Chapter 7

•Alex

I can't get her face out of my mind. She looked so upset. I regret reacting the way I did, and that I didn't do anything to try and help her. Instead, she just ran out of the building. I can't stop thinking about the way I saw her outside the window, running away like her life depended on it. It was the saddest thing, and I wish I could help her.

But, that was a week ago. No one has seen her since she ran away. I went to her apartment the other day to see if she was in there. I had taken her extra key, because I wanted to make sure I could help her get in at any time.

I sure do hate my father, but, I had told myself that if nobody saw her by the 14th, which was today, I would call him to see if he could track her down, and maybe find out some stuff about her. He was really good at that stuff, but I hated the business he was a part of. See, he's a pretty dangerous man, and most everyone was scared of him.

But this is Libby we're talking about. I'd do anything to get her back, even if that meant contacting my father. The moment I saw her, I knew she was the person I wanted to spend my life with. I know we're only seniors in highschool, but, I could feel it. She's the nicest person I have ever met, she wouldn't even hurt a fly.

Which is why I'm still trying to figure out why she hit Stella like that. I don't know the history between the two of them, but, I sure as hell wanted to find out. Did they know each other as kids? Were they perhaps friends before Stella's popularity? I want to know, no matter what.

★★★

It didn't occur to me until this moment that I didn't know Libby's last name. "I can ask the receptionist at the front office when I get back to school. She can probably tell me."

"Okay, I'll be here when you come back."

"Right. Thanks."

I left his office so I could get to the school before the front office closed.

I entered the front office area, and I saw a dude around my age in there, talking to the lady working there. The guy sounded really familiar, then it hit me.

"Jake?"

He turned at the sound of his name, then saw me. He smiled widely, looking happy to see me.

"Oi, Alex! It's been a minute!"

"Yeah, it has. Say, what brings you here?"

The look on his face immediately went sad. "I came here looking for my friend. She hasn't been answering my calls lately, and I've been really worried about her."

"Who are you looking for? Maybe I can help?"

"Her name is Libby Rogers."

His words hit me like a truck.

"You know Libby?"

"Indeed I do. Why, are you good friends with her?"

"Ehh, I don't think she would think of me as a friend. She lives in the apartment next to mine, so..."

"Oh, so you're the 'Hot and loud' neighbor she told me about?" He laughed when he said that.

"She called me hot? Never in a million years did I ever think she would think of me that way." I grinned when I heard that, because it made me feel kind of happy, hearing that she at least thinks I'm attractive.

"Yeah, she did," he said, still laughing.

"Oh, yeah, to answer your question, I don't know what happened to her. The last time I saw her, she was running out of the room with a sad look on her face, after hitting that Stella person."

"Damn, she finally did it? I've been waiting for that moment in time to happen."

"Wait, what do you mean, 'She finally did it'? Did they know each other before?" I was confused. I had assumed they had a past together, but I want for sure.

"Oh, she didn't tell you, did she? You see, her and Stella? They're sisters."