Early Bird | ✓

36 | vulture

❁

           "ANY responses yet?"

           Lauren shook her head as she sat in JJ's chair by his desk, her chin cradled by her hand. "Nothing. They haven't even read it yet."

           JJ walked over to Lauren, two plates in his hands with his mom's delicious chicken dinner steaming on top. He had told his mother that he felt better but he needed to eat supper upstairs so he and Lauren could work on a project that was due tomorrow. So far, neither his mother nor his father noticed the new addition of landscape in their backyard and JJ was grateful for small miracles. Now he just needed a larger one, one that could bring Lizzy back like a magician's disappearing act. If he just closed his eyes and thought hard enough, she'd materialize, standing in front of him with her glimmering eyes and smooth caramel skin that he desperately wanted to touch. But there was something he was missing—maybe a magic word or two—because when he opened his eyes it was just Lauren in front of him, staring at his laptop screen at the motionless Facebook messages.

           JJ sighed and tossed Lauren a plate. "Dinner," he told her. Lauren caught it and began to devour the meal.

           In between bites, she reassured JJ: "We'll find her. Don't worry." She must've noticed his forlorn, hopeless expression and lack of an appetite as he picked at his food.

           Minutes seemed to tick by like lifetimes and JJ grew restless. "Tell me what we wrote to them again, Lauren," he commanded her for the millionth time. Normally, Lauren would be tired of repeating herself over and over again, but she knew that JJ was going through a rough time. Having someone you love disappear without a trace? Lauren couldn't imagine what that felt like. When the disappearances began about a year ago, she and JJ watched the TV reports on them and laughed them off as though they existed in another world, another dimension. Nothing like that could ever happen to them—of this, they were convinced. Until now.

           "'Hi, my name is JJ and I've heard that your best friend, Lizzy Conner, disappeared in Illinois the other day. I am truly, truly sorry that she's missing. I want to help in any way that I can. You're probably wondering who I am exactly and why I care about Lizzy's disappearance. All will be revealed soon; just please reply ASAP. Thanks.'"

           "Does that sound okay? Not too creepy? Do you think they're too scared to message me back?" JJ rambled, biting on his lip anxiously.

           Lauren sauntered over to his bed where JJ was sitting before leaping onto him for one of her ginormous bear hugs. Her knee punctured his stomach and her foot accidently kicked his leg; nevertheless, he let her embrace him and he hugged her back as tight as he could. Tears threatened to escape the corners of his eyes and he tried to push them back. He failed miserably, and they trickled down his face like streams.

           Lauren pressed her face onto his chest, whispering sweet nothings until she lulled JJ to sleep.

           "JJ! JJ, wake up!" Lauren shook JJ awake with her navy nail-polished fingers. JJ blinked as his brain slowly emerged from the wondrous cave of dreams that had enveloped him and allowed him to escape from the nightmare he was currently living with Lizzy missing. He rubbed his eyes and dragged himself to his desk where Lauren was hopping ecstatically.

           "Look, Jordan, look!" she exclaimed. When she used his real name, JJ suddenly became wide awake as though he was just dunked in cold water. Lauren never ever used his real name unless the situation was very frightening—or exciting.

           JJ followed to where Lauren's finger was pointing, and his jaw dropped. They had a response—from Teagan. And Mateo. And Reece.