missing | gilinsky

1

May 1st, 2015

"Are you okay?" Sam asks, leaning over and snatching a french fry off of my lunch tray. I slap his hand away and give him a dirty look. He's been asking me that same question nonstop for a month every time we hang out. It's getting old.

"Yes, Mother, I'm fine," I say, rolling my eyes.

"Alright, alright." He throws up his hands in surrender. "I was just asking."

"Are you okay?" I question, raising my eyebrows. Sam shakes his head at me, showing off his dimples as he laughs.

"We should get going, I have to get you back to Westside by 12:40," Sammy reminds me. I scowl. It sucks how I still have one month of high school left and Sam is already done with his first year of college.

"Whatever," I mumble, standing up out of my seat. I walk over to the counter and place the plastic tray on top of all the other dirty ones and follow Sam out the door.

"Just think, Nadia," Sam says as we reach his car, "thirty more days and you're free."

"Thirty days seems more like thirty years," I complain, hopping in the passenger seat. Sam closes the driver's side door and starts up the car.

"Eh, you'll live," he tells me as we pull into the street. It takes about ten minutes to get back to Westside from where we're at. I'll be back at school at 12:30ish, with ten minutes to spare until my last class of the day starts.

It sucks not really having any friends that are still in high school. I was mostly friends with all of my brother's friends, but they're all a year older than me and graduated already. The only friend that's my age that I have is Hannah Williams, she's practically the only reason I'm surviving my senior year.

Hannah and I have been friends since middle school, I trust her with my life. I pray that even after high school ends we'll still be friends because without her who do I have? Sam? He's always busy with college stuff unless it's summer for him. I need someone who I can count on one-hundred percent. That used to be Jack, but he's been gone for a month and he turned off his phone so I can't get a hold of him. Hannah is a good alternative.

"Alright, shorty, we're here," Sam announces, pulling into Westside's parking lot. I sigh and unbuckle my seat belt. I just have to last an hour and a half and I'll be out of here for the weekend.

"Thanks for lunch and the ride," I say, jumping out onto the concrete floor.

"No problem, I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah."

Sam nods and drives off, leaving me all alone. I pull my phone out of pocket and check the time. 12:31. I have nine minutes to do whatever I want before I'm forced to learn about healthy living. At least it's an easy class. I love ending the day on an easy note, but I still hate having to go to class.

Typing in my pass code I go to my messages and text Hannah.

Are you still in the cafeteria?

I don't why she doesn't come with Sam and me when we go out for lunch, who even likes cafeteria food? Sure the fries are good but there's way better places out there. I think she might have a little crush on Sam and is just afraid to be around him, she'd rather eat with her sometimes-friend, Kendal.

No, I'm waiting outside murrey's room

Mrs. Murrey is our healthy livings teacher, and she doesn't like when students are late. Hannah is so scared of her she waits outside her room four minutes before the bell to leave lunch even rings. I don't get it though.What is there to be afraid of? Getting detention? Detention isn't even that bad, it's just an hour after school with the teacher you bothered then you're out of there.

I'm on my way

I push my way through Westside's front doors and make a left, going up the stairs to the second floor. I see Hannah leaned up against a locker, staring down at the floor.

"Hannah!" I shout from down the hall. Her head snaps in my direction and she shoots me a smile.

"Hey!" She shouts back.

I adjust my drawstring bag and run toward her. I love running in the halls, it makes me feel super fast even though I'm the slowest runner to ever live.

"How was lunch?" She asks, pushing herself off of the locker so she stands right in front of me.

"It was swell, I had a burger, Sam had a BLT." I watch her squirm as I mention his name. I smile to myself. She definitely likes him. "What about you?"

She shrugs. "I had a sandwich."

"Was it good?" I question. Her mom makes unbelievably amazing sandwiches.

"It was fine, Kendal ate half of it."

I mentally scold myself for not eating lunch with her. Stupid Kendal got half of the amazing sandwich of goodness. Just as I'm about to say something about Kendal, the bell rings. This is usually the time anyone normal would be waiting outside of a classroom.

"Girls." A new voice appears and causes Hannah and me to jump. Hannah turns around just as I look up to see Mrs. Murrey.

"Hey," I greet her with a warm smile.

"Hi," Hannah says, using her faux sweet voice. I stifle a laugh.

"Come in, come in," she tells us. We walk past her through the door but she stops me, grabbing onto my shoulder. "How's Jack? Is he home yet?" She wonders. My heart stops. Mrs. Murrey had Jack as a student last year. I didn't even know she knew he was missing. I feel like everyone knows and that annoys me.

My warm smile is replaced with a fake one. "No, not yet."

"Sorry to hear that," she says. "I hope you find him soon." I nod, silently agreeing with her.

"What was that about?" Hannah whispers as I sit down next to her.

"Jack."

Hannah cringes. She knows how much I hate it when people bring him up. All this week I've had people asking me where he is and telling me they're sorry. I don't even know how they all know. Do they even know that he hasn't just been missing this week, he's been gone for over a month. I never told anyone. Maybe when they put a missing person report out for him it was in the newspaper or something. I wouldn't know, I don't read the newspaper.

Either way I just wish he would come home or we'd find him so people will be satisfied and stop talking to me about it.

I know the only reason Sammy still talks to me isn't just because he goes to college around here, it's because Jack's gone. A lot of things people do for me is because Jack's gone. I just want this to stop. I want him to be here. I want him to be safe. I'm going to find him sooner or later, I need to.

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hope you guys enjoyed chapter one! I know things are going by pretty slow but that's because I need to build everything up. Feel free to comment and vote if you'd like! If you have any questions or suggestions don't be afraid to say something.

-gilinskyshigh