Chapter 13

Jasmine jolted awake, drenched in sweat. She rubbed her eyes, groaning as she sat up in bed. It was still early, but sleep was no longer an option.

She dragged herself into the shower, letting the scalding water wash away the lingering anxiety. By the time she was dressed and back at her desk, she felt somewhat human again. She pulled her laptop from her bag, flipping it open, ready to distract herself with schoolwork.

Two notifications popped up immediately.

Phone owner P is active.

Her pulse quickened.

A second notification followed.

Phone owner P is now active and on the move.

Jasmine pushed her homework aside, heart racing. She grabbed her headphones and clicked on the tracking app connected to Parker's phone. Her fingers hovered over the listening function before deciding against it. The location would be enough for now.

She watched the blinking dot on the map.

Parker was moving.

She smirked, leaning back in her chair. Where are you going, Parker?

The location updated—Mercy General Hospital.

Jasmine's smirk faltered. Hospital? Was he visiting Mel? That would make sense. Maybe he needed to see her for closure.

She tapped her fingers against the desk, watching as the dot moved again.

New location: Rebecca's house.

Now that was interesting.

Jasmine's stomach flipped with excitement. What was Parker doing there? And better yet—who was he meeting? She grabbed her phone and texted herself the address, committing it to memory. If Parker was looking for answers, it wouldn't hurt to be one step ahead.

Meanwhile…

Ashton, Milo, and Luke stood outside Mercy General Hospital, waiting for the receptionist to return with Parker's belongings. Milo shifted impatiently, hands in his pockets. Luke ran a hand through his hair, exhausted from everything. Ashton kept his eyes on the hallway, trying to ignore the gnawing guilt in his gut.

"Here you go," the receptionist finally said, handing over a sealed plastic bag. Inside was Parker's phone, wallet, and a few other small items. Ashton took it, muttering a quick thanks.

They left the hospital quickly, stopping by Mel's room to drop off her things. Ashton lingered by her bedside for a second longer than the others, watching her still form. He pulled out his phone and made a quick call to his mother.

"I need a favor," he said the second she picked up. "I need you to hire a caretaker for someone."

After a brief but tense conversation, he hung up, sighing in relief. At least Mel wouldn't be alone.

Back in the car, Milo powered on Parker's phone.

They pulled up outside Rebecca's house, knowing her parents wouldn't be home. Luke knocked on the door. No answer.

Milo glanced around before reaching under a nearby flower pot, retrieving the spare key. "Guess we're letting ourselves in."

The air inside was heavy with something unspoken. The house was eerily quiet, tension pressing down on them.

Then, from upstairs, a voice—small, broken.

"Why are you here?"

Rebecca stood at the top of the stairs, eyes wide, like a deer caught in headlights.

She looked terrified. 

Milo crossed his arms. "Either you come down, or we go up."

They watched Rebecca retreat further into the hall upstairs. That was all it took for them to take off, sprinting up the stairs after her. She bolted into her room, slamming the door shut.

"If you don't open the door, we'll break it down," Milo warned. "Then you'll have to explain to your parents why it's broken and face the consequences."

Silence.

Luke turned the handle. It wasn't locked. He pushed the door open.

Rebecca sat on her bed, arms crossed, a frown tugging at her lips. She was trying to appear strong.

"Wow. Some childhood friends you guys are," she scoffed. "Busting down my door, threatening me. Not even a 'How are you, Rebecca? Are you okay?' Nothing. I'm the victim here."

Luke let out a sharp laugh. "How many times have I tried to reach out to you? You didn't answer my calls, my texts. Even when I showed up at your house, what did you say to me? 'Get lost.' And now you wanna call us heartless?"

Rebecca's expression faltered. She mumbled, "You're okay." But then, her voice hardened. "But the two of you? Nothing. Radio silence. Even Parker—my boyfriend—nothing. I know I cheated on him, but nothing."

Ashton's fist curled. "You don't deserve to hear anything from him, fucking bitch."

Milo sensed the tension escalating and shoved Luke and Ashton behind him. "I'll do the talking." He took a deep breath. "Now that you're done with your spiel, first question: Did you have sex with Ashton?"

"No," Rebecca said immediately.

"Oh really?" Luke said.

Ashton narrowed his eyes. "So we didn't?"

Rebecca huffed. "Why would you even think that?"

Milo pulled out Parker's phone, shoving it into her face. "Because of this."

They watched her eyes widen as she saw the ten-second clip. Before they could react, she grabbed the phone and threw it out her window.

Luke and Ashton ran to the window, spotting the phone nestled in the bushes.

"What the hell? Are you crazy?" Luke snapped.

Rebecca put a finger to her lips, signaling them to be quiet. She took her own phone, walked into the bathroom, and turned on the shower and sink. Then, she closed the door, walked back to them, and gestured for them to follow her into the closet.

"Give me your phones," she demanded.

Ashton scoffed. "Like hell I will."

"What I'm about to say is so important that if Emia hears this conversation, any leverage you have in finding them disappears."

Reluctantly, they handed over their phones. They watched as she returned to the bathroom and left them there before coming back into the closet.

"So, what's the big deal?" Milo asked.