envenoMATE

10. Left His Alone

Ten.

“Adina, where are you? Pick up the phone, and call me back, please!” Daniel pleaded for the umpteenth time, hoping Adina would finally listen to his voicemails. He was about to continue speaking when his phone beeped, indicating someone was calling his phone. Hope soared in his chest, and he quickly answered the call. 

“Adina?”

“No, man, it’s Julius. You still haven’t found her?”

Daniel sighed, running a tired hand through his hair. 

“No. She hasn’t picked up her phone once, and I can’t find this party for the life of me.”

“Look, Dan, I’m not trying to be rude, but it’s late. She obviously doesn’t want to be found so give it a rest for the night. You missed the movie, but we’re going out for a drink. Come find us. I guarantee you there are girls here that will be more than happy to snuggle with you.”

“Thanks, Jules, but you should know I don’t really care about other girls right now.” Daniel sighed, rubbing his hand over his stomach with a grimace. “I just, I have this bad feeling, and I won’t be able to rest until I know she’s okay.”

Julius started to say something, but Daniel’s ears shut down as his eyes spotted a car through the woods. 

“Hang on,” he said, interrupting Julius. Running to the small, side parking lot, Daniel squinted to make out the car’s details. 

“Julius, I found Adina’s car!” he exclaimed.

“So?” Julius breathed, sounding quite bored.

“So she’s around here!”

“Daniel, she could be anywhere by now!” Julius responded, raising his own voice. He was growing quite frustrated. He had packed up and moved away from his only home to be with his girlfriend and friends. Now his best friend was ditching him for a wild goose chase. It was hard to not feel the slap to his face. Julius tried to remain understanding, but that patience ended an hour ago. It was time to wake Daniel from that little girl’s spell.

“Adina could be getting cozy with some chum at the party. She could be passed out from boozing it up. Whatever it is, let it go for the night. You have people here who actually want to spend time with you. Quit blowing us off. . . . . Daniel? . . . Daniel, are you even listening to me!” 

“Her phone is in her car, Julius,” Daniel replied with a worried face as he inspected Adina’s car. He could see her wallet in there as well, begging to be stolen. Great. Daniel turned back to the woods, hoping for any sign of Adina in there. Something was wrong. He could feel it. He knew it.

“Julius?”

“Hm?” the young man grunted back.

Daniel swallowed dryly, hating what he was about to bring up. “Do you remember when Paul died?” 

There was a tense choking sound on the other end of the line followed by a hoarse, “Yeah.” Most people would never forget the day their younger brother died in their arms. Julius knew he never would.  “Of course I remember.”

“You remember how you felt before we found him? Before you had any reason to think something was wrong? You had no reason to suspect anything, but something unsettled you. You couldn’t eat, couldn’t relax or think about anything else. Remember?”

“What about it, Daniel?” Julius answered sharply, contemplating where the line of thought was going. “And don’t you dare say that’s how you feel right now. That was my brother, Daniel. Not some chick I had been romancing for a month!”