocked and plowed his shoulder into Lokela's gut. They went down in a tangle. Lokela tried to get his arm around his brother's neck, and his legs around the rest of him to wrestle him down, but his brother was heavier. His head hit the wooden floor. He jabbed with his elbow and hit something soft. Miller grunted. A knee slammed into Lokela's inner thigh too close to his balls for comfort. He braced on the floor and pushed. Miller cussed him out.