Good Girl's Guide to Relationships

Six- Josh

Pip rolled over as sun shined into her room. She got up sleepily and rubbed her eyes. As she did, a shadow crossed her window.

Her heart dropped and she kicked her legs over the bed to see what it was. She opened the blinds just a bit and saw nothing.

It's just a bird, she tried to convince herself, no one can even get up here.

Her phone pinged on her bedside table and she quickly walked over to it.  She picked it up to see a message from Cara.

Don't watch the news.

Pip felt her stomach fall. She threw on a hoodie and ran downstairs where her parents and brother were already eating breakfast. Her mother looked up, concerned.

"What's wrong, Pip?" She asked.

Pip tried to look less frazzled, "Nothing...have you watched the news?"

Her dad answered that time, "No, and considering that you're asking, we're not going to watch it at all."

Pip sighed and went to grab a bowl of cereal. As she poured in the milk, she texted Ravi.

Cara told me not to watch the news. You're okay, right?

His reply was immediate Yeah, I'm good. She's right though, don't watch it. I'm worried for you as is.

Not watching the news won't prevent me from finding out what's wrong, Pip texted back, someone will tell me or I'll step outside and hear all about it.

Hopefully that softens the blow at least. Ravi replied.

Pip put her phone down and ate her cereal. Josh walked past her to put his bowl in the sink and muttered something. He has gotten to big since Pip was gone, she almost felt sad. She watched him head back upstairs, then decided she would ask him about what was going on.

She finished the rest of her breakfast and put the bowl in the dishwasher. She also took Josh's bowl and did the same.  She grabbed her phone and began walking back upstairs.  She passed Josh's room where the door was closed.  Pip knocked twice before hearing a "come in!" From the other side.

Pip clicked open the door to see Josh laying on his bed with his phone in hand.

"What's going on, Josh?" She asked, cutting to the chase.

He frowned at her, "I'm not supposed to tell you."

She groaned internally, "I know that, but it's driving me up a wall being clueless."

He sat up and looked at her carefully, "Promise me you won't go on another 'how to catch a killed' spree."

She smiles a little and held up her pinky, "Promise."

The linked pinkies and Josh sighed before saying, "Someone went missing."