HAUNTINGLY | 18+

43 | Missing

"Layla," I hear someone calling my name, but I make a conscious decision to ignore it.

"Wake up, we're here," the voice comes again, now louder. Maybe if I continue ignoring them, they'll eventually give up.

"Fine, you leave me no choice," the voice warns. But I'm determined to cling to my sleep.

Silence hangs in the air for a few moments before suddenly, music blares loudly. I startle awake, looking around with a mix of fear and shock. My hands instinctively fly to my ears, trying to block out the piercing noise.

I turn to face Ryder, who's doubled over in laughter. "Turn it down!" I shout, my irritation palpable.

He finally adjusts the volume, and I can't resist slapping his arm as he chuckles. "What's wrong with you?" I snap.

"You just weren't waking up," he explains between the remnants of his laughter.

"So you thought giving me a heart attack was a great idea?" I shake my head at him in disbelief.

My attention is caught by the view outside, and I take in the unfamiliar surroundings. "Where are we?" I ask in a hushed tone.

"We're at some motel I found. Figured we could catch some rest here before hitting the road again," he explains, stepping out of the car.

"What time is it?" I ask as I step out of the car myself. I stretch my limbs, craving movement after sitting for what felt like an eternity.

"4:15 in the morning," he replies. He heads towards a room marked with the number 8, inserting the key and swinging the door open.

I follow him to the room. "When did you get the key?"

"Back when you were serenading my car with your snores," he quips, earning a glare from me.

"I do not snore," I retort, crossing my arms as I step into the room, only to be greeted by a chilly blast of air.

I flick the lights on, my eyes immediately drawn to the solitary bed sitting in the center of the room. "There's only one bed," I state, turning to Ryder who's now beside me.

"Yeah, that's what we've got," he responds nonchalantly. "Guess we're be bed buddies," he adds with a shrug.

My brows shoot up incredulously. "You can't just ask for a room with two beds?"

Ryder shakes his head. "No, this was the only one available."

"You've got to be kidding," I mutter, feeling frustrated.

Stepping a bit closer, he smirks, "Don't worry, I promise to behave."

"You better, or else you'll lose those hands," I counter with a half-serious threat.

His chuckle follows me as I head to the bathroom, closing the door behind me. Gazing at my reflection in the mirror, I'm met with the sight of weariness that mirrors the thoughts swirling through my mind.

I strip off my clothes and step into the shower. I wash my body as thoughts raced in my mind with everything that's been happening.

Once I was done I stepped out and carefully dried myself. My gaze inadvertently flickering to the bandages on my stomach. I pull on my oversized sweatshirt and wriggle into my pair of tiny pajama shorts. Yeah, I should've changed my clothes before running away.

Emerging from the bathroom, my breath almost catches as my eyes land on Ryder, shirtless and displaying a sculpted stomach. His smirk is impossible to miss. "Liking the view?" he teases.

I roll my eyes as I make my way to the bed. "I've definitely seen better."

Ryder raises an eyebrow, as he sits next to me. "Oh, really? I find that hard to believe."