Hold Me Close

25. Time

CHLOE

We by the time we got back to the car it was starting to get dark. We started back to the house. When we got back Cathy's her parents had made dinner. We ate and then we went up to the rooms. We were going to leave pretty early the next morning. Cathy had explained how it was about a half hour drive but then about a two-hour walk to get to the cabin. But we were leaving early just to be safe. I went into Beca's room and smiled at the black sheets on the bed. I went over to the box that was full of journals and CDs. I picked up a CD with the label: June 23, 2013. This was from the summer after her freshman year at Barden. I put it into one of the CD players Beca had plugged into the computer. I hit play. It was a mix. Of course, it was. She had taken songs that we had sang and put them together. The next CD I listened to was the most recent one. It was from the summer after her junior year. Her voice flooded the room. I missed hearing her sing. I laid on the floor and just listened. I felt my phone buzz in my pocket.

Aubrey: How's it going?

Me: No sign of her yet.

Aubrey: Learn anything though?

Me: All about middle school Beca. And past relationships. Beca never did her homework.

Aubrey: But is that really a surprise?

Me: No. It just made me smile.

Aubrey: You're staying with that family right?

Me: Yeah.

Aubrey: Well how are they?

Me: Nice.

I really wasn't in the mood to keep talking to Aubrey. I just didn't want to be interrogated. I told her I was going to bed. I changed into some pajama shorts and a t-shirt. I pulled Beca's hoodie out. I climbed into the bed. I stared up at the ceiling. She had those little plastic stars that glow in the dark all over it. After what felt like hours, I fell asleep.

The next morning, Cathy's mom made breakfast and coffee. We ate, got changed, and then set out. Traffic was actually terrible. It was supposed to be a half hour drive from Amelia to Mount Orab. It ended up being an hour and a half. And we still had a two-hour walk ahead of us. When we finally got to Mount Orab, we got some food to take with us into the forest. Also some bug spray. We started our walk. It was beautiful here. If this is where Beca was that made a lot of sense. It was peaceful in the forest. A squirrel ran through the woods. It stopped and Looked at me and Cathy. It kind of winked at us. I laughed. Cathy looked at me.

"What's so funny?"

"Senior year at Barden we sang Who run the world as part of our set. During rehearsal, Beca slipped up and yelled "Squrriels" instead of "Girls". We made of her for ages. It just became something that we did."

Cathy smiled. "I mean Beca herself has always been a bit of a squirrel."

I smiled too. "You've got that right." After a little while of walking in silence, I started another conversation "So Cathy, tell me about yourself."

"What do you want to know?"

"Whatever you want to tell me I guess. I'm not picky."

"Well. I've lived in Ohio my whole life. I moved to New York a year or so after graduating high school."

"That's actually awesome."

"I guess. Anyway. I haven't really booked any acting jobs. I spend every summer here."

"Sorry."

"It's okay. I'll make it someday." She smiled. As much as she and Beca looked the same they were completely different people. Beca was always dark and mysterious. Cathy was more of a brightly colored, open book. I could see why Beca and Cathy got along. Cathy was a dreamer. Beca was more logical. They balanced each other out.

"So you and Beca have known each other your whole lives?"

"Yeah. We basically grew up together."

"Wow."

"Yeah. In middle school, she almost became my actual sister."

"Really?"

"Yeah. My parents offered to adopt her. She declined. They did become her guardians for a while. Until she went to Georgia."

"That's-wow."

"Yeah." As we approached the cabin, I heard the flow of a river. If Beca was going to hide anywhere, she would be by some form of water. Cathy took a key out of her pocket. I noticed an old bike against the side of the cabin. Cathy unlocked the cabin. We entered. Inside was set up like the other cabins we saw the day before. There was however Beca's computer on the coffee table, her bag in the corner and grocery bags.

"She's been here," Cathy said.

"She'll be back."

"How do you know?"

"She left her computer." We decided to have Cathy wait inside and me outside. At least for the first bit. I walked around to the back of the cabin. I saw a trail of blood leading off into the woods. "Cathy!" I yelled running back inside. "I think Beca's hurt. There's a blood trail outside leading into the woods." We grabbed the flashlights from our bags. It was getting dark. We both took compasses and split up. I was frantic at this point. Beca could be hurt. Or worse. I wandered the woods looking high and low for Beca. I realized after a while that if she just saw a light she could be staying hidden so she isn't found by some random person.

"Beca!!" I yelled. No response. "BECA!!!" I yelled louder. I waited. And waited. And waited.

A faint voice in the distance yelled back. "Chloe..."