𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐎𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝 // (𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐫𝐚𝐝 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫)

Part 35

I drive home alone along a back road, while everyone else goes into two little groups.

The whole drive back I have a smile plastered across my face, that is until my engine starts to make a very concerning sound, and I pull over.

I turn off the car, but when I try to switch it on again, nothing happens.

"Oh, shit, shit, no," I step out of the car. "Fuck."

I lean against the car and hold my head in my hands.

I take my phone out of my pocket and call Steven.

"Yeah, y/n?"

"My car's broken down," I tell him, lowly.

"Are you kidding me?" He sighs. "Where are you?"

I tell him my whereabouts.

"Fine, hold tight we're coming."

"Okay, thanks."

I wait patiently for them to arrive, and while I do I grab my new bear from the car, "Senior mint", I'll call him.

Luckily the boys only take about 5 minutes.

They pull over in front of me and both get out of the car.

"Let's see what's happening here then," Steven opens the front of my car.

Conrad and I lean against the car while we wait, and we exchange short glances every few seconds.

"Dead battery!" He tells us.

"Okay, how do we fix that?"

"Did Mom make you get those things that connect the cars?"

"Not sure, I'll have a look," I grab something I can't even describe. "This?"

"Yes!" he grabs it from me and opens the front of his car. "If you guys want to wait inside the car you can, this will take a little while."

We both nod and I get into Stevens's passenger seat, with Conrad in the driver's seat.

"What are you gonna name him?" He asks, referring to the bear in my hand.

"Senior mint."

"Really junior should be senior, since he's older."

"Whatever." I laugh.

We sit in slightly awkward silence for a minute or two, before he breaks it.

"I'm hungry, let's see if Stevo has some little snacks in his car." He says as he begins to look around. "Oh no."

"What?"

He then proceeds to hold up a bag of Swedish Fish, my known least favourite candy.

"I'll put them back, wouldn't want them to ruin your day."

"Yeah just seeing that name has put me in a bad mood." I chuckle, looking out the window.

"Hey, y/n?"

"Yeah?" I ask, leaning the back of my head against the window.

"Nothing," He smiles, not looking away from my eyes. "There's so much I wanna say to you but I don't even know where to start."

I try to speak but my voice gets caught in my throat.

"I'm sorry."

"No." I blurt out. "Don't be sorry."

He doesn't smile, but there is a small crease by his eyes.

The door opens.

"Car should be good for now, we'll find a shop to take it to tomorrow."

"Okay, thanks, Steven." I get out of the car and wave to them as they drive off.

I sit back in my car and switch on the engine.

~~

Steven and Conrad pull into the summer houses drive just before me, and we see everyone waiting on the steps.

I park and get out of my car, before the boys do, since it seems they're finishing a conversation.

"Took you long enough." Jere yells as we all walk over.

"Sorry, my car broke down, they came and helped."

"Why didn't you call me?"

I roll my eyes and carry on walking to the house.

"Y/N!" Conrad comes over to me. "You forgot your bear."

"Oh, thanks." I take it.

Everyone walks inside the house, very slowly.

"What the fuck?" We hear Jeremiah shout from the other room.

The entire house, is empty.

Everything is gone.

Every single trace of Susannah, everything.

She is gone.

'You're not gone, you can't be gone, No!'