The Vanishing Girls Of Willow Creek (Willow Creek, #1)

Chapter Thirteen

Ghosts are those memories that are too strong to be forgotten for good, echoing across the years and refusing to be obliterated by time. - Caitlín R. Kiernan

The final bell had rung at last, ending what had to be the longest school day in forever. As Jon and I packed up our things, relief washed over us like a cool breeze on a hot summer day. But just as we were about to head out, someone cleared their throat behind us.

"Hello, Mr. Haggerty," I greeted our English teacher with a smile.

"Hello Harley, Jon," he returned the greeting with a beaming smile. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"Actually..." Jon started, but I cut him off before he could finish. "No," I said firmly, catching his eye.

"No," Jon echoed reluctantly after seeing Mr. Haggerty's raised eyebrows.

Mr. Haggerty chuckled at our synchronized response before getting down to business. "I just wanted to let you know that casting for the school play begins next week."

"Great!" I exclaimed, unable to contain my excitement at the prospect of being involved in the upcoming production.

"That's fantastic news," Mr. Haggerty replied with a smile. "Just make sure it doesn't affect your schoolwork too much. I'd hate to see your grades suffer because of it."

"I can handle it," I assured him confidently.

"Good to hear." With that, Mr. Haggerty bid us farewell and left us alone once more.

As soon as he was out of earshot, Jon's expression darkened slightly, causing me to frown in concern. "What's wrong?" I asked softly, reaching out to touch his arm.

"It's nothing," Jon muttered evasively, staring down at his shoes as if they held all the answers.

I crossed my arms and fixed him with a determined gaze until he finally relented under my scrutiny. "It's just... First Damon and now Mr. Haggerty... I feel like I'm going to lose you too."

My heart squeezed painfully at his words, realizing how vulnerable Jon truly felt in that moment. Stepping closer to him, I took his hand in mine and met his troubled gaze with unwavering sincerity.

"You could never lose me," I whispered earnestly, willing him to believe me with every fibre of my being.

His eyes softened at my words, and he pulled me into a tight embrace that spoke volumes of his love for me.

In that moment, a realization dawned on me: Why not work on the play together? If we faced challenges as a team, we could overcome anything that threatened to pull us apart.

"Why don't we work on it together?" I suggested. "I'm sure Mr. Haggerty wouldn't mind."

Jon hesitated for a moment before nodding slowly. "I don't think it's my kind of thing."

"Perhaps it's a chance to try something new, but if you don't want to, you don't have to. Having so many common interests, it is only healthy for us to enjoy different things as well."

"I will still be there to support you," he clarified.

"I know you will."

He always was.

As we continued walking down the now barren hallway, most of the students had already left for the day. The sound of our footsteps echoed through the empty corridors, creating a sense of solitude that was both eerie and comforting at the same time.

When we reached the front door, the parking lot outside was almost deserted, with only a few cars scattered around belonging to teachers and students engaged in after-school activities.