Even In Pieces [bxb]

Chapter 14

Everett

I stare at the ceiling. There are lots of productive things I could be doing in this time, instead here I am, laying on my bed thinking about Zachary. Yesterday he took that phone call, then came back and told us that he won't be coming to work today. Also, he was eerily silent the whole drive back.

My phone rings and I pick up.

“Everett?” I immediately recognize the voice.

“Vio?”

“Yeah. I just wanted to ask if you have seen Zach today?”

“No, he took a day off of work today. He got a call yesterday, and then he said he is taking the day off.”

“Fuck. The only reason he would take a day off after a call is his dad. Oh, god. That's why he didn't text or call me back,” her voice goes frantic as she talks.

“Okay. By your tone I am guessing that isn't good. You calm down and I will deal with this. I am going to call your brother right now. But are you sure about him?”

“Zach never leaves me hanging, he always calls to tell me that he will be busy if he couldn't reply to my text, he worries about me.”

I give Vio an okay, then cut the call to dial Zachary. I have no idea if he'll pick up or not. But I do have a better chance than Violet since Zachary wouldn't want her to know about this.

He picks up after almost twenty seconds.

“Zachary?” I ask.

“Yeah. Why are you calling?” His voice sounds gruff.

“Where are you right now?”

He doesn't reply for a while. I open my mouth to ask again when I hear a sigh.

“I don't know. Just somewhere near my dad's house,” he says.

“It's late. Why aren't you in the house?”

“I couldn't sit there another minute,” The reply comes.

“Where are you going to stay the night?” I ask.

“Here? I don't know.”

Is he serious? Is he just going to spend the whole night in the middle of nowhere on some street? I can feel my anger rising, and I don't know why.

“Just tell me where your house is. I am coming to pick you up,” I am already changing my clothes as I say it.

“What? No. I can just walk a bit more and then get a cab.” he says.

“Shut up and just tell me where you are.” I snap. He doesn't say anything for a while, and I am getting angrier by the minute.

“The Upper West Side, you can find my house at the far end, I took a right from there then a right again and just walked straight for a while.” His voice is low when he speaks.

I find his dad's house pretty easily, him being popular and all. Then I follow the directions that Zachary gave me and after fifteen minutes I find him leaning back on a wall. He is wearing a suit except that his jacket is on the ground. I get out of the car. I see two cigarettes on the ground and one in his mouth. His top buttons are undone and his white shirt sticks to him slightly because of sweat.