Hope That Never Dies

TWENTY-FIVE

♢ ♢ ♢

I heard the front door slam shut. She left. I let her leave.

'Fuck'  I groaned while aggressively running my hands over my face.

'This is for the best. Right?'

After a few minutes of thinking about what just happened, I decided to go for a drive to distract myself. I walked back down the stairs, ignoring everyone in the living room who was playing a board game, and headed for the front door.

"Where you going?" I heard Max call from behind me.

Honestly I don't know, I just need to get out of the house.

Instead of looking back or answering, I stormed out the door and slammed it shut.

I got in my car and started driving...

I didn't realise I was on my way to Lydia's dorm until my car pulled up to building complex C.

I had zero control over what I was doing and no matter how hard I was trying to convince myself to leave her alone I couldn't.

The cool wind greeted me as I stepped out of my car, goose bumps crept up onto my bare arms.

...

'What the hell am I doing?' I should leave.

Instead, I pressed my knuckles against the wooden door.

No answer.

I knocked again... still no answer.

'Where the fuck is she?'

I took my phone from my back pocket and copied Lydia's phone number from the group chat Emma created, adding her as a new contact.

Text after text and call after call, but no answer.

'The fuck?'

I banged on the door harder but still no answer.

My heart rate picked up 'where the hell is she?!'

I remembered that Denver had once given me the key to her dorm room. I ran to my car, grabbed the key and ran back.

The lock clicked as I turned the key in the nob. I pushed the door open.

"Lydia?" I called out while looking around.

"Lydia?!" I repeated louder. Her bedroom door was wide open but no one was there.

My pulse quickened. I picked up my phone and attempted to reach her once again.

...
I spent the next couple hours waiting for her to come back or at least text me back.

What if she's hurt? What if she's in trouble? What if-...