Keep On Walking (A Hunter Hayes Fanfiction, Book 3 of the Hardships Saga)

Chapter Forty-Two

❝vanish (pronounced ˈvanɪʃ or van-ish), verb
to completely disappear.❞

Ryan opened her eyes wearily. Hunter had cried himself to sleep the whole night through, and her heart ached for him. But she worried more about Elle than anything. She couldn't have had a good night's sleep.

They wouldn't make her go to school today unless she wanted to. Her mind would be all over the place, and she didn't need all that. She decided to get up and make waffles for her. Maybe she'd be a little happier afterwards, and she and Hunter could mend the relationship that they had. Hunter was snoring softly, though he still looked troubled.

She got out of bed, walking to Elle's room and peering in. She was covered in blankets, and she seemed to be fast asleep. She didn't wake her up, and instead went to the kitchen, beginning to make waffles. Phoenix was already awake, watching TV. Hunter followed her into the kitchen like a ghost. She hadn't noticed him. "Mornin'," she said gently. "Feeling a little better?"

"Not really."

"What's wrong?" asked Phoenix.

"Nothing," said Ryan. "Look, honey... Ellie might be a little sad today."

"Why?"

"Just because."

He looked like he wanted to ask more, but Nita jumped onto the couch and curled up with him. He decided to refrain from saying anything else. Hunter looked like some part of him had died on the inside. He was staring at his coffee, and didn't even look up at Ryan. She sat down and took his hand. "Hey."

"Hi."

"Feeling any better?"

"Not really."

She sighed. "Honey, I know it's hard. But it'll be okay." She smiled slightly. "Why don't you go down and get Robbie, and I'll wake Elle?"

"We won't go to school today," he said. "We'll take them somewhere nice."

"That's a good idea," she said gently. "Now, go on. Wake Robbie up."

"Okay." He stood up, leaving his coffee untouched. Ryan walked back to Elle's room, where she was still sleeping. She was under the covers, and her room was dark.

"Honey?" she breathed. "Honey, it's time to wake up."

She didn't reply, and she sighed. "Ellie, I know you're upset. But you still need to get up, you need to face the day. Come on. I made you waffles."

Still no response. "Alright, then." She pulled the bedcovers off her bed.

And found two pillows placed strategically to look like a sleeping person.

Her eyes widened, and she stared at the pillows, not comprehending for a second exactly what was going on. She was gone. Elle was gone.

She looked around the room. "Elle?! Elle! Where are you?!" she whisper-yelled.

But nobody came.

She ran into the kitchen. Hunter looked up. "Where is she?"

Ryan took a deep breath. "I... I don't know."

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She took one last look at her room. She wouldn't be coming back here. She didn't belong here. This house wasn't hers. This family wasn't hers. She didn't belong here.

Elle looked at the clock Hunter had gotten her years ago. 1:21 am. She hoisted her backpack, which had enough clothes to last her about a week in her bag. She also had some nut bars and apples, and she had some Twinkies, too. She had a bit of money from last year's birthday (most people hadn't bothered to get her a present, and instead given her about three hundred dollars collectively in cash). Everything was set. Surely she could survive a little while.