Climb | ✔

Chapter 13 | Five Cries

It was Wednesday, December 5th, and all hell broke loose. It began with a text from Gina, and quickly spiraled into an onslaught of anxiety and anger.

By the time Winter got to school, students were buzzing with the freshly-acquired gossip, so much so that she was sure the promotional banner for the Winter Formal must have been altered to broadcast the news: Fletcher Roy cheated on Daisy Wu.

Winter sprinted as fast as her legs would allow, darting through the pockets of students crowding the halls. When she got to Daisy's locker, she was met by an anxious-looking Gina.

"Where is she?" Winter asked through her pants.

Gina shook her head and shrugged.

"What the hell happened?" Winter pressed.

"No idea. I found out just when I texted you." Gina pulled her phone out and tried calling Daisy.

After a painful minute of ringing and redialing, she dropped it. "Ignoring calls," she muttered angrily. Winter watched as she clutched her phone, and one of her manicured nails popped off from the pressure. She didn't even notice.

Gina stomped away and Winter picked up her nail before scurrying behind and handing it to her.

"Oh, thanks," she said automatically. She pocketed it. "God! I'm pissed. Wait until I get my hands on that-"

As providence would have it, Fletcher rounded the corner in that moment. His eyes were wide and animalistic, as if he felt instantly that he were mere prey to Gina's protective instincts riling her forward.

She propelled from her spot and shoved him. "You!" she screamed indignantly.

Winter held her back while she continued berating him. This seemed to bring Gina down from her outburst quickly, as she suddenly stopped her assault and exhaled in one slow, measured breath.

"You're not even worth it," she mumbled, pulling out of Winter's hold and jogging off to go find the rest of the group. Winter hung back only for a moment to assess the damage--not that anything but Fletcher's pride was harmed. Then she chased after Gina.

By the time everyone congregated in the atrium, Louis was red in the face and hunched over at a table.

"Where's Daze?" Joe asked urgently. The panic on his face was infectious, and Winter felt her anxiety puddling suddenly.

She shared a look with Luke that said everything that needed to be said, then answered Joe. "We haven't seen her. She's not checking her messages or picking up, either. Can you guys get her at all?"

Luke shook his head and leaned back against the table-top. "We tried. Not responding. She probably wants to be alone."

"Daisy never wants to be alone. At least, she hasn't before," Gina seethed, clutching her head and bowing down over the table. She and Louis were a matching set now.

Suddenly, everyone's phone went off. There was a moment's pause before they all scrambled to check their notifications. It was from the group chat.

Dazzzed: I'm fine guys. Just staying home td. Dont really want to talk so just dont worry for now

(v)Gina: You're obvs not ok tho. This is seriously fucked and we're not gonna leave you alone at a time like this, we're coming.

And with just that exchange the whole group mounted up, shrugging back into their coats and slinging their bags over their shoulders to go raid Daisy's home.