Torn

Chapter Thirteen

I felt the bad feeling in the pit of my stomach, but I'm trying to push it away. I can't think of bad scenarios just yet because for all I know she could just be walking around the subdivision. Actually, I can't think of bad scenarios because I literally just can't. I cannot picture something bad happening to her.

"Hey, Dem." Marissa said, walking in.

I turned around and smiled, "Hey, Mar."

"Can we go drive around the subdivision?" I asked.

"Of course!" She said.

I half smiled at her and started walking out the door when she pulled me back and said, "Demi, she's okay. She's just mad. Breathe."

I nodded and continued to walk downstairs to find Wilmer sitting on the couch, typing something into his phone.

"Wilmer, we're going to go drive around and look for her. Are you coming?"

"Yeah!" He said.

I grabbed my keys off the table and proceeded to my car. When we get back to the house, Annie will be with us. It's impossible if she wasn't. It's impossible that anything could happen to her.

I slid in the drivers seat, Wilmer in the backseat, and Mar in the passenger. Oops, Wilmer.

I pulled out and flicked my brights on, illuminating the street in front of us. The dark makes the situation ten times worse than it needs to be.

As I went around the curve, half of me was expecting her to be there, but when she wasn't, a little hope in me died.

A majority of it died when we looked on every street and inch of this subdivision, and she wasn't there.

"What do you want to do, Dem?" Marissa asked from beside me.

"Go home and call my mom to see what she thinks we should do." I said, pulling in the driveway.

I sat in the drivers seat and watched Marissa and Wilmer walk up to the front door, only to turn around when they reached. I waved my hand, signaling for them to go inside.

And, when they did, I punched the stupid steering wheel over and over, making It honk until my knuckles felt weak.

•

My mom, Dallas, Madison, Eddie, Marisaa, Wilmer, and I were all gathered in the living room from an hour of searching for Annie with no luck.

"Wilmer, it's getting late and you have your TV shoot tomorrow. Just go home and get some rest.. I'll call you when we find her."

"No.. I'm not leaving. I wan to-"

"Wilmer, please."

After a while of convincing, he finally left to go home. I just feel like I need some space from him especially senses he's basically the reason Annie ran away.

I heard a few rapid knocks on my door, making my stomach drop. What if it's the cops? What if something bad happened?

I opened the door, and when I saw Conner standing there, I had no idea how to feel. What if she's with him?

"Conner! Is Annie with you?! Where is she? What are you doing here?" I asked, letting him inside.

"Well, my phone died when I was here and I was charging it when I was in the shower. When I finally checked it there was a text from Annie saying to come get her, so here I am.. Where is she?" He asked.

Annie isn't with Conner. That eliminates everyone she could be with. Something bad has happened to my baby girl. There's no other explanation.

"Conner, she ran away. We don't know where she is." I said, feeling my legs become weak.

I quickly fell to my knees and buried my head in my hands, wrenching sobs escaping my mouth.

I felt Marissa's soothing voice try to calm me down and soon I felt my head on her shoulder.

"I-I want her b-back." I cried into her shoulder. "B-but she isn't coming b-back!"

"She's going to come back, Dems." Marissa whispered.

"Conner, I'll walk you to your car." I heard Eddie say, saving him from this awkwardness.

"Awe, Mads, come here!" Marissa said.

Oh, great. Madison is probably crying. I haven't pulled my face off my hands or Mars' shoulder to see anything and I'm not planning on it.

When I started to look up I saw Madison and Dallas both about to start into breakdown so my sisterly instincts reached up for Madison and brought her down into my lap.

"I can't loose her, Dems." Madison cried. "She's my best friend."

"I know," I said, clinging onto Madison tightly, "she's my best friend, too."

For a minute, that's how we sat. Marissa, Madison, Dallas, and I comforting each other. That's what sisters do. I wouldn't change this for the world.

My phone let off the texting tone and I pulled it out to see it was Wilmer.

"Who is it?" Marissa asked.

"It's just Wilmer." I said, wiping mine and Madison's eyes.

"Want me to read it for you?"

"Sure." I said.

I guess in the morning we'll go to the police station and file a missing persons report. I don't know if it should go media, because the last thing I want this to do is go viral, but if it will help find her, I might have too.

"Oh my go- oh my go-! Demi!" Marissa basically screamed, jumping to her feet, smiling, with tears spilling down her face. "Wilmer said he has her and she's okay. Demi, she's okay! She's safe!"