Merry Go Round

6 ~ The Missing Piece

The Missing Piece

*Zach*

When I woke up I woke up happy. I had gone about everything normally, ignorantly. I had styled my hair with my hands because I was far too lazy to actually brush it and style it correctly, I had brushed my teeth with my usual mint toothpaste, and I had picked out some half-way decent clothes since I knew I was meeting Madelynn in an hour. I always counted down the minutes until I was able to head off at a safe time and not be too early, because the moments I had with Madelynn were those I treasured greatly. But I think I took them for granted. Before meeting her, I wasn't used to someone wanting to listen to me, I was used to doing the listening. Then I met her and it seemed as if someone wanting me wasn't so unnatural, but actually highly normal.

She hadn't picked up her phone when I called her last night, but I left that to being busy, which happened sometimes. At first my texts were met with short answers though, before slowly fading into ignored texts and missed calls. Yes, I was worried a bit, maybe even a bit hurt, but I knew that she never missed one of our rendezvous at the café, so I headed out.

I didn't realize how big a part Madelynn was in my life until it happened, just as I'm sure someone never truly appreciates sight until they're blind, or smell until you can no longer truly enjoy just lying in a patch of flowers. I didn't realize that I depended heavily on her as being a part of my day, someone I would talk to when something happened, or if I was frustrated, or if I just needed someone. I never realized that those days I had to cancel because I was working on a project, were the days that would become normal. I had taken her for granted, in a way I knew she never did to me. She never cancelled, she always answered my calls if I really needed her, and she was always there. Always.

You always expect to just know when something happens, especially if it happens to someone you care for. I didn't though. I didn't expect a thing as I walked down the street, excited to see the girl who had stolen my heart, blissfully ignorant to the fact that in a short while I would know.

But now I sat in an empty café, waiting for the girl who is never late.

Waiting for the girl who almost always answers my calls.

Waiting for the girl I love.

And I just kept waiting.

"Sir, is everything alright?" I looked up and saw a girl looking down at me, wearing the café's uniform.

"Yeah I'm just waiting for someone."

"Sir...you've been here for three hours. I think the limit for getting stood up is one and a half at the most."

"She's worth waiting for," I whispered, staring at the clock on the wall as the waitress sighed.

"Well my boss will have me kick you out if you don't buy something," she explained, and I nodded.

"Coffee, black," I handed her a five and she nodded before leaving, looking at me with a pitying look.

I didn't want the pity she offered though.

Sure, I was an idiot for waiting any longer, because by now I should realize that Madelynn was either not coming because she didn't want to or something had happened.

Yet, be it fear or the fact that I simply didn't want to let it be the truth, I couldn't bring myself to believe that either of those possibilities could even be slightly true.

"Here's your coffee Sir."

The waitress from before walked up with that same look on her face as she handed me my coffee, and I stared down into the dark brown liquid. I sat there wondering when I would accept the truth and finally get the courage to actually accept the fact that Madelynn wouldn't be coming.

I sat there for a moment, just staring into the steaming cup, hoping that any minute now I would hear the bells above the café door chime, and hear a knock on the window as she smiled at me with that beautiful smile of hers.

It didn't happen.

There was no chime above the door.

There was no knock on the glass.

I didn't see her beautiful smile.

She simply wasn't going to come, not in one minute, one hour, or maybe even one day.

I frowned as I looked over at her side of the table. I could almost picture her sitting there, staring at me with those beautiful eyes of hers, her messy auburn curls framing her pale face, and her pink lips upturned in a ghost of a smile.

I ripped open a sugar packet and, just as Madelynn had done before she disappeared, the sugar spilt on to the table.

Where are you?

* * *

Another short chapter...I'm sorry D:

Now, where is Madelynn?!?