Holy shit. I clung to the tree to keep my legs from buckling under my wait. “Laurel.” Alex looked extremely worried. I must look awful. “You look like you’re going to faint. What is it?” I started to hyperventilate. “Laurel. Shit. Laurel just breathe.” out of the corner of my eye I could see Jaz and Jay watching looked slightly scared. I forced myself to inhale deeply and exhale until my breathing went back to normal. “Laurel, tell me what’s wrong.” he gripped my wrists tightly. I tried to tug my hands back. “I have to go.” his grip tightened. “No until you tell me why you are so scared.” his eyes travelled down to my phone. “Who texted you?” I gasped slightly. “No one.” “Laurel. Tell me.” he growled. “Who texted you?” “Hailey.” I lied. He took a step closer. “You’re lying.” “I am not.” I spat. I jerked my hands away. I couldn’t storm away as I would have liked because my legs were still shaky. I swallowed and told myself not to start hyperventilating again. “You are. You’re a terrible liar.” “And you’re an egotistical jerk whose ego is bigger than Russia.” I shot back. His lips twitched upwards. “Russia isn’t the biggest country.” I finally regained steadiness in my legs and practically ran to my car.
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I ran upstairs and threw myself into my room. I yanked drawers open frantically rummaging through it looking for my scrapbook. “Damn it.” I let out a stream of curses and ran inside my wardrobe ripping open a still sealed box. I found the old leather scrapbook I put together in Texas and flipped to the last page where I wrote down all my old friend’s numbers. I ran my finger down the names looking for the name Britney. I dialled her number quickly. “Hello?” A bright voice greeted. “Brit?” “Oh my gosh Laurel! How are you there? Oh my gosh!” she gushed excitedly. “Look Brit I need to ask you something. I’m in a hurry.” I said trying to keep the waver out of my voice. “ Go for it.” I took a deep breath. “Is Jake still in Texas?” “Jake? Jake Evans? You mean-” “Yes.” I cut her off. “Please don’t ask questions. This is important.” “Okay. If you’re asking if he still lives in Texas, I think so. But he left to go visit his uncle or something somewhere.” I pinched myself hard so I didn’t black out. Oh my god. “Did he say where?” I demanded. “Gosh Laurel, are you okay? You sound terrified or something...” “I’m fine. Did he say where?” I asked again. There was a pause. “Um, I can’t really remember, but I think it was Florida, wait no he said Arizona.” and the phone slipped from my hands. “Laurel?” Britney’s voice was muffled. I hit the end button making a mental note to call back and apologize later on.
Jake Evans is my ex boyfriend back when I was in Texas. We started going out at the beginning of freshman year and half way through sophomore. For the first I don’t know, 9 - 10 months, things were great, amazing actually. I thought I was in love. And then I knew he drank a lot but I always ignored the fact, refusing to let it dampen my ‘perfect’ image of him, I always told myself that every teenage boy is like that, no biggie. I also knew that hooked up with a girl twice at a party, I didn’t blame him though, sure I was angry but it was genuinely because he was drunk. And then I found out that him and a couple of mates were taking drugs, like smoking weed, marijuana and taking ice etc late into freshman year. At one point before I witnessed this, it had crossed my mind and I brought my concern to him, he promised that he would never take drugs or even smoke. I was pretty popular back in Texas so I had my sources who gave me photos of him taking them. So, like any other sane person I broke up with him. Or tried to.
**Flash back**
I was literally shaking with anger. The photos, him taking drugs, getting wasted, hooking up with other girls. He promised me. I stuffed the photos into an envelope and quickly changed into boyfriend jeans and a sweater. I quickly shoved my feet into my converse and quickly rushed downstairs yelling to my parent I’d be home soon. I started up my car and drove to his place. According to my sources this was roughly the time when Jake left the house to meet up with his mates and drug dealers.
