27th of January, 12:07 am
RUEL'S POV
This was the last place I wanted to be. I hated being in this position, yet, I had never even thought I would be in this position, sitting in a cold police interview room that felt like it was getting smaller and smaller every time I talked. I could feel the walls closing in on me as I took my jacket off. I shiver went down my spine and my arm hairs spiked up as I felt the air conditioner blow on the back of my neck. I rolled my shoulders back as the officer who was sitting in front of me stood up from his chair.
PO: 'When did you see her last?'
R: 'I dropped her off to her house, I saw her go inside as I drove off and I haven't seen her since'
PO: 'And what time was that as?' the officer says as he leans onto the metal table, looking into my eyes
R: '10 pm! Like I've told you for the last 3 times! Jesus, do you guys take notes or anything?' I roll my eyes and lean back in my chair, making it swing back on its back legs
PO: 'Don't give us an attitude kid. We've got questions'
I run both of my hands through my hair and take a deep breath in.
R: 'Maybe instead of asking her boyfriend questions, maybe do your job and be outside, looking for her! Like every other one of us. Why am I being held the longest?'
PO: 'Because you keep avoiding questions. What happened at that party?' the demand in his voice made me jump but I sat up, confident.
R: 'For the fourth time, nothing. She was completely normal from when we went to the party to when we left. Can I go and look for my girlfriend now?' I cross my arms and take another deep breath, slowing my heartbeat down.
The officer straightens up his back, before grabbing his pen and notebook, with nothing but Ruel Van Dijk scribbled on the top of the page. I let out a big sigh as the heavy door slammed shut and I watched his shadow walk past the window that looked into the interview room. I could hear the air conditioner blow behind me as I saw two shadows talk behind the window. My heart raced as I saw the door handle bend and the door start to slowly open again. Was this a new officer? More questions? I just wanted to go look for her and make sure she was safe.
FLASHBACK- Last Night
I followed y/n through the garage door of Mia's house that led into the living room and kitchen area where 70 odd people were spread out throughout her house. I could feel the humidity when I stepped into the door, sweaty people with drinks in their hands who looked like they had been here for hours. We slipped past the boys in the kitchen who had red, party cups in their hand and walked over to the front door where Mia and Tilly were talking with drinks in their hands as well. Their faces lit up as they saw us and we walked past someone passed out on the sofa. We both embrace in a hug from each of them.
R: 'I'll go get us drinks y/n. They in the backyard M?'
Mia nods and I step behind y/n, pulling down her skirt.
R: 'I don't want that ass to be seen anywhere in this party. Right?'
I hear her chuckle as I walk out the screen door and reach into the cooler to get 2 raspberry cruisers. I turn back around, nearly bumping into a couple of girls from y/n, Mia and Tilly's year level. They look me up and down before I slip through the door and walk back to the girls.
Y/N: 'Even though they are divorced and live in different states...It feels like they are back together in the same household. I can literally hear my mum screaming upstairs when Ruel and I are downstairs watching TV. It's getting ridiculous.'
M: 'It'll get better I promise...'
Y/n sighs as I hand her the drink and wrap my arm around her waist but we turn to see Alannah and Elliot come down the stairs, laughing and out of breath.
R: 'And you guys were...'
A: 'I was showing him where the bathroom was. You know, the one without vomit in it?'
M: 'He's been here before... He knows where it is'
E: 'Uhh well. Just forgot I guess. Alannah? Drink?'
A: 'Just water. I've already had enough alcohol.'
Y/N: 'Clearly'
Alannah rolls her eyes and lets out a breath before running her hand through her black hair.
A: 'What did I miss?'
T: 'Nothing really. Ruel and y/n only just got here'
Y/N: 'Yeah and I'm already really sweaty. I'm going to get some air. Alannah, Tilly? You wanna come? I have to ask you something about year 12 orientation.'
They both nod before following y/n outside after she pecked my cheek and gave me her jacket. I watch her as she steps outside and goes around the back of the deck. I turn back around to Mia and Elliot where Mia was already asking questions about Alannah
M: 'I swear if you did anything in my bedroom-'
E: 'We didn't do anything I swear!'
M: 'As if. Ruel, back me up here'
R: 'When are you going to ask her out?'
M: 'Thank you!'
E: 'I don't know..It's kinda a friend with benefits thing right now'
M: 'I can bet you $1,000, not that I have that money but whatever, that she likes you. She doesn't stop talking about you, I can guarantee that'
E: 'I just...'
R: 'Do it in the next week or I'm going to do it for you'
Elliot rolls his eyes as I fist-bump Mia and we hear a scream from outside. I turn around, bumping into someone and feeling the warm drink seeping through my top. I bite my tongue, not trying to yell at the dude but I shake my hands and start to head outside. This party was getting way too much already. I stepped into the cold air outside and looked around to try and find y/n and the other girls. I was about to go back inside to talk to Mia again when I saw them whispering behind the deck and I see Alannah hit y/n's arm as I approach them
R: 'You guys ok...'
