Benefits

Ch. 42: Trouble

Trouble- Cage the Elephant

"Trouble on my left, trouble on my right. I've been facing trouble all my life. My sweet love won't you pull me through? Everywhere I look I catch a glimpse of you. I said I did it for love and I did if for life. Did, did it for you."

-

It must have been a great big emergency if he left his shoes here and his shirt as well.

I was disappointed. Maybe he was telling the truth, and their was a thing concerning his brother, and he so happened to have to leave that instant.

What a coincidence. Once I walked outside the next day my body runs cold.

It wasn't from the weather.

Across the concrete was smeared red turning into orange. This was where Jake's car was last night. I pull out my phone, and dial his number. Something is wrong.

Voicemail.

I call again.

Again.

And again. No answer.

I walk faster, almost running to the school. I needed to see what was up. Was that blood? Maybe it was fake blood from Halloween? I overthought everything. Paranoid. Of course, I must be. I have to find some real reasoning why he left last night.

I didn't see his car in the parking lot, but maybe he's running late. I call again, awaiting for the voicemail so I can leave him a message. "Hey. Um... can you like... I don't know.... Respond. Answer my calls maybe." Forgetting I didn't even say my name I add, "It's Dawn by the way." I hang up. I might seem frantic, but he has driven me to this.

Once I reach the campus, I do not see his car at all.

He's usually here before I am.

I rush inside the building going to my locker trying to busy myself. My fingers shake fastly, my head pounding from attack. Something is wrong. I feel it in the pit of my stomach. I turn around, and shut my locker with the back of my head. I stare at the ground, the way the lines blur through my vision, makes me zone out a couple minutes.

I'm over thinking it. I have to be.

A pair of shoes come into line with my eyes, I furrow my brows in confusion as the set of shoes don't move. I look up from the floor, my eyes scanning at a young man. His brows furrowing just as much as mine. He didn't seem to be in high school. Dark hair, and bright blue eyes kept there hold on me. No backpack or anything. I start walking away from the rude guy who keeps starting at me, but I hear his footsteps follow me closely.

I walk faster, as the shoes do as well. "Dawn?"

His voice starts to register to being recognizable, but I can't place it. I look back up at him. Still not being able to name him. "Hello?" I question.

"I'm Terry. Jake's brother."

"H-how do you know I'm Dawn?"

"I'm the one who answered your phone call a couple weeks ago, remember? He has a picture of you when you call his phone."

Oh right. That embarrassing picture that I took so many months ago.

"Where is he?" I ask.

"I-" he pauses. His eyes gazing off to the hallways, taking in that we are not alone perhaps. He grabs my shoulders, pushing me into an empty classroom that no one was using this year. He locked the door, and I felt my body run cold. "I don't know." He says with a deep sigh. He turns back to me. "He usually comes home early in the morning after a run. He didn't come home."