Kidnapped

Chapter 9: Late Night Talk

Nick POV

It was currently two in the morning, I had woken up a couple times to Karls movement either from sleeping or just getting up and walking.

I sit up in my bed and put my phone torch on, leaving it upright in the room to act as a light source. "I didn't disturb you did I?" he asks as he looks over to me.

"Just a little, what're you doing at this time anyway?" he shows me a drawing he was making and all his paper and art supplies. "I just decided to draw, I couldn't sleep so I thought I would be productive" I reluctantly get out of my bed and sit in front of him.

"You were drawing in the dark?" I laugh and he shrugs "Its like blindly drawing, I wanted to see what it would make" He puts down his pencils and leans his back against the edge of my bed as I do the same.

"So what's up with you? Why cant you sleep?" I ask, looking over at him "I feel like I think about things too much"

I turn my body to face him to show I'm listening and motion for him to keep talking. "Its just everything I love..I still love but it just makes me sad" he keeps his head down, playing with his hands in his lap.

"What do you mean by that?" "Like..I done it all with George, and now I'm doing it with Greg and I'm starting to love it again..it makes me feel guilty" he sighs and I put my arm around him, allowing him to put his head on my chest.

"We all feel guilty when we allow ourselves to have fun. We just need to keep him as a happy memory instead of dwelling on it" we sit in comfortable silence as he plays with the strings on my hoodie.

"Nick?" "Yeah?" I respond, looking down at him. "What- what do you think happened to him?" he stammers. None of us ever spoke on what we thought happened, Although by now I think we've all realised he's most likely dead.

"At first I thought maybe he just ran away..but now I don't know what happened, I don't think we will ever get that kind of closure" I put my arm around him tighter as the silence fills the air once again.

"Tonight is gonna be so good, have you met Darryls parents yet?" Karl asks George who shakes his head. "This is our first full group sleepover aren't you excited? Nick asks George who faintly smiles. "Yeah of course I am, are the others meeting us at his house?" George asks "Clay is gonna drive us there" Karl smiles excitedly "My mum needs my help..shopping but I can get her to drop me off once were finished?" George states and they nod, understanding and carrying on discussing the plans.

It was starting to get late at Darryl's house. The boys had exhausted every means of entertainment for the night and were starting to give up on contacting George. "Maybe he just fell asleep at his house or something and forgot" Darryl suggests "No he said his mum would drop him off when they were done..I'll call his mum" Nick states, taking his phone out and finding Georges mums number. After a couple rings it went through.

"Nick hello! Are you boys having fun?" "Uh yeah we're just wondering where George is, he said you would drop him off once you guys finished shopping" Nick asks "Oh? He told me he was going straight there from school, he had his overnight bag with him when he left this morning" She states, a hint of worry now laced in her voice. "If he's not with you or here with me then where is he?" She asks "We will keep trying to contact him, I'll let you know if he shows up" I say, hoping it would ease her a bit "Okay ill do the same, thank you for letting me know" I end the call, filling in the rest of the boys.

I look back down again and see Karl fast asleep against me. I carefully move and take him off the floor, putting him in my bed and pulling the covers over him. "Wait.." He grumbles, reaching his hand out to me. "What is it Karl?" "Stay.." he still had his eyes closed "Its okay I'll take the floor" "Please?" I stand and look at him for a moment before giving in and getting into the bed, turning off my phone torch.

Karl wasted no time in resting himself on my chest. I held my arm around him and closed my eyes. "Goodnight Karl" I whisper, letting sleep take over me too. Tonight had been a long night and we needed energy to meet up with the rest of the guys tomorrow.