Pretty Little Fighter Girl

Chapter 28- WHERE ARE YOU NOW?

Lucas POV

   Celeste is missing.

   The fight had ended victoriously and I left the ring in search of our group when I made the discovery that she was gone.

   Jason was on the rail of the ring and he had smiled at me when I had approached.

"Good fight!"

  I nod and shake Jason's hand. "Thanks."

  I pause and look for her in the crowd. "Have you seen Celeste?"

   He shakes his head and looks around. The crowd was dispersing because I had been the last fight of the night.

   "She was going to meet me on the rail after putting her gloves in her bag."

   I glance around. "I'm positive that I saw her walking to the ring before I took the hit to the face. She should've reached you in thirty seconds or less."

   Jason nods nervously. "Maybe she just got stuck in the crowd. Let's see if she shows up..."

   The crowd became small and very few people were left, minus our own fight team. I turn towards our group and notice her gym bag on the ground.

  "She didn't just leave. She wouldn't have left her bag."

  Jason nods at my words and runs over to her bag. I follow after him and watch as he sorts through it. I sigh in defeat when Jason pulls out her phone. Celeste never took her phone into the ring. Now we couldn't call her.

   My eyes fall on a small slip of paper at the bottom and I pull it out from the bag. I unfold the paper and instantly recognize Celeste's handwriting.

"To whom it may concern ,
       If you are reading this, I'm probably not around anymore. My reasoning is final and I want to make a couple things clear.
    Firstly, please do not look for me if you happen to receive this letter. Your safety and the safety of those I care about are at risk. I needed to go in order to secure your protection.
     Secondly, I have hidden a box in the corner of the closet in my room. The box will hold all the information that you need to know in order to make sense of this.
     Lastly, I wanted to apologize for all of the pain and sadness I have left behind over the course of the year. It is because I care about all of you, that I must accept my fate and leave. I'm thankful to have many great people in my life and the fight inside of me will not die as long as those I care for are safe. Thank you for everything. I'm sorry it had to be like this.
  Love,
Celeste."

A bad feeling had settled over me while I read the letter. Celeste was planning this the entire time.

What if her disappearance was because she was taken from her kidnapper? Panic and dread laced my veins, my heart rate accelerated in fear.

I give the note to Jason and he soon wears the same unreadable expression on his face.

"Hey guys!"

Our group of fighters gather around us and pay attention to what Jason begins to say.

"Celeste is missing and I don't think it's an accident. We need to search the area in case if she's not far."

He pauses. "She may have been taken again."

The group mumbles and divides themselves into groups. Some search the fighting area while the other group searches alleyways and parking lots.