Y/N: 'Yeah. Nothing. I mean, um, what happened to your shirt?' she furrowed her eyebrows at me
R: 'Someone spilt a drink on it.'
Y/N: 'Come on. I'll help you dry up.' she says as she grabs my arm and we head upstairs to Mia's room.
I sat on Mia's baby pink bed sheets as y/n's pulled open Mia's closet, looking through her clothes
R: 'I doubt you'll find something for me in there'
She continues to sift through her clothes before pulling out a familiar top
R: 'Since when was my top in Mia's closet? I swear I didn't leave it here. I didn't cheat'
She chuckles as she places it beside my and stands between my legs
Y/N: 'I was wearing one time when I slept over. I left it here I guess' she said as she unbuttoned my top and peeled it off my body
R: 'Ahh, right.'
I shrug out of the shirt and put my hands on her waist as she leans over to grab my dry shirt. She takes it off the hanger and throws it on the bed before I pull her closer and we both smiled as she leaned down, dropping the shirt over my bare shoulder. I smiled in between our kisses before pulling her on top of me as I fell back onto the bed. She giggles as she straddles me and kisses me while rubbing her thumb along my cheek, giving me goosebumps. We break apart at someone bumping into the closed door and she climbs off the top of me and goes back to Mia's closet and closes the door.
Y/n followed me down the stairs as I pulled down the shirt and I made eye contact with Mia before she rolled her eyes, thinking that we did stuff in her room.
M: 'I'm going to call Grayson in the back to see where he is'
Y/N: 'I'll come'
Y/n rubs my back before following Mia outside.
T: 'Is y/n staying here overnight?'
R: 'Nah, I'm taking her home after'
T: 'Right. Yeah. Um. We've got orientation in two days so I'm just making sure...'
R: 'I'll take care of her. Don't worry'
T: I know' she chuckles but still seems distracted
R: 'What's wrong Tills?'
T: 'What? Nothing'
R: I can tell when something is wrong. Come on'
T: 'Lukas is here..' she nods her head towards the back of the kitchen where he was cuddling with a girl
R: 'You need to get over him. He's the buggest fuck boy in our year level. You've experienced it, so find someone else'
She sighs and I wrap my arm around my best friend shaking her shoulders
R: You don't need someone to complete you, ok? Tilly, you are way better than anyone he's ever going to get with. Ever'
I see her break into a smile and we clink our drinks together. I look at the screen door as it opens and y/n comes into the house, signalling me to come outside. I look at Tilly before walking through the pit of teenagers and getting outside
Y: 'Can you take me home now?'
R: 'Grayson isn't even here'
Y/N: 'My mum said there's an emergency at the house.'
I nod before hugging and saying goodbye to the group before taking y/n's warm hand in mine and walking down Mia's steep driveway. She leaned into my arm as we walked out of the party and we could hear the music behind us. I look down at her as her eyes wander the gravel that we hear crunch under our shoes.
Y/N: 'Can we take the long way home? I really wanna take as much time as possible before going back into hell.'
R: 'Anything you want princess'
I kissed her head before I opened the car door for her and she slipped into the passenger seat.
PRESENT
I breathe a sigh of relief as the police officer opens the door and nods, giving me them all clear to leave. I walk down the hall, feeling all eyes on me until I see Coco standing near the door on her phone. She looks up at the sound of my footsteps and gives me a hug as I approach her
C: Seriously, how long were you in there?
R: I'm out now. Where's everyone looking?
C: I'll drive you down to the park but Mia just let me know your group is about to head to the beach
I nod and follow Coco out of the police station and getting into her car before she started driving us down to the park
R: Wait, pull over. I see Mia
Coco breaks as I unbuckle my seatbelt and jump out of the car. I jogged up to Mia who was walking down the path with a flashlight. I give her a long hug, I could feel her heartbeat pound as she held in the tears
R: It's going to be ok. We'll find her, ok?
She pulls away with a panicked face and nods.
M: Um, I'm going to grab the group. Want to head to the...um..
R: Beach?
M: Oh right. Y-Yeah
I nod and follow her as I see the rest of the group ahead and we start going the back way to the beach, the route y/n would always take. I walked ahead of the group with Alannah as we used our phone flashlights to see our way down the beach until I felt everyone stop behind me. Alannah and I stop and turn around and start to walk towards Mia who was pointing her flashlight at the rocks but I stop dead in my tracks as I realise what she found.
M: 'What do we do...'
T: 'Don't touch it...'
A: 'It's evidence, Tilly. We have to take it to the police'
G: 'If we touch it, it's got our DNA on it. That's going to make us look sketchy.'
E: 'Exactly'
T: 'Do we call the police for it?'
R: 'No. Mia and Tilly, go and get plastic gloves and a bag from Tilly's house. The rest of us stay here. Don't call the police. We can't let anyone know we saw this...'