Hopeless? ~ Third Part of Loverboy.

Chapter 16. ~ Nathan.

I swore I could have counted all the seconds that passed since Roxanne closed the guest room's door until the first faint rays of the sun filtered through the green curtains. I couldn't sleep, I had a million of  things on my mind, some good, and most of them bad.

I could only think of all the people who could possibly be affected if anything bad happened to Ashley. Her mother, her brother, her classmates, Roxanne, Josh, Patrick—although I hate to admit, I know he cares very much about her—, the guys in the band, and many others who I couldn't even begin to count. I was not a very religious person, but at that time, in those hours I spent away, I could only pray to a Greater Good, the person who is watching us from above, or the Universe and Destiny itself that she was okay, wherever she was, but I just wanted her to be okay. I didn't expect anything in return, I didn't even expected us to be back together again, just wanted to see her again. 

I tried hard not to think of Dionne. My blood seethed at the remote thought of the fact that there is a strong possibility that she could be the one behind all of this. How could I be so blind, how could I ignore all the subtle clues indicating that something bad was happening? 

My body got on alert when I heard someone's footsteps going to the kitchen. Then there was a moment of silence until I heard the distinct sound of someone looking for something between the dishes, I assumed they were making coffee, so I decided get out of the bed. I went to the bathroom, put on some more presentable clothes and then went outside. 

Roxanne was there, leaning against the kitchen counter. She was subtly tapping her fingers on the table to a random melody while she waited for her coffee to be ready. I approached her and greeted her with a kiss on the cheek. 

—Do you always you wake up this early? —I asked, leaning beside her in the counter.  

—I couldn't sleep. 

I crossed my arms, I looked ahead and sighed. —Neither do I. 

She put a hand on my shoulder. —Everything will be fine. 

Soon, she asked me if I was hungry, I said I wasn't and she said she wasn't hungry as well, but she insisted that we had to eat something, so we took several slices of sandwich bread and put them on the toaster just when Josh got up. He greeted Roxanne and then he said good morning to me. The three of us sat down to eat, just as the small apartament's phone rang. Roxanne got up from the table to answer it. 

—Hello? —I heard her answering while I took a piece of watermelon to my mouth. 

There was a tense silence as Roxanne talked and Josh and I ate. I just wanted them to be calling from the police station, and because of Roxanne's pale face I knew that I was probably right. 

—All right. We're on our way. —She said before ending the call. 

I got up from the table with a start, unconsciously. —Was it the police? What did they say? 

—They said they wanted to see us. 

—Well then let's go. —I said, and walked pass Roxanne, who now took a sip of her coffee. 

After changing again and getting my things, I went back to the kitchen. Roxanne was fixing her blouse and Josh was just standing in the middle of the room. 

—Are you ready? —Roxanne asked. 

I turned to see Josh. —Are you coming with us? 

Well of course. —Why? 

—It's just that you shouldn't stop going to the hospital just for this. —I answered. 

—It's true Josh, you should go. It's your shift today. I promise I will keep you updated about everything they say. —Roxanne supported me.