Escape {COMPLETE}

~Chapter Twelve~

I didn't want to think of the possibility, but...at that moment, it just crashed over me like a wave of the fear I had been holding back. I felt as if I was drowning in it. I felt tears spring into my eyes. I blinked those swiftly away, though. I have to be strong...I have to be strong for everyone else. I thought to myself, scolding the weak moment. I cleared my throat and looked around, snapping myself out of my deep thought. I expected the familiar faces surrounding me, but they had disappeared somewhere.

I groaned at the thought of a long, difficult search through this hotel. I didn't want to call out their names, in fear of disturbing the guests of the hotel. So, instead, I quietly walked around and looked for them. I weaved in and out through the crowd, knowing that we needed to get back to our investigation as soon as possible. I didn't see my 'search party' members, but I did notice a familiar face within the sea of strangers; Anna.

Anna was someone I didn't know very well, but she was a good friend to Erin, Nick, and Rachel. I looked at her pretty face, noticing that platinum blonde hair that was straightened, as usual. I wanted to make sure it really was her and not some random person I hadn't ever seen before. I stepped a little closer and she turned to look at me. Her eyes instantly lit up with recognition and she waved at me. Yup, that's Anna. I smiled. I waved back, and walked over to her. "Hey, Anna!" I announced with a smile. "Hi, Hannah!" She returned.

"What brings you to the Hilton Suites?" I asked her, a sudden curiosity overcoming. "Oh, my mom's friend is visiting from New England, and she's staying here. We're here visiting them." She explained, and I nodded. "Have you seen Nick, Erin, Rachel and Patrick?" I asked her, remembering what I was looking for in the first place. "Oh, no, but I'll help you look for them, if you like." She said, grinning. "Great!" I smiled at her. She's so nice! I thought as we went around looking.

"Why are you looking for them, anyway?" She asked after a few minutes of hushed search. "Well," I started. "We're supposed to be looking for Erin, but I need to round them up before continuing our search." I explained. "Oh, I am SO in on that!" Anna insisted. "I wanna help find her! She is too awesome to be held captive," She murmured. "Ain't that the truth..." I responded. "I swear I will search the ends of the earth for that girl and rip the person who took her limb from limb!" I growled menacingly. She grinned. "You better save something for me to completely obliterate," She grumbled. We laughed and only searched harder.

"Maybe we'll find them if we split up." Anna suggested. "Good idea," I insisted. "How about you text me if you find them or vice-versa?" I added. "Yeah, so we've got a game plan!" Anna cried. I laughed and we exchanged phone numbers. She went off in some random direction and I in the other. I was looking down at the ground, for some reason...I think I was looking at my shoes....when I bumped into someone.

"Oof!" I ungraciously uttered, and flopped on top of the person, by accident, as they had fallen, too. I had my eyes closed tight, and I feared it was a stranger. Slowly peeking behind my eyelids, one of my worst fears had come to life. "SEAN!!!!!!!!!!!" I screamed as loud as I could, scrambling away and hiding behind a support beam. "OHMYGODWHATAREYOUDOINGWATCHWHEREYOU'REGOINGBEFOREYOURAPESOMEONE!" I hissed, a harsh whisper. People were walking by and staring at me, and I felt my face flush red. He hadn't moved an inch, too shocked to even think. I could tell by that stupid look on his stupid face...

"What do you mean, me watch where I'm going? You're the one watching the ground instead of in front of you!" He looked up at me, climbing up from the ground. He stood taller than me, and I glared up at him. The nerve! I shouted in my brain. I couldn't believe that'd just happened. Apparently, he couldn't, either. I blushed harder, humiliated.

But then, looking past Sean, I saw something that instantly made me forget about it.

Nick's P.O.V.

We had gotten water bottles; thank God, I thought my throat would turn to a desert. Hannah chugged half of it in one go, and it was hilarious to watch. It's like one of those stupid competitions that don't matter but are just enjoyable to see. I remembered my favorite aspect of the Hilton Suites; the stairs! I grabbed Rachel's and Patrick's arms and dragged them with me, so we could run up and down them. They were out back, leading down to a seafood restraunt, so I had to shove the door open with my shoulders with my death rip on their wrists. I grinned devilishly. This was gonna be so fun!

"Guys! Look!" I pointed to the short yet wide steps. "Stairs?" Patrick muttered disbelievingly. "You dragged us away from our quest to find Erin for stairs??" Rachel grumbled. "Ah ah ah," I started, "These aren't just stairs. They're short stairs!" I corrected. They looked at me like I was stupid. "Oh, come on!" I insisted. "They're fun! Trust me!" I grabbed their arms anyways and nearly dragged them down the stairs. They stumbled, trying to keep up, and I let go, allowing them to use their own legs to walk.

I laughed when they just rolled their eyes and followed.

There were a lot of stairs, and when we reached the bottom, I acted as if I were planting a flag in the ground. "VIVA LA RESISTANCE!" I shouted, attracting many strange stares. Rachel backed up and looked at me like I was crazy. I laughed hysterically, looking around for a familiar face that seemed to be elsewhere. "Hannah?" I murmured her name, after gulping a bit of air. "Where is she?" Rachel asked. It dawned upon me that she might've met the same fate as Erin, and I shivered. She couldn't have gotten captured as well, could she?? I hissed in my mind.

I shot down the stairs again, searching desperately for her. I saw her, and sighed in relief. But...she ran into Sean! "Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!" I moaned. She screamed his name in what sounded like shock and disgust. That's ma girl, I thought. They talked quietly, and I heard Patrick and Rachel arrive behind me. "She's fine," I announced. "Just covered in Sean cooties." Both of them burst out laughing, and I suddenly felt anger. He didn't even care that Erin was missing....

I stormed down the rest of the stairs, stopping only when I was beside Hannah. She didn't even act like she saw me. He looked bored, and it only fueled my fury. I raised my arm up slowly, methodically, and Sean just sat there. I pounded my fist right into Sean's nose, and he fell to the ground, blood spurting from it. "That's for Erin, you cynical arsehole," I hissed, and walked away.

Hannah's P.O.V.

His face was one of pure hatred and fury. He lifted his arm up slowly, and Sean didn't move an inch. Nick pounded his fist right into Sean's nose--I could hear the crack! "That's for Erin, you cynical arsehole," He hissed, and stomped away. I was stunned. But I didn't even talk, for I was still staring at the sight that stunned me out of my anger and embarrassment.

It was him. Leaning his thin yet muscular frame against a wall. He was handsome, I had to admit, but it didn't affect me. His fluffy brown hair shone in the light coming from the window. His eyes slowly made their way up to meet mine and we froze, staring at each other.

His arm was still bleeding, dripping softly onto the ground.