Lie To Me

35. Safe

NOAH WHITE

The referee blew the whistle and signaled the end of the game, giving us a clear victory. A couple of bodies instantly crashed against mine, hugging me as a celebration for the win. I returned their gestures and hugged my other teammates, combining it with a few handshakes with the opposite team's players.

"Noah!" I heard my little brother's voice calling out for me.

I looked his way, spotting him next to the railing as he energetically waved his hand at me, Leah and Cole standing a feet or so behind him. I excused myself and made my way towards them, a light frown forming on my face at not seeing Ava with them.

"Congratulations!" Charlie chirped the moment I arrived and threw himself at me, wrapping his arms around my torso.

"Thanks, buddy." I hugged him back and ruffled his hair, not able to help the tiny smile that formed on my lips.

However, when we pulled away a couple of seconds later, my frown returned. Cole's smile wasn't as bright and as smug as always and Leah's face held an unusual edge.

"Where is Ava?" I asked the dreaded question.

"She went to get some water," Leah tried to reply causally, but the hint of worry in her tone and the way her eyes averted towards the school building from time to time gave it all away. She was concerned about her friend.

"How long ago was that?" I questioned.

"Around ten minutes ago," Cole responded, his voice giving away the fact that he wasn't calm at all either.

"Maybe she's stuck in the line for the food truck, you know how it can get," Charlie added, as always seeing the brightest in all things.

How badly I wanted to believe my brother, to believe that Ava was simply impatiently waiting in that line for her water, but I couldn't. It was like a sixth sense, something that told me she was in trouble. And Leah and Cole, whatever it was, could feel it too.

"Hey, guys," Hayden greeted as he made his way towards us. However, his eyebrows furrowed when he noticed the mood. "What's up with those faces?"

"I'll go look for her," I said.

"We'll go with you," Leah stated, grabbing Cole's wrist and yanking him out of the stands.

"I'm coming too," Charlie added, sensing the worry in the air. But, before he could take one step towards the same direction Leah and Cole had taken, I stopped him by gently grabbing his shoulder.

"It's better if you stay here, bud." I turned to Hayden. "Can you look out for him, please?"

Sensing the serious mood and the severity of my tone, he refrained himself of making any joke as he would have probably done in any other situation and simply nodded.

"I'll drive him home before heading to mine."

With a single nod in response, I walked away and joined Leah and Cole at the entrance after the latter had announced that he hadn't seen Ava anywhere near the line, a bad feeling setting on my chest at the news. Where was she?

What I wasn't expecting —neither did any of my two companions— was to find Sophie there as well, exiting the building.

"Isn't it the winner of the night?" She grinned proudly as she approached me. "Congrats, Noah. You guys played an exceptional game."