Mr. Mendes | shawn mendes

forty-nine.

I headed to my second class with Sammy, and we sat next to Arizona, Caroline, and Jack. Our teacher announced we had no work but had to stay in the room for attendance, but nobody cared since we could all talk.

"Nobody's seen Chase?" Arizona asked, frowning slightly.

Everyone shook their heads, and I glanced over to the seat where he usually sits. I noticed Johnson's was empty, too.

"Johnson?" Sammy asked at the same time, just as Johnson ran into the classroom, grinning at our teacher who rolled her eyes.

"I stopped for a breakfast burrito." He hummed, rubbing his stomach playfully.

Everyone laughed as he sat down next to us, and our little group began to talk. I stayed quiet, anxiously checking my phone for any messages from Shawn or Chase.

"Jules? You okay?" Jack asked, raising a thick eyebrow.

"Just have a weird gut feeling." I muttered. "I'm probably just overthinking."

Overthinking. That's all this is. I need to just calm down. Everything's fine.

The intercom speaker rang out, making everyone go silent as principal Wilson announced all seniors were to report to the auditorium for graduation information and practice.

We all got up, excitement buzzing through the halls of East High as our class headed into the auditorium. All of us sat on the bleachers, and we noticed all of the teachers who had taught us seniors were standing proud on the stage.

"Where's Mendes?" Caroline mouthed to me, and I shrugged with a frown.

One of the teachers, Ms. Jones, stepped up to the podium, reminding us of proper etiquette during graduation, and what time we were supposed to show up for check-in.

The vice principal walked into the auditorium, stepping onto the stage before gently pulling aside the teacher who was speaking. They engaged in quiet conversation for a second, before Ms. Jones cleared her throat and looked into the crowd.

"Julianna Ange? Are you here? Julianna Ange? If you could please follow vice principal Knox to the office, please."

My group of friends looked at me, and I shrugged, blushing slightly as I stood up and felt all eyes on me. I stepped down the bleachers, joining Ms. Knox before we walked out of the auditorium.

"Ms. Knox? What's going on?" I asked, slightly worried this had to do with Chase.

"Sorry, Miss Ange, but I was directed not to tell you anything."

"What? Where are we going?" I frowned, nerves jumbling in my stomach.

"Principal Wilson's office." She replied shortly, distress on her features.

Silently, she opened the door to the administrators building, before leading me down the hall to the principal's office.

It was eerily quiet, and I could hear my heart pounding in my ears as I walked into principal Wilson's office.

My parents were seated there at the large table, my mom with tears in her eyes and my dad with a stone cold look on his face.

"Mom? Dad? What happened?" I asked, looking at the two of them as I began to panic slightly.

"Miss Ange, take a seat, please."

Wordlessly, I sat at the end of the table, directly across from principle Wilson. My parents were to my right, and Ms. Knox, along with the counselor, sat to my left. I then noticed two police officers standing in the corner.