Early Bird | ✓

36 | vulture

           "They all replied at, like, the same time," Lauren informed him.

           "What did they say?"

           "I didn't look. I figured you should read them first."

           JJ slid into his desk chair and clicked on Teagan's reply. She wrote, WHO THE HELL ARE YOU. Sorry. I'm sorry. I'm just really freaking out because my best friend is missing and nobody knows where the hell she is. Sorry, let me get my shit together. I'm Teagan. Now please tell me how you know Lizzy and why you care. She never mentioned you before.

           Next, Mateo's reply: Do you know where she is?? You need to go to the police if you know something. I hope she isn't hurt or lying in a ditch somewhere. If you hurt her, I swear to God I will find you and kill you. Lizzy didn't deserve this.

           Finally, Reece: Any information about where she is will be beneficial. How did she know you? You can tell me anything, anything at all. I miss her so much already. Who in their right mind would hurt her? She's so beautiful and sweet and. Sorry, I'm rambling. Reply as soon as you get this. We need to find her.

           "Do I have to respond to all of them, or can I just combine them all into a group chat?" JJ asked Lauren. She shrugged, suddenly emotionless about the whole ordeal, the screen of her phone casting a neon glow on her face.

           "Sorry, JJ, but I gotta go. Isaiah and his teammates are throwing a party at his house and all the cheerleaders are invited—and basically anyone who is anyone." She paused and slung her backpack over her shoulder. "You can come with if you want."

           JJ swung around, his eyes as wide as Lake Michigan. "The girl I love with all my heart is fucking missing and could be in trouble at this very moment and you suggest that I go to a fucking party. Are you delusional?"

           Lauren shrugged again. "I just think that Lizzy might be hard to find. And I don't want you to get so stressed that you get sick or something worse. I'll be at Isaiah's if you change your mind. Love you, JJ." She blew him a kiss and left his bedroom, her waterfall curls bouncing like springs.

           "Love you too, Lauren," JJ said automatically before returning to the task at hand.

           He finally decided on creating a group chat because he only wanted to explain his story once. He began to type: I accidently texted Lizzy a few months ago because some girl at a party gave me a random number. She and I quickly became friends until we texted each other almost every day. Then, we Facetimed, and we just felt really close and comfortable. We always wanted to see each other and meet. My phone got taken away when I was grounded because of my grades and fights with my brother, but then my mom lost it. We still haven't found it. Then I heard about Lizzy's disappearance. She came to Illinois—that's where I live. I think that someone stole my phone and started texting her, gaining her trust, pretending to be me. But who? I need your guys' help. I want to find her as badly as you do.

           JJ clicked send, sat back, and waited. And waited. And waited. Thirty minutes slipped into an hour, then two, then three. JJ couldn't stand all this waiting; he just wanted to find her and hold her close in his arms. Now, JJ understood Lauren's last words to him before she left—he'd go completely insane if he focused his entire time on searching Lizzy. No matter how hard he craved to, he couldn't find her overnight. Maybe not tomorrow either. Whether he liked it or not, finding Lizzy was going to take time.

           And JJ needed a distraction.

           He stood up, grabbed his letterman jacket, and walked out the door.