𝐎𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬, 𝐜𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐨 (✓)

chapter twenty eight

Every morning, the Sturniolos would pick up Isla and drop her off at school.

This morning though, she was taking forever. After five minutes of waiting (which they usually didn't have to do since she always was early) and texting her but getting no response back, Chris decided to just walk in.

He had done that once before, and he figured it would be fine again.

Chris walked up to Isla's front door, and knocked.

He was shocked to say the least when he found Isla's mom standing in the doorway.

Her mom almost never was home at this time, she always went to work in the morning. That was why Matt always had to take Isla to school every morning.

Chris looked at her, and noticed the heavy dark circles under her eyes. He noticed how her eyes were very glossy, almost as if she had just been crying before she answered the door.

"Oh. Hi, Mrs. Smith. I was wondering where Isla was, we've been texting her but she hadn't responded. Is she ready?"

"Hi, Chris." She greeted. She thought for a moment.
"Well.. she's not coming today."

"Oh, okay. Is she feeling alright?" Chris asked, concerned.

"Uhm, yes. Now you better get going, don't wanna be late, do you?" She quickly changed the subject to avoid further questions.

Chris didn't really want to question her, and so he brushed it off. "Your right. Bye Mrs. Smith, have a good day."

She smiled softly at Chris. "You too, Chris."

Chris nodded, and walked back to his car. He hopped in, and Matt looked to him questionably, giving him a look that egged him on to explain what happened.

"Isla's mom answered the door. She said Isla couldn't come today, but she didn't explain why." Chris shrugged.

"Oh. That's weird." Nick commented, and Chris shrugged in response.

Once they got to school, their classes passed by quickly. Without even realizing it, it was already time for lunch.

Chris got pretty bored without Isla there to talk to, so he made conversation with Scar.

His phone began ringing, and Chris's eyes widened at the sight that Isla was calling him. He needed to answer, he wanted to see why she wasn't at school. He excused himself from their table, and picked up the phone.

At first, she wasn't talking. She didn't say anything. But Chris knew she was on the phone still, but he could hear her uneven breaths.

And that worried him. It definitely wasn't like Isla to randomly not go to school then have her mom not even explain why, then call him and just stay silent.

"Come on, please talk to me. I know your on the phone still." Chris pleaded, praying the girl would finally talk.

"Hi." She practically whispered.

Finally, a response.

As he stayed on the phone with her, she had told him she wanted him to come over. She seemed like she was in some sort of trance, or worried state. It almost seemed like she wasn't really there, like she was in a dream or something.

As Chris hung up, he turned to Matt.

"I need to go to Isla's house."

"What? Why? Wait, right now? Dude, we can't leave during school." Matt asked a million questions at once.

"I don't care. I need to see her, right now. I don't care if you drive me or I have to drive myself or even if I have to fucking walk, but I'm going to see her." Chris explained, in a serious tone that worried Matt.