The Last Breath Of Reggie Warrington

Chapter 25: Missing!

I thought, before we left the house, that it was just spitting, April showers sort of rain, more like drizzle really, but as we ventured outside, it quickly became clear that it was worse then drizzle. Cold rain plopped down from the darkening skies. At only 7 o'clock in the evening, in late May, it should have been light, well lighter than it was, anyway. Clouds darkened, a threatening storm brewed in the skies. We'd only just left the house when the thunderous rumbles echoed.

"Libby, let's go back, there's going to be a storm soon," I said, the truth is I didn't want to get wet, or struck by lightning.

"If Dad can do it, we can do it!"

Her footsteps quickened and she started to walk in front of me, "he's our friend and he's out here alone and afraid with the police after him for a crime he didn't commit."

My hand flew forward and fingers entwined in the strap of her rucksack. Her foot stumbled as I pulled her back.

"A crime he didn't commit? Seriously Libby? Are you so into him that you don't care that he set fire to my house? My family are homeless and you don't give a damn about that?"

"I'm not into him, I swear, he's yours."

"He's gay for crying out loud! Why won't you accept that?!"

I'd had enough. I could feel my ankle throbbing. If Libby wanted to trail across Cranbourne for a boy she said she wasn't into, then that was entirely her problem and she was welcome to go alone.

With my so-called friend several feet in front of me, I turned and headed back. I wanted to catch the rest of Emmerdale on +1, have a hot chocolate and go to bed, in that order. I didn't have time to worry about Ethan. I didn't want to worry about Ethan. He'd caused enough drama in my life for me to give a damn about him.

I wandered back to the house which was next door to Reggie's, wondering how things would have been if he'd still been alive. I suppose, if all that didn't happen, he wouldn't have changed. He'd still be the same bitchy Reggie he always was, and always would be if he were still alive.

I thought back to the Summer Holidays before Ethan arrived at Forest Green, Reggie and I sat on the step outside his house while Libby and her cousins Matilda practised their latest dance for a dance school audition. Reggie was choreographing it while I filmed it on Derek's new camera.

"One and two and one and two, and come on Libby!" I remembered him shouting out at the top of his voice as he tried to make them improve their routine.

In a way I blamed Ethan for how much Reggie changed before he arrived at Forest Green, he was bitchy, but since then he'd gone from that to full grown Queen Bitch. Every sentence he spoke dripped with poison. Tears of his victims stained many a shoulder. If only he'd stayed at his old school. If only he moved away. If only... if only...

Without Libby, I had no way of getting back into the house. I knocked on the door and waited for a moment until Annabelle answered.
"Come in, come in." She said and looked behind me as if she was expecting someone else as well. "Where's Libby?"

"She's gone for a walk," I said, which was partly true and partly a small white lie. I didn't want to tell Annabelle where Libby was going, at least not at that moment. I decided that if she wasn't back by 9 o'clock, I'd tell her parents.

I entered the warm house and hung my coat on the bannister. It was so nice to be warm and dry. I went into the living room and put Emmerdale on 1+ so I didn't miss a single second of my favourite soap opera.

The theme tune played and for a good half an hour I allowed my worries to fade. Silly Bob and Laural having an affair, Rodney doing weird things and talking to Gerry about the dead vicar, was all I needed. To me, TV stood for Therapeutic Visual.

"Ooh, Bob and Laural," Said Vanessa and she walked through with two cups of steaming hot chocolate. She tucked a stray strand of strawberry blonde hair behind her ear and sat down beside me on the brown leather settee

"Yeah, they're still at it."

Hot chocolate covered in squirty cream and topped with pink and white mini marshmallows, mine and Libby's favourite comfort drink. It was odd drinking it with her step mum instead of her. We, Annabelle and I, sat for the rest of Emmerdale and Coronation Street. She wasn't much older than Libby and I, late 20's, possibly 30, but not much older. She liked the same music and tv shows as we did, like another friend. I thought it was a shame Libby didn't like her.

One Episode of Emmerdale and two of Coronation Street later and a hot chocolate inside me and I actually began to feel better. I place the cup on the coffee table and headed upstairs to take a bath. I wanted an early night but wasn't sure if I would be going to school in the morning.

I run the bath and filled it with bubbles, lavender scented bubbles. As I slipped in, I inhaled the scent and immediately felt relaxed. I'd planned to stay in the bath for about an hour, but my eyes felt heavy and I quickly fell asleep.

I didn't know how long I'd been in the bath, but waking up in freezing water, was not what I would call relaxing. Horrible, yes, relaxing, no. I wasn't sure if it was the cold water or the loud voices coming from downstairs, but I heard Mr Edwards shouting and Annabelle trying to calm him down. Someone headed up the stairs and tapped on the bathroom door, which I had locked my privacy.

"I'm in the bath!" I called, but a voice replied.

"Chloe, when you're finished, can you come downstairs please?" It was Annabelle.

"What time is it?"

"Half ten."

Half ten. Half ten! I said I'd tell her and Mr Edwards at 9 o'clock if Libby hadn't arrived home by then and by the worried tone to her voice, I knew Libby was still out there.

I leapt out and quickly got dry before putting on my pyjamas and wrapping myself in a warm dressing gown. I unlocked the door and headed downstairs.

Mr Edwards stood in the lounge. His eyes looked straight at me like the cross head Master he was. A deep frown embedded itself into his forehead and face, pale and drained.

"Chloe," he asked, voice quivered with each word he spoke, "where's my daughter?"

"I'm sorry. I should have told you. I fell asleep in the bath. She went to find Ethan. I think she likes him."

"Stupid girl. Stupid girl. I told her not to go! I told her to stay here!" He began to shout.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." I stuttered. We'd been best friends for as long as I could think, surely I couldn't lose another friend. Not after Reggie. No!