𝔑𝔞𝔱𝔲𝔯𝔞𝔩//Corbyn Besson//✔︎

Chapter 8

"Don't walk away, 'cause it's cold in LA. Every time that you leave me behind. Just stay at my place, 'cause I can tell by the way you're lookin' at me, you'll be fine. " ~Jonah Marais, Cold in LA

"You can't force me!" I cry.

"I can push you?" Corbyn suggests.

"Don't even try!"

Corbyn gives me a look. "And why not?"

"Because... because... just don't!"

I'm standing at the edge of Corbyn's private pool. He's trying to get me to go in.

No thanks. Sure, the water's nice, but, like, it's just... just no.

"Please?" Corbyn pleads.

"I said no!"

Bzzz, Bzzz. Bzzz, Bzzz.

I pick up my phone, seeing Nik calling me.

"Hey?"

"Hi!" Nik replies.

"What's up? Everything okay?" I ask.

Corbyn finally sits down beside me, watching.

"No! Everything's not okay!" Nik whines. "I can't find Max!"

"Max?" I look at Corbyn with a confused look. "Didn't she get home this morning?"

"Maybe. But I wasn't home," Nik complains. "I'm so worried."

I think quickly. "Corbyn's here with me. You can ask him... maybe she's with Daniel? I'm putting you on speaker."

I place my phone on the ground in between me and Corbs.

"Nikki?" Corbyn asks.

"Hi, Corbyn," she replies, sounding breathless. "Um, Max. She's gone. No note, no nothing."

"Nothing?" I ask.

"I'll call Daniel," Corbyn says.

He quickly dials a number, his eyebrows furrowed. "Yeah, hey. Just wondering, is Max with you? No? ...Oh. ...Really? What?" He looks at me, panicked. "I don't know. Nikki... Max didn't leave a note. ...Shit, are you sure? Damnit! Ok. Yeah. See you."

He slams his phone on the ground. "Nikki? You still there?"

"Yes!" She calls. "Is she with him?"

"No... but she texted him," Corbyn blinks.

"What did she text?" I ask cautiously.

Corbyn pauses. "'I need to take a break', or something like that, 'it's just too frickin' hard. Thanks for everything and nothing really at the same time. Max.' I'm pretty sure that's what he told me. Then Daniel said something about girlfriends? And brothers? He was really worried."

"Damnit!" Nik says. "Can I come over? We can try to find out what happened together."

"Sure," I nod.

"I'll call Hailey."

"K. See ya!"

"Bye!"

She hangs up, and I gather my phone. "Shit, shit, shit! Why now, Max? I'm trying to enjoy my time right now!"

Bzzz, Bzzz.

I snatch up my phone, gasping when I see who sent me the text. "Max!"

Max: hey! Alls good. I just need a break frm evrythng. Dont look for me. Im good. Stying with cuz. Im safe dont worry. Love you! Max

"Corbyn!"

He scoots over beside me, reading the text. "Should we still...?"

I shrug. "We'll ask the others. Oh, you should invite Daniel too. Maybe Jonah, Jack, and Zach?"

Corbyn nods. "Sure."

He picks up his phone, and starts tapping away.

I read over his shoulder too. I mean, he did, so why can't I?

Wise Guy: Hey guys? Can u come ovr? U gys need to help us.

Giraffe: ya. Its bout Max.

Mr. Mature: k. Im in.

Zombly Acopolypse: yup. Anythng to get away frm this torture

I laugh. "Your nicknames are lame."

Corbyn shrugs. "We're just generally lame, I guess."

"Obviously."

Bzzz.

Zombly Acopolypse: hey noodles? Whr r u

"Noodles?" I ask. "I'm guessing Jack?"

Corbyn nods.

Bzzz.

Jackaline's Noodles: sorry.

Jackaline's Noodles: sure. Coming in a bit.

Corbs shoves his phone back into his pocket.

~

"I want to find her," Daniel says.

"But she said not to," Nik says, always respecting people's spaces.

Daniel frowns.

"I also think we should let her go at her own pace," Zach nods.

"Since when did you have an opinion?" Jack asks.

"Since always," he replies, a little sassy.

I laugh.

Hailey nods in agreement. "Yup. Both Zach and Harry have had an opinion since forever."

"I'm sorry, but how did Harry get into this conversation?" Nik asks.

Hailey shrugs. "He just did."

Jonah snorts.

"Well, technically," Corbyn says, "you brought him up. To 'support' Zach or something."

Hailey rolls her eyes. "Zach appreciates my support for his opinions."

Zach nods.

Omigod, get me out of here.

"Anyway," I cut in, "what were we talking about?"

"I want to go see Max," Daniel says, voicing his thoughts from earlier.

"Well, I don't think she wants us to see her," Hailey says.

"We could leave her for a week or three," I shrug.

Daniel's eyes widen. "But—"

"I think that's a good idea," Nikki nods.

Daniel frowns. "But—"

"I think she'd like the space," Jack agrees. "I think."

I nod. "I think so too."

"Fine," Daniel caves.

"Good," Corbyn nods. "Now can we do something fun?"