Once again, I stared at Leigh's photo. This time, it was flashing on the TV screen. Our local news had been flashing her photos since I posted some of it outside town. Two months was too long for someone to be missing and the police were actually saying that we might not find her already. I never mentioned to them that I was seeing someone around the house because that would mean she was just lurking somewhere. I knew Leigh. And right now, I knew she was in trouble.
I turned off the TV and went outside for a morning run. I didn't like this kind of activity but it would take my mind off of the case. Well, at least in an hour or so. I just wanted to relax for a bit.
But then, I spotted something on the porch. It's Leigh's favorite teddy bear. Why was it here outside the house? I looked around again.
There's no one around. How did it get outside was beyond my imagination.
When I stepped out of the house, Percy just out from his as well. He waved at me and I waved back with a smile. I tried to forget what happened last night but it wouldn't go that easily. There's still pain in my heart, knowing that if Leigh was back, he'd be with her in a heartbeat.
If...
If Leigh came back, that was.
I hit my head mentally. I shouldn't think of something like that. Leigh was my sister and she's not fine. I had to find her. The shadow that I'd been seeing was probably the one who kidnapped Leigh, and then he's out the side because it's my turn.
I didn't notice that Percy was already in front of me until he talked, "How are you?"
I nodded. "Good. I sleep fine." I hit my head again. He wasn't asking how's my sleep. I smiled wryly. "I mean..." I trailed off. I shouldn't explain anymore. "I gotta go." I walked back inside the house. I couldn't face him right now.
"Wait, Grace," he called softly. I stopped on my tracks but didn't face him. "About last night..."
"It's fine, Percy," was I said before finally getting in and closing the door behind me.
I saw the teddy bear again. As my tears fell, I picked it up and threw it with all my might. Why did I even have to be second to Percy's heart? I should've been the first one. I should've made my first impression cooler. But no. Of all people, it had to be Leigh.
Even though I asked myself why I had to go second to Leigh, I still wanted her back. I still wanted to see her in her room and greet her good morning. She had to come back. What would happen to me if she never came back? I'd be lonely. There was no assurance that Percy would stay longer. He wanted Leigh. He loved Leigh. If he knew that Leigh wouldn't come back, maybe he would stop talking to me. I shouldn't hope he would stay around. For all I knew, he was only staying by my side because he was waiting for Leigh to come back.
I decided to call back Percy. I liked listening to his voice.
Right on the first ring, he answered hello.
"Can we go out tonight? Just somewhere where it's not here?" I asked. "I'd like to be somewhere. Maybe I could think properly."
"Where do you want to go?"
"Do you know any park that is open twenty-four hours?"
"I don't know any park that is open twenty-four hours but we can just go on a road trip? Drive around and around until we have no place to go? It would be fun with you for sure."
I smiled as tears fell from my eyes. Leigh would've loved that. She liked road trips. That's one of the things we usually do if we were tired sitting on the couch and watching some soap that didn't really even have a happy ending.
Sometimes it was just only her who wanted to have a getaway. So when I was sitting comfortably at the couch, she would block the TV and tell me to go somewhere. I would toss her the car key and shout to get away from the TV but she would whine and say that she wanted me to go with her too. She didn't like going alone as she said that there was no one you could talk to. I knew now what she meant by that. If she was even here, I would've ask her to come with me. But she wasn't here so I had to ask someone else.
And that would be Percy.
░ ▒ ░
Percy shoved his hand in his pocket as I got out of the house. I made sure all the doors and windows were locked. With the shadow, or whoever was that showing somewhere, I didn't want them to get inside the house while I was away.
I walked closer to Percy and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you for this," I said.
"It's the least I can do to help you out."
We walked to my car. Percy was in charge of driving and same with the destination of where we were going.
"So we're going on a road trip? Any destination you have in mind?" I asked as he drove out of the driveway. I faced him so it would be easier to talk to him. "Can we stop over at some café? I wanna grab a coffee."
"I bet you want mocha," he said with a smile.
"Mocha is perfect."
"I know! I'm sure you want one as well."
"You should've made a mocha roll. That would've been the perfect partner for the mocha drink we're going to buy."
"Well, aren't you lucky?" I smiled.
He glanced at me then back to the road, his voice filled with excitement. "You made one?"
"It's not mocha roll but," I got the box of cookies in my bag, "it's still flavored mocha. It's mocha cookies."
For thirty minutes, we were quiet. I watched things go by in the street as we passed by them. As we slowed down to a stop at a stoplight, I saw someone waved at me. I rolled down the window and looked closely. She was really waving at me.
"Percy, do you know that person?" I asked, pulling his hand. "That girl?"
He leaned to me and watched where I was pointing at. "Who?"
"That girl."
But he wasn't able to see her because the car behind us started honking. He put the car back on drive.
"She waved at me," I said.
"Are you sure it was you she was waving at? Maybe there's a person on the other side."
"I know she's waving at me. She's looking at me."
"Grace—"
"No, Percy. Just drive. I don't want to spoil the night."
"Grace, I'm sorry. But you're right. Let's not spoil the night." He took my hand and entwined it to his. His hand was warm. I liked the feeling of it. It made me feel so alive even though half of me was slowly dying. Tears made its way to my eyes. I took my hand away and wiped my tears. No matter how hard I tried to forget thinking about Leigh's case, I still couldn't, not unless I knew she was safe and sound.
What was I doing then? Why was I going on a road trip with Percy? With Percy! I shouldn't even be out with him.
"Can we go back?" I asked.
"What?"
"Can we go back?"
"Grace, if this is about the girl..."
"No, it's not. It's not, Percy. I don't think this is right."
He sighed exasperatedly. "Everything we do you think is not right since Leigh went missing. We're friends, Grace. What's so wrong with that?"
"What's wrong is—Percy, look out!" I jerked forward, the seat belt choking me. The sudden stop made my heart double its beat.
"Shit. Are you okay?" Percy turned to me, removing the hair out of my face. "Are you okay? Got any wounds..."
"I'm fine..." I said but I stopped when I saw a gash on his forehead. "You're hurt." I swallowed. "You..." Then I felt my chest constricted in pain. I couldn't breathe. "Percy." My hand balled into fists. "I can't..."
"Grace..."
I knew I said something. I knew Percy answered me back with a question. But I blacked out all I could remember was how to breathe without Percy's lips on mine.