Sincerely Yours

Chapter Seven

29th of January, 8:45 pm

ALANNAH'S POV

We run up the concrete stairs to the back entrance of the venue, through the sea of fans who were waiting there to see if Ruel was going to come outside. I could barely hear Tilly talk next to me with all the chatter that was coming out of everyone's mouths around us. We show the security our passes and then rush past him but move out of the way for 2 girls who were being escorted out by Nate and another security from the venue.

M: 'Wait, Nate, what's happening?'

N: 'Go ask Ruel, he's in the backroom'

We nod and look at each other. Why were those girls being escorted? Why were they backstage in the first place?

We follow Elliot and Grayson through to the back to see Ruel on his phone, his hair pulled into a bun on the top of his head, using y/n's scrunchies.

G: 'What were those girls doing here?'

R: 'What girls?' he looks up from his phone, surprised by our sudden appearance.

A: 'The girls that were getting kicked out by Nate...'

T: 'Yeah, he told us to ask you...'

R: 'Oh right. Yeah, they used me and made me feel like shit' he stood up and pulled his sweaty hair out of the bun.

E: 'Woah, what? What are you talking about..'

R: 'They said they had pictures of y/n last night...' he nods and puts the scrunchie on his wrist, avoiding eye contact with us as if he was embarrassed. 'I shouldn't have believed them...She's probably dead, let's get over it now, huh? I'm going to ask Nate if we can leave, I don't wanna be here anymore' he walks past us and goes back to the side stage and I can feel the mood of the room drop.

A: 'I feel terrible for him...'

E: 'This is exactly what he was afraid of, remember Alannah? He said in the car on the way here, he was scared of people using the event to get to him...'

M: 'Look where it ended...'

T: 'I can't believe that he just admitted that he thinks that she's dead....'

G: 'Kinda sad to see him lose hope like that...'

A: 'Well, we're not. Right? She's out there.'

M: 'I don't know Alannah..'

G: 'No, I agree with Alannah. We have to keep a positive mindset. It's been, what, 3 days?'

M: 'Most abducted people are killed within the first 48 hours...' she says, almost in a whisper

E: 'She's not even a long term missing person right now...Plus, she's getting heaps of publicity'

T: 'Look, Mia, if you wanna think that she's gone, believe that, but don't let Ruel know you think that way...Please' she gives Mia a pleading look as Ruel comes back into the room.

R: 'Wanna head out? Nate gave us the all-clear' he says as he leans against the door frame.

We all nod in response and start to walk towards him

A: 'Hey, do you remember your first show here Ruel?' I chuckle and everyone smiles and nods in response

FLASHBACK- 2 years ago

I click my phone off, slipping it into the side of my yellow skirt as Nate dropped an amp next to Ruel who sat on his wooden stool in the middle of the stage.