Rumor has it

Chapter 7

Friday had come around quicker than I had thought. The school was almost empty as most students and teachers hurried home. I on the other hand had a meeting with the chess club and Hailey and Erica had cheer practice. We decided that we would have a sleepover at my house and watch some movies.

' Me and Hailey will go by the store before we come to you, what snack do you want?' Erica had texted me. I liked sweets but sour candy was my thing and of course some chocolate. I also added that I had ice cream at home already, cookie dough our favorite.

" Alright, then it's Thursday in here, how a good weekend." Mrs. Delia said to the almost empty classroom, she was our chess teacher and also our science teacher. We had shrunk in numbers since our senior members had graduated and were planning on finding more students this year.

" Have a good weekend Mrs. Delia," I said heading out of the room.

" You to Hazel."

Our school was quite cozy when it came to clubs but other than that it was a battlefield. Your awareness must be high all the time since some people love to spin rumors out of thin air. I was just happy we had made it to the weekend with out getting into a fight. The thing with Jessica was that she was unpredictable so I didn't waste time waiting for her to slip up, it was certainly going to happen either way. I had promised myself to focus on my studies even more now that I was a senior. The pressure was high everyone wanted to get into their dream school and a brawl would definitely not get me into college.

I go down the hall to my locker where I find Kai waiting for me. He was leaning against my locker and scrolling through his phone, probably playing games. He turns his head toward me and fixes his backpack that was barely holding onto his shoulders.

" Mrs.Delia was just asking about you," I recalled, trying to be as nonchalant one could be, and opened my locker. I grabbed my science book and English as we had a test coming up next week.

" Yeah, she caught me before practice earlier and tried to convince me since somebody recommended me to her." He said accusingly, turning his body towards me.

I rolled my eyes in defeat and closed my locker." It will look good on your application."

" It would be, it wouldn't look good yours since you would be the second best." He stated, walking ahead of me. "I'm already the captain of the basketball team so I don't have time for anything else."

" All bark and no action Rosewood," I sighed, I caught up to him as he held the door open." Are you hungry? Maybe we should eat before going to the beach."

He looked down at me and frowned." Didn't you hear your grandma this morning? Your aunt is coming over for dinner."

" Right, I totally didn't forget about that."

Of course, I had forgotten about that and it was probably to discuss how I found Jack's bracelet a few days ago. The investigation had halted ever since then and I had been expecting that to be the breakaway to find him.

" Right." 

Cars speed past us on the busy road and I look at the buildings ahead of us. I felt small looking at the never-ending road as I had never thought about how big this city is and searching for someone was like looking for an ant in the woods.

Jack and the stupid rumor page had me in some deep waters lately and something was telling me that I might be a strong swimmer everywhere else but just not against this stream, which I was currently trapped in. I tuned my thoughts out and focused on kicking one small rock along the way.

" Are you going to Zoe's party later?" Kai asked slowing down a little, his hands in his pocket and his gaze shifted to the stone I was kicking.

" No way, Zoe is nice and all but she is still Jessica's friend."

I had no time for drama, although I could use this opportunity to find any proof of Jessica still being the one behind the account. A very tempting plan but I had put that on the back burner for now.

He nodded as if he had expected to hear that answer." Cameron said the girls already said yes so I thought you were going to."

Erica and Hailey must be planning something if the agreed, I couldn't think of anything else. Although Zoe's boyfriend Cameron is also close to Tristan and Kai, so maybe Tristan convinced Erica. But Hailey wouldn't agree unless she is up to something. I will just have to wait until their cheer practice is over.

" Then it's a maybe, they are supposed to sleep over at my house so we will see about that, but are you going?"

He threw a glance at his phone." Maybe, Dad needs my help with the garage."

" Okay then."

We stopped on the side of the road waiting for the light to turn green to cross the road. My phone buzzed in my back pocket and I grabbed it wondering how the girls would convince me to go to Zoe's party tonight.

" Hold on." I put my hand out and grabbed Kai's backpack, pulling him back while my eyes were glued to my phone screen.

" What's wrong?" He asked, looking around our surroundings.

" Jack just texted me." I could barely believe my own words, ' I'm alright, I will come home on Saturday night, don't tell anyone', if he thought I wouldn't tell anyone he was wrong. I had to tell someone to not sound crazy, or feel crazy, and Kai happened to be here.

" What? How-" I showed him the texted and I watched as his features turned from confused to the muscles on his face hardening.

My smile drops slowly wondering if I was having an illusion or something. I checked my phone again and the text was still there.

" Don't answer that, don't do anything with that." He said looking over my head. The light turns green and he grabs my arm.

" What are you talking about? Jack is out here we need to call the cops." I urged, not understanding where his odd reaction was coming from. I shook his arm off once we had crossed the road.

" Is this a game to you? Why are acting so strange all of the sudden." I hurried to walk in front of him as we approached the gates.

" You know that's not the truth."

" I actually don't know, so speak up whatever you have in your chest." I folded my arms over my chest, completely unmoving.

He sighed but stayed silent watching me. I pointed at his chest and gave him a stern look." If you don't want to help me anymore just say that, I don't need your negativity."

He didn't move and I had enough and grabbed my phone. I clicked on my brother's contact to write back since Kai must have lost his mind, why should I even listen to him?

My phone is out of my hands within a second and into his. " You don't know what you're getting into Hazel."

" Why should you say that?"

" You know it to, you said yourself." He takes his hand out and gives me back my phone." Your brother is in danger and running around looking for him might do more harm than good."

I look down at my phone and back at him. I walked past him and headed to my house." I'm tired Shakespeare and telling me to give up on my brother won't stop me."

" I give up, alright." Kai's hand grabs my arm and turns me around." Come, let's go to my house."

We hurried into Kai's house and he turned to me right after he closed the door." Your brother doesn't want to be found, yet."

" What? How could you know that?" My brows knitted together and he goes into the kitchen and comes back with a chair. He sits me down.

" I wasn't supposed to tell you this but since someone used his phone, I have to tell you that he is alright but he didn't want you to look for him," Kai explained.

" You're not making any sense, why did he tell you that?" I didn't care that my voice was breaking. I was holding it together as much as I could. He sits me down once more, I wanted to jump out the chair but I complied.

" I know but you have to trust me, I will sneak you to meet him. Just don't answer anything from that number, I don't know what he is hiding from though." He exhaled, letting out the information he had been sitting on for I don't know how long. I stared at him puzzled and all.

" I promise Hazel."