TUESDAY, MAY 20TH
(ETHAN'S POV)
I made sure to having a nice, hot breakfast waiting for Teagan when she woke up this morning. No running late. Kyra and I would both be taking her to school today because we both took the day off to find out whats going on with Rachel.
"She's usually up by now" I looked at my watch confusedly.
"I'll go get her" Kyra ran up the stairs.
I made us each a plate of pancakes and bacon.
"Hey good morning sunshine" I tried to make things as normal as possible for her.
"Morning" she chuckled.
"Hey a smile, thats what I like to see" I said as she and Kyra sat down with me to eat.
"Um Ethan..." she began.
"Sup?"
"What am I going to do after school today?" she asked, taking a sip of her juice.
"Well, I don't know exactly. But someone will be there for you I PROMISE, whether it be me, Kyra, Gray, Audrey, SOMEONE will be there don't you worry about that" I told her.
"Ok" she sighed.
We took our time and finished our breakfast, and we were ready to go. We drove her to school and I volunteered to walk her over to the door again today.
"Ooh Ethan again" one of her little friends blushed.
"Hi girls" I chuckled.
"Hi" they smiled.
I could tell Teagan was anxious.
"Hey remember what I said, someone will be here" I gave her a big hug.
"Yep" she hugged back.
"Have a good day girls" I said to all 3 of them, and walked away.
...
"Alright, Project Find Rachel is in action" I said, starting the ignition to the truck.
"I'm calling Auds, I'll tell her and Gray to come over and help us out" Kyra told me.
"Good idea".
...
Grayson and Audrey showed up as soon as they could.
"You brought Joslyn?!" I asked in confusion.
"It's my frickin kid what do you want me to do, leave her at home?" Grayson said.
"Well where's Jordy?" I asked, trying to prove my point.
"School" Audrey said.
"Oh yeah, I forgot she's old enough for that now" I said, feeling stupid.
"Yeah dipshit" Grayson flicked my ear, and sat on the couch.
"Alright guys we have bigger problems here, focus" Kyra clapped.
"You're right" I said.
"Ok so Audrey, you and I are going to stay here and call as many people as we can. And you boys are gonna go over to Rachel's apartment to see if she's even there, we'll call each other if anything happens" Kyra layed out a game plan.
"Got it" Grayson said.
Gray and I started to put on our shoes and jackets.
"Daddy" Jos reached for Grayson.
"Stay here baby" he said sweetly.
She began to cry.
"Awww Jos, don't you wanna stay with Aunt KyKy?" Kyra chuckled, picking her up.
She proceeded to scream and cry.
"Go go go, if I don't leave now we'll never hear the end of it" Grayson pushed me out of the door.
You'd think someone was torturing the child as we could still hear her screaming outside.
"She's such a daddy's girl" Grayson laughed, stepping up into the truck.
"Yeah Caroline was the same way" I smiled, buckling up.
Grayson got noticeably sad.
"I miss the kid" he said, his eyes starting to swell with tears.
"Me too bro" I took a deep breath.
"How've you been holding up?" he asked.
"I mean, it's only been 4 months so obviously the pain is still there, but time heals everything, and I'm definitely getting better" I explained to him.
"Good, and hows therapy going?" he asked.
"Eh, I don't know, I think I'm gonna call it quits soon, it honestly just makes me more sad" I was truthful with him.
"I understand that, you do whatever you feel is right dude, just know I'll support you no matter what" he told me.
"Thanks man" I smiled.
...
We showed up to her apartment complex. I took a deep breath, all the possibilities running through my mind at 100 miles a minute. I knew Rachel was into drugs, and we all know what drugs could do to someone. I didn't want to have to face that.
"Which one is it?" Grayson asked, climbing the stairs.
"The paper she left with Teagan said 2B" I told him, scanning the doors for the number.
"Up here" Grayson said from the staircase above me.
I hustled up.
"You knock I'm too scared"
"No you" we argued like 5 years old.
"Fine I'll do it" I said, knocking not the door.
No answer.
We knocked 5 more times.
Still no answer.
"I'm getting the feeling she might not be home smart one" Grayson patted me on the back.
I knocked once more.
"Is everything ok out here?" an old lady came out from her apartment across the hall.
"Have you seen Rachel?" I asked.
"Last I saw her she was taking little Teagan to some man's house to watch her for the weekend" she explained.
"Yes, I'm that man" I told her.
"You're sure you haven't seen her since?" Grayson asked.
"I mean I wasn't really paying attention sweetheart" she said.
Grayson sighed. The old woman thought for a second.
"There's a key in the mailbox, her passcode is 4088, thank me later" the old lady smiled and closed her door.
Grayson and I looked at each other.
"Go" he pushed me.
I ran back to the bottom of the stairwell where the mailboxes were. I quickly typed in the passcode and to my surprise, it actually worked. There was a small gold key taped to the inside of it. I grabbed it and ran back to Grayson.
"Gimme" he grabbed it from my hands and shoved it in the lock.
We were in.
"Rachel, its just the twins" I said as we stepped in.
No response.
"I'll get the bedrooms, you check in here, the bathroom, and the kitchen" Grayson told me.
I nodded and proceeded to do so.
As I searched through the living room, I found a framed picture that made me smile. It was of me, Grayson, and Teagan on a slide at a park when she was only 2. I was reminiscing as soon as I heard Grayson.
"Ethan get Kyra on the phone now" he said in a panicky tone...
i'm about to just upload the rest of the story tonight because i have it written, but its A LOT so idk what to do ~Becca