let out a scream to release the pain that was pounding against my heart. It's nothing like I've ever felt before. I could feel the hot droplets of tears rushing down against my face. I tried taking deep breaths but my gasping overturned my calming.
"Claire! What's wrong?" Annelise was shaking me by the shoulders. Her face was scrunched up in confusion. "Tell me what's bothering you."
"It hurts," I cried out. I felt like I was stabbed in the heart, pain rushed through my body. I bit my palm to help ease the pain. My heart was throbbing with immense pain.
"Austin!" Annelise yelled. "Austin!"
"Annelise," I said, "something's wrong. I know it." I grabbed onto her arm.
"What? What's wrong?" she asked impatiently.
Austin came rushing over, kneeling at my side and wrapped his arms around me. "Are you okay? Do you need to go to the hospital?" Austin yelled out to Randy to call the ambulance but I told him it was not necessary.
"Austin, I don't know what's wrong with me," I said. I took a deep breath and exhaled, hoping I could calm myself. Score, I felt a fraction better than I felt before: Lesser pain and calmer.
Out of the blues, came rushing in were thoughts of Leon. Leon! Could it be that something bad had happened to him? I heard myself mumbling his name in a low voice.
Austin heard me. "Leon? What about him?"
"Call him, Austin. Call him now." I could feel my breathing steadying itself.
Austin took out his cell and dialed Leon's number. Austin waited a moment and then told me it went straight to Leon's voicemail. I asked him to try again: Just Leon's voicemail again.
Annelise and Val came over with a small hot folded towel and handed it to me. I could see the panic in their eyes and it filled me up with fear.
"It'll help release the pain you're feeling," Valerie said.
"Thanks," I said, feeling much better.
I looked up at the clock on the living room wall and saw that it was well past 10 o'clock.
"Austin, try calling his house." I stood up, still feeling a little wobbly.
Austin nodded and took out his phone.
"Hello Mr. Bentley, this is Austin. I was wondering if I could speak to Leon." Austin waited for a response. "Yes I see." Then he hung up.
"What did he say?" Annelise asked.
"He said Leon was supposed to be home by 9:30 but he still hadn't seen him yet. His parents are getting worried." A worried expression crossed Austin's face after he finished talking.
My mind began to race. I ran over to the key holder by the front door and grabbed my keys.
"Where are you heading," I heard Austin questioned.
"I'm going to find him," I replied.
"I'm going with you," Annelise and Valerie both said at the same time.
"I'll come too," Austin said, rushing up to me.
"No you have to stay here." I grabbed my coat and shrugged it on. "I'll call you."
Annelise and Valerie were already in the car, when I got in. I stepped on the pedal and headed on the freeway.
"How do you know where he is?" Annelise asked, her voice bled with curiosity.
"I don't know." All I know was that something inside my head told me to get on the freeway, but I didn't tell them that.
There was a road block ahead, so I rolled down my window to
