Mia Cara

Chapter 8 Rose coloured glasses

A few months prior

"... Okay, well, call me back when you get this."

I placed the phone down, my brows knitting with confusion, worry and anger. It had been over a week and still Jared hadn't called or called me back. Even though I'd left messages on his voicemail for the past six days. And every two days the entire week before. Usually, Jared answered on the second ring; but suddenly, all I got was radio silence. The weird part was that neither of his parents were picking up either. It was getting to the point where I was starting to worry more than anything as I pictured all the terrible things that might have happened to my boyfriend of five months.

"Mia?"

I glanced up as Bella peered around the kitchen door curiously.

"He's still not responding?" My twin asked, also concerned. Jared was nothing if sweet, and neither of us could understand what could have happened.

"Yeah..."

I finally stepped back from the phone although it was with great reluctance. And I kept glancing back at the damned thing as though that would make it ring. It didn't.

"Do you think he's okay?" Bella asked tentatively. I shook my head although it was mostly in exasperation and worry.

"I don't know, Bells. I just don't understand why he wouldn't respond at all." I bit my lip. "Do you think I should tell dad? As a police officer, I mean?"

"And Niki hasn't heard anything either?"

I shook my head and Bella fell into thought.

"Why not ask Billy?" Bella suggested after some time. "Maybe he can ask around locally and find out if anything's happened to Jared."

"I tried Billy too." I sighed, my shoulders drooping automatically at the mention of dad's best friend. "Days ago. He just said he wasn't sure and would let me know if he hears anything."

Bella frowned. "That's not like him..."

"I know but what can I say to him? 'You usually know what's going on so tell me where Jared is'?" I grimaced. "I doubt he'd like that very much. It makes him sound like an old gossip."

"He is." Bella smiled slightly, clearly trying to lift my spirits up. It didn't work, and Bella gave up quickly.

"Look, Mia, maybe you can try driving down to Jared's place this weekend? Edward can take me anywhere if I need to leave the house."

"Thanks, Bells." I nodded, glancing back at the phone worriedly again as I imagined all kinds of horrific things that might have happened to Jared and his family that I hadn't thought possible until I found out what the Cullens really were. "If I don't hear back from him by Saturday, I'll go down in the truck. I'm so worried something's happened."

Bella had nothing she could say to that. Instead, she put her arms around me and hugged me comfortingly.

"I'm sure it'll be fine, Mia. Jared's a good guy and he's grown massive lately. I'm sure he can take care of himself."

"I hope so." I hugged my twin, my other half, back tightly.

But it turned out that I didn't need to go looking for my boyfriend. Because that Friday night, just as I was seriously considering just driving to La Push at night as I fretted over Jared's apparent disappearance, the phone finally rang.

"Mia! It's Jared!"

The relief was palpable in my dad's voice as he shouted out to me from the kitchen. He'd been worried too, not that he'd ever admit it. Charlie liked Jared better than Edward, despite all of Edward's attempts to charm my dad (or maybe because of) but he would die before he admitted he liked either of our boyfriends. It was just a dad thing, I gathered.