Endbury Academy✔️

Chapter 13

Surprisingly Eliza Cook fit into our little friend group really well. As expected she and Mila got along - both the quiet people among the group. Sloan seemed to have warmed up to the quiet girl as well.

We were sitting in the cafeteria. It was burrito day, so each of us had our food and chatting amicably. So far we haven't seen Barbara nor Anya since they cornered Eliza, which was a good thing. I was ready to throw hands and fight them. I had zero tolerance for bullying of any kind, which was apparent in my public school. Most of the reasons why I got in trouble was for getting into fights with bullies.

"Alright bitch, where is she?!" My head snapped up when I saw Barbara march over to us, fury written on her face as she stared right at me.

I stood up from my seat, shielding Eliza from the witch as she barreled over to us in a ball of fury. I heard a squeak come from behind me but I ignored it as Barbara got into my face, breathing heavily. "I have no idea what you're talking about," I answered calmly, not wanting to get into a fight in the middle of the cafeteria.

Barbara took a few deep breaths, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Anya's missing. She wasn't in our room when I woke up, and I haven't seen her at all today." My eyebrows rose at that information. Anya was missing? I pursed my lips, turning to look at my friend group who all looked worried. "What?" Barbara demanded, not liking the tense air that surrounded the group.

Pursing my lips I turned to look at Barbara again, biting my lip. Looking at how angry she was now I knew that she would not take this news very well. "Anya's missing?" A soft voice asked, making me turn to see Annette and Sally walking over to us.

"It looks that way," I replied with a wince, turning back to look at Barbara who looked even more confused. Rightfully so, I might add. She had no clue what was going on. "Barbara I don't know how to tell you this, but we're missing friends from our groups as well. Tenley's been missing for four weeks, and Jennifer's been missing for two." I watched as Barbara completely shut down, her eyes widening at the implication. "They both went missing because of family complications," I added as if that would help, knowing it probably wouldn't.

Barbara furrowed her eyebrows in contempt. "Anya never mentioned family trouble... though we were mostly friends to protect each other." My eyebrows rose at that admission, not understanding what she meant by that. "If we were together no one bothered us. It was our MO. We only picked on Eliza the other day because we were bored. Sorry for that," she added with a wince, peering behind me to look at the Cook girl. Eliza frowned and didn't reply, which I could understand. There was no reason to pick on someone - especially if you were bored. If you're bored just go find a book to read, or do your homework, or study! You didn't need to pick on people. "So what you're telling me someone is taking students?" Barbara furrowed her eyebrows in confusion at that, not really understanding.

"We don't know what is happening, but that seems likely..." I trailed off with a sigh. "I just don't know why. Why are girls disappearing? It just seems so... bizarre, especially since this school was supposed to be considered safe." Which knowing what I knew now it was anything but safe.

Silence fell upon the group, not really knowing what to say. What could you say about girls disappearing? Your classmates disappearing? And there was nothing you could do to stop it from happening, especially when you didn't know what was happening.

"M-Maybe..." A voice squeaked, making us turn to face Eliza who flushed at the sudden attention, "we should stick together? B-b-be better in numbers? Surely if we stick together nothing will happen t-to us?" She did have a point, but I wasn't so sure. Tenley was always with us, and she was still taken. Jennifer was usually with Annette and Sally, and she was still taken. Anya had a reputation and was with Barbara, still taken. However those were smaller groups.

Maybe being in a bigger group would keep us safe.

However while we might be safe in a larger group, that didn't mean everyone else was. They were still in danger of getting taken. Not knowing what was happening was frightening on many levels and my heart was racing at the thought. Someone else was going to go missing. I was sure of it.

"You could be right Eliza," Sloan agreed, breaking the silence. "We were all brought together for a reason, yeah? We need to put our differences aside for now and see if we cannot figure out... whatever is happening. Surely with the eight of us we can come up with something, right?"

Annette and Sally glanced at each other. "Can we sit here?" Sally asked, turning to look at us timidly. Sloan was right, we were brought together for a reason. Even if that reason was a horrible one.

I glanced over at Barbara, who was stone faced. I could tell she didn't know whether she wanted to join us or not. "It's an offer, Barbara," I told her softly as Annette and Sally joined our table, chatting with the group. "We could figure out what is going on. We could find Anya. We could find Jennifer. We could find Tenley if we work together. You said so yourself, people didn't pick on you if you had Anya. People won't pick on you if you're with us." I gestured towards the now larger group. Annette was laughing at something Sloan had said, which put a small smile on my face.

Barbara pursed her lips, thinking about it before shaking her head. "I can't Daughtery, but thanks for the offer. It will feel awkward after what I done to Eliza..." She trailed off, biting her lip anxiously. "Talk to you later?" She did a have wave before walking away, making me sigh at the scene.

I could only hope she wasn't the next girl to go missing.