Early Bird | ✓

40 | parakeet

❁

           "THE body found outside Harrison Park happens to be the one of Halley Parkinson who went missing a year and a half ago on September 11 as she walked home from school..." JJ's local news station was saying before presenting a picture of the creek where Halley's body had been found. JJ could picture Sandra's devastated face; however, he couldn't help but feel relieved that the body hadn't been Lizzy's. She could still be out there somewhere—alive. Now he just needed to find her.

           "Why are you watching these godawful news stories?" Asher asked as he plopped down next to JJ, sweaty and breathing heavy from his evening run.

           JJ bit his lip as he wavered between keeping his connection to Lizzy a secret or letting it off his chest. He knew the burden was affecting him, weighing him down. He could see it in the bluish bags under his eyes and his sagging shoulders. "I—" he began but failed miserably. He didn't know how to say what he wanted to say. What he needed to say—for Lizzy. "I need to talk to Mom and Dad," he said suddenly, rising from the couch and fleeing the living room with a mission in mind.

           He discovered his mother chopping up some onions and tomatoes in the kitchen and his father sorting through some bills on the counter. They both looked up when they heard their son enter the room. His mom's eyebrows immediately furrowed when she saw JJ's grave expression. "What is it, honey?"

           "I need to tell you both something."

           His father removed his glasses and laced his fingers together. "What is it, son? You can tell us anything, you know that."

           JJ gulped. Do it for her, he told himself, a flash of curly locks and warm brown eyes crossing his mind. He took a deep breath and tried to explain everything to his parents. "You know that Lizzy girl who's missing on TV? I know her. Well, kind of." JJ then dove into his and Lizzy's story—one that made his heart lurch with nostalgia. "I think my phone is the link to her disappearance," JJ finished. "Someone must've taken it, gained her trust, brought her here to Illinois. They must've taken her. I'm the reason why she's missing. It's all my fault."

           Throughout the entire story, JJ's mom and dad watched him in silence and with blank expressions. Only at the end did his mother's face morph into sympathy and his father's into concern. "Oh, sweetie, why didn't you come to us sooner?" his mom exclaimed, hugging her broken son tightly in her arms as though that would mend him back together.

           "We'll call the police tonight," JJ's father added, reaching for his cell phone.

           "Can you talk to them?" JJ queried. He was sure he would be interrogated eventually by the police, but he wasn't sure he could stomach it right now.

           "Of course." JJ's mother shooed him out of the room and settled next to her husband.

           Behind the kitchen wall crouched Asher who had clearly eavesdropped on their conversation. Guiltily, he stood and avoided his brother's gaze. "I'm sorry, bro, I didn't—"

           "It's okay, man. I didn't tell you. I was scared Mom and Dad would be mad at me, but it looks like I had nothing to be afraid of."

           "Let me know if you need anything," Asher said seriously, finally meeting his brother's eyes with a loyal glint.

           JJ smiled and fist bumped his brother. "I'm not used to you being so nice to me," he teased.

           "Don't push it," Asher grumbled but he grinned nonetheless.