Nothing Else Matters - Perrie Edwards

Chapter Fifty One

We pulled up outside my house and I ran straight in, not even waiting for Perrie. I nearly ran straight into Alfie, stood pacing in the hallway with his phone to his ear.

"Hello babe." He said. "Jakob's back. Yeah."

Alfie held his phone out to me. "Lauren."

"Has she seen her yet?"

Alfie shook his head, and I took the phone. Perrie came in and closed the door.

"Lauren, what's going on?"

"Hiya Jakers... not a lot. I'm on the way back now. I've been all over the place, not seen any sign of her. Sorry."

"Okay, see you in a few minutes." I said, hanging up before I started silently crying. "Alfie, where's dad?"

"Front room."

My dad was stood at the window in darkness. He looked terrible.

"Dad?"

"Hi son."

"Hey... where's Ellie?"

"She went to a couple of girls houses to see if Maddie's there."

"I thought you'd rang all her friends."

"We did, all the ones we know. Ellie knows a couple of other girls from her college, so she's gone to try there."

"Right. I'm gonna keep trying her phone, I'm gonna go out now and drive around."

"Lauren's been doing that for hours kiddo, she's not seen her."

"I know, but we might now." I said feebly.

My dad turned to me and I could tell before he said anything that he didn't have a clue what to do. We'd never been in this situation before. I knew what he was going to say before he said it.

"Do you think we need to call the police?"

"No. Not yet. If... if she's not back here by the morning, then I'll do it myself. But not yet, let me try and find her... why don't you get some sleep?"

Dad just shook his head and went back to looking out of the window.

I slowly backed out of the room and followed the sound of voices into the kitchen. Perrie was in there with Alfie, and Lauren was back.

"When did you last try her phone?" I asked.

"About ten minutes ago."

I instantly went for my phone and tried Maddie's number, but once again it went straight to answerphone.

"Jesus... Lauren, whereabouts have you been?"

"All over the area, near her college, around the park..."

"Alfie, see if Ellie's heard anything."

"She said she'd ring me."

"Right, I'm going out."

"Hang on a minute." Lauren said. "Where are you gonna go?"

"I don't know, but I can't stay here can I?!" I snapped.

"Would she have gone into town?" Perrie suggested quietly. "Babe, we'll drive into town and look for her there."

"I don't know... I dunno why she would."

"She's been seeing someone, though hasn't she?" Alfie said. "I know nobody wants to say it, but she's been asking you and Dad for bus money for weeks now-"