Chapter 24 - Christian

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Chapter Twenty-Four

Christian

"I just don't understand why it's so imperative that we bring Nate," I grumbled while pulling my truck into the parking lot of Eastcoast High.

Kale, who was sitting in the passenger seat, shrugged and pointed his thumb toward the back. "Don't ask me – Adrian is the one who insisted we pick him up."

"I don't even know why we're bringing Adrian!" I exclaimed, nervousness coiled around me like a heavy blanket I couldn't shake. I parked the truck, looked up at the front entrance to the school, then back down at the clock that read 10:57. "Where is he? I thought you told him to be here-"

"At eleven," Kale said, folding his muscular arms together and giving me a knowing look. "You know, you're kind of a mess."

"Gee – thanks cuz', I haven't noticed," I retorted sarcastically, tapping my fingers impatiently against the stirring wheel. "It's been almost a week since I've seen Charlie – I'm just worried." Then I added offhandedly, "I can't believe it took you three days to find her. I thought you knew people who were good at this sort of thing?"

With glowering eyes, Kale lowered his voice and said lethally, "I found her didn't I?"

"I hope so..." I trailed off, unfazed by Kale's palpable irritation.

Kale called me early this morning to tell me that he found out where the Child and Family Services placed Charlie. Apparently, she was staying at some group home called Hillside House just on the outskirts of Linshore. It was Monday, but I figured they would still have her staying home from school to adjust to her new life.

"See, there's Nate – right on time," Adrian announced, leaning back in his seat with a smug look on his face.

I looked up and furrowed my eyebrows just as Kale hissed, "Goddammit, what's Kare Bear doing with him?"

When they reached the truck, Nate opened the back door behind the driver's seat. Before Karla could jump in after him, I reached back and blocked her way. "And what exactly do you think you're doing?"

"Don't patronize me, Chris. I'm coming with you guys."

I scoffed. "No you're not. You have school."

"So does Nate," she taunted while raising her eyebrows cheekily.

"Which reminds me," I turned to glare at Nate and Adrian. "Why are you guys coming? You don't even know Charlie."

Karla used my distraction to her advantage and jumped into the truck and shut the door.

Then Nate, with a mischievous smirk, admitted, "Well, we heard about how Cecilia the Heartless answered your phone when Charlie called," he glanced sideways at Karla before turning back to me and continuing, "So I bet Adrian $50 that when your girl sees you, she'll slap you across the face."

"Personally, I don't think she will," Adrian added. "She just doesn't seem like the physical type. She'll probably yell at him instead."

I glared at my two cousins, too consumed with frustration to even respond to that. I took a deep breath and finally said, "Whatever, I don't have time for this." I pulled the truck into drive, and muttered, "I can't believe I'm related to these chumps."

"You and me both," Kale said with a throaty chuckle.

An hour and a half later, we were driving down a gravel road looking for Hillside House. My sister and cousins were gossiping relentlessly about Cecilia, much to my dismay, while I continued to search for the house. The pit of emptiness in my stomach grew the closer we got, and I was feeling more jumpy than usual.

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