Chapter 14

- V I C T O R I A -

11.07.16 // 8:45 p.m.

I SIT ON my bed, staring aimlessly at the blank white wall in front of me. There used to be a picture of Blaire and me there, but I removed it when I found out she went missing.

Such a great best friend.

I can feel the sweat drenching my skin, the throbbing behind my eyelids, the ringing screams vibrating in my eardrums, and the constant thumping of my heart against my chest.

My fingers are curled into fists at my sides, my nails digging painfully into my palms. I can't hear my rapid breathing due to the blood pumping loudly in my ears, but I can feel the air flooding in and out of my lungs.

You know what you have to do.

That's all the note says. No signature, no name, just seven simple words that hold so much responsibility. Fear is torturing my guts, churning my stomach into tight knots. Fear engulfs me whole, knocking all other thoughts aside, my brain coming into sharp pictures of what I have to do.

However, most of all, the fear is calming me, and that is what scares me the most.

The loud ringing of my cell phone snaps me out of my thoughts. It glows brightly on my bed and shakes from side to side due to the vibration. I pick it up with nimble fingers and hesitantly click the big green answer button, afraid of who might be on the other end.

"Hello," I whisper.

"Vic, it's Sutter." My breath immediately comes back to my body knowing it is Sutter and not someone else.

"Hey, Sutter. How are you?" I ask, gulping nervously.

"As good as someone whose girlfriend is missing," he responds and I hear the small deafening crack in his voice and it makes my heart shatter.

"We will find her, Sutter, don't worry yourself too much," I assure him and he lets out a shaky breath.

"That's actually why I called you. I would like to know if you would help me get some people together to help find Blaire."

"Like a search party?" I ask.

"Yeah, exactly like a search party," he says.

Do it, Vic, you know you have to!

"Of course I'll help, I want to find Blaire just as much as you do," I tell him.

"Okay, I'll email you the details later. Thanks so much, Vic, this means a lot," he says before hanging up. A sad feeling flickers through me when the line goes dead and the beeping sound echoes throughout my room.

I stare down at the note in between my fingers. For such a light item, it feels heavy and cold in my hand.

You got yourself in this mess Vic, it's time to get out of it.

- S U T T E R' S E M A I L -

FROM: Sutter Canton

SUBJECT: Find Blaire Hawthorn

DATE: November 7th, 2016 9:01 p.m.

TO: Vicky Reynolds, Sarah Longhorn, Joseph Allan, and seventeen others...

Hey everyone, sorry to be emailing so late at night. It's Sutter, in case you couldn't tell from the name at the top.

I am emailing you all because I want to get a search party together to find Blaire.

I know all of you guys love her and I love her too and I just really want to find her. I can't do it alone. I will need your help.

If you are available tomorrow morning, please meet me at 6:30 a.m. sharp at the coffee shop near our school.

Coffee and Donuts? My treat :)

Please help. I and many others want Blaire back...

Your time will be gratefully appreciated.

Thank you.

Sutter Canton

Vice-President of Crestwood Preparatory Academy