When Everything Changes

Chapter 13

A/N

Hey guys, so quick note: I didn't proof read so if you see any mistakes please feel free to point them out in the comments. Also tell me what you think about the end of the chapter. (It's pretty long but I hope you make that far.)

"You lost George?" Matt asks for the thousandth time. I can't help but glare at him.

"Is that not what I just said." I snap. He holds his hands up in mock surrender as I mutter a small apology.

I'm sitting on the bench I left George on. The bench I told him not to move from. I wasn't even gone for three minutes and he's already missing. Not to mention Ellie is across the fair grounds making out with my best friend.

"I don't think today can get any worse." I sigh and try to push my hands through my hair but they get caught in my curls.

"Look," Troye says while taking a seat next to me. He places a hand on my back and says, "How about we all split up to find him. Me and Lexi. Your brothers and you and Nick. We'll meet back here in an hour, okay. We're gonna find him. Don't worry Len."

"Thanks." I say.

We all split up and head in different directions. They last time I saw G he was asking about the Ferris Wheel or was it the bumper cars? I don't really know. I should have been paying more attention.

I'm such a jackass.

Who loses a whole kid?

"Are you okay, Lennon?" Nick asks. Grabbing onto my shoulder he turns me around to face him.
"Lennon, look at me." He gently grab my chin and forces me to look at him.

"Hi." I say, trying to avoid eye contact.
"Are you about to cry?" He asks. Surprisingly he doesn't sound jumpy and nervous like most guys do around women who are crying or on the verge of crying.
"No." I yank away from him. "I don't cry. I'm not weak." I tell him.
His eyebrows pull together as he stares at me.
"Crying doesn't make you weak, Lennie. It doesn't make anyone weak. It just means that you're human. It okay to feel things, especially in moments like this."
"Yeah. Well, I still don't like doing it." I pull further away from him. He makes me feel calm. Too calm for someone who just lost their six year old cousin in the state fair.

"Don't statistics say kids are abducted every six seconds or something. I lost him twenty minutes ago. That means that...that." I trail off trying to figure out what I mean to say exactly.

"It means what?" He asks, smiling.
"I don't even know. I'm not good at math."
"What are you even talking about?"
"I don't know but enough with the psychobabble. I need to find George." For some reason he smiles at me again. I think if it were anyone else I'd assume they were mocking me or something but I don't get that feeling from him.

"Don't you have pictures of him on your phone?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"So we can show people. Maybe someone saw him or knows where he is." What he says is so obvious I feel even more stupid for not thinking of it.
"Right." I say reaching into my bag for my phone. It's a small brown bag. I never carry much in it. Just my phone, keys, and wallet. I feel my keys and I feel my wallet but no phone. I start to check my pockets until I realize that I don't have pockets.

"I can't find my phone." I start to panic and then like someone flipped a switch I'm relieved.
"I can't find my phone!"
"Why are you smiling about that?" Nick asks clearly confused.
"Because I left my phone with George. Maybe he has it. If you call it maybe he'll answer and tell us where he is!"