Blue Band 1

Chapter three- read!

Chapter 3. Secret

“If you want her alive…”

“Fine!”

“…Tell your friends that you are safe, and nothing happened here. Then go straight to where I have told you.”

“Fine, fine,” I grunted.

I drove to the mansion, and upon hearing the car screech, Clare dashed out, looking paler, streaks of dried tears on her face. She lit up, as I hopped off the car. She jumped on me and hugged me, squeezing my neck.

“I can’t breathe, Clara!” I laughed, for a moment forgetting everything.

“I’m so glad! Hey, guys!”

Andy, Justin and Sally rushed out, and they gaped.

“Charles!” they gasped in euphoria.

“Hi.”

“I’m so happy. Come in.”

They didn’t notice the red car that Rose had lent me, though.

I went in, greeted by Mr. Brown who was sitting down on the chair with Michelle and Lara, discussing about the next concert. He looked thinner, and his beard was not shaved, a large bush. When he noticed me, they looked up, and squealed in surprise- of course, not Mr. Brown.

 “Oh, Charles!” gushed Lara, jumping on me.

“Whoa, hang on, Lara,” I said, laughing.

 I was closer to her than I was to Michelle, being one of my oldest friends in Mr. Brown’s company.

“Charles,” said Michelle curtly, inclining her head.

“Have a seat,” Mr. Brown merely said, expressionless, as he led me to a chair.

“You look awfully- happy but weird,” commented Andy.

“That’s how I feel now.”

I sat down, facing Mr. Brown, and clasped my hands tightly, wringing them nervously.

“What happened?” he asked finally, breaking the awkward silence.

“I escaped,” I said in a plain, strained voice.

“How? What happened there?”

“Nothing happened,” I said.

Michelle narrowed her eyes. “Uh-duh.”

“Shush and listen to me,” I snapped. “But I need to go somewhere…maybe for a very long time, so I won’t be able to come.”

“Where?” said Mr. Brown, his head snapping up, sounding alarmed.

“Yeah, in this state of yours?” rasped Justin.

“I can’t tell you guys, but I need to go. And maybe I won’t be back,” I said, avoiding my gaze.

 Mr. Brown lifted up my face by my chin, drilling his eyes into mine. “You’re hiding something, aren’t you?”

“No, sir, I’m not,” I said boldly.