Wish You Were Here

34

"Wow!" I exclaimed, carefully lifting Beth back up. "You guys caught all those?"

"Impressive, right?" Grant beamed.

"Very! I should've collected wood for a fire. I'll do it now, okay?" I suggested.

"That'd be great!" Grant replied.

I ignored the looks Beth was giving both Grant and me. We made a small fire with some sticks I found, surrounding it with rocks. Grant used the lighter from the backpack and started to cook the fish. We were starving; no one said a word practically the entire time as we ate.

While we were eating, I tried to picture Will watching out for Beth. He handed her water, asked her if she needed anything, and was super attentive.

Who are you and what did you do with Will?

Beth just answered him sweetly, her face lighting up whenever she looked at him. She appeared even more petite next to Will's large frame. Even for fifteen, she was tinier than most of her friends, she had told me. Her delicate features complimented her well, though. Especially as she sat next to Will, his broad shoulders casting a large shadow against the fire's flames. I was glad he had found her.
He caught me looking at him and I smiled, not saying anything. He gave a funny look and went back to eating.

As soon as Grant had finished his fish, I nudged him.

"Hey, can you come help me with something really quick?" I asked.

Grant looked at me and raised an eyebrow, which I pretended to ignore. I stood up and he followed me as I walked until I was sure Will and Beth couldn't hear us.

"Beth told me some guys captured Cal," I told him bluntly.

He sighed and looked down to the ground.
"I know. Will told me the same."

"Okay, good. Then we don't have to waste any time going over the story. We need to come up with a plan on how to rescue her," I said.

"Ryleigh," he said. "I don't know where she is. This isn't like with Aaron. At least with him, we knew the general direction he went in. But with Cal?"

"You're joking, right?" I scoffed. "Beth knows the direction they went in. How is this any different?"

"It's not that I don't want to find her," he said. "I do! I'm just not sure...I mean, Beth clearly can't go anywhere. Not with her leg. And I won't leave you hiding somewhere again."

"Then leave Beth with Will," I suggested.

"And do what?" he asked.

"And go get Cal! With me," I replied.

He rubbed his hands over his face. "Just you and me? We're going to rescue Cal, just the two of us?"

I put my hands on my hips. "Do you have a better idea?"

He stared at me. "Yeah, maybe. Let's get off this island and call the police."

"By the time that happens, Cal could be-" my voice cracked as I choked back tears.

Grant sighed and stepped towards me. He put a hand on my shoulder.

"If you don't want to go, that's fine," I told him. "Get off this island and call the police."

"Good. I'm glad you agree," he said softly.

"Then I'll just go get her all alone," I said stubbornly.

His eyes widened. "What? No! That's crazy. I won't let you go off alone!"

I turned to face him. "Let me? It's not up to you, sorry."