Just Different

Chapter 30

((Trigger warning))

Rob hummed happily. He sighed contently and looked up at his ceiling, daydreaming. He thought about the day that he would spend with Brad. The he sat up suddenly, still grinning. Rob was thinking so much about the successful plan to separate Elisa and Brad that he almost forgot to call Chester and tell him about his day. He knew Chester would be more than happy to hear about his day and how things went with Brad.

Rob took his phone out, unlocking it and dialing Chester's number. The phone rang, and rang, and rang... Rob frowned. Chester usually answered within the first two rings. He tried calling again after a few minutes, thinking maybe Chester had been busy with something.

Strange. It went to voicemail again after ringing for a while. Then it dawned on Rob that Chester usually never touched his phone when he was upset.

Sam had said Chester wanted to speak with Mike. So unless something happened between them again, Chester was hurt again. Rob sat at the edge of his bed. The gleeful thoughts he had of Brad were being pushed back and being replaced with worried thoughts. Something in his gut picked at him, urging to go check in Chester. Rob gulped and stood up, grabbing his phone from his bed. Quickly rushing out if his room, the nagging feeling persisted, now jumping and screaming at him to get to Chester.

Maybe it was the fact that he didn't see Chester during lunch or afterwards. He didn't even show up for art. In fact, no one saw him the rest of the day. Rob knew Sam had wandered around looking for him after school, but she was out of luck with finding Chester.

Rob almost ran all the way to the junkyard. He had hoped to see Chester's car parked where it usually was parked, but much to Rob's dismay, it was absent from the clearing. The dreaded feeling didn't go away. It stayed with him like a swarm of gnats, distracting him. He had to be here...

Finding his way to the RV, Rob saw the dim lights through the windows. He huffed and ran towards the door. The door was flung open and Rob could automatically smell the strawberry aroma that had always stuck with Chester. Music was playing in the back room, getting Rob know that Chester was for sure in here. The air inside looked murky, almost like a sheet protector was being held in front of Rob's face. Then he smelled the marijuana in the air, almost suffocating him.

Rob coughed and scanned the place. It wasn't trashed this time, but still unkempt. There were a few beer cans littering the dining table though. That worried Rob. A Killing Joke song finished up and Deftones began to blair on the speakers behind him. The music only put him on edge. Rob coughed and decided to see if Chester was alright. He fanned as much smoke as he could away from his face.

The sliding door to the back room was actually closed. Chester never  closed it and usually relied on the thin curtain covering the doorway to keep his privacy. But this time, the door was closed all the way, and locked. Rob pulled at it and it didn't budge.

"Chester? You in there?" Rob called out. Only the music rang out. "Ches?" Rob tried again, knocking on the door. Still no answer.

Rob grew even more worried. He didn't know what he would see behind that door once he got it open, but he hoped to see Chester huddled in his blankets, ignoring him. It was better than finding him any other way.

Rob looked around the small living area for any sort of tool to help him unlock the door. There had been a clutter of things on the table, and Rob walked up to it hoping to find something in the mess.

There was a small mirror set up on the table, behind the beer cans. A makeup bag lay next to it, its contents somewhat spilling out of it. Rob thought Chester had left it there since this morning; the make up was left out, some things uncapped or open. Rob dug through the bag, hoping Chester would have, for some reason, a bobby pin. Rob silently cursed when he didn't find one, somewhat not surprised that he couldn't see one. But there was a pen. Rob grabbed it quickly and snapped the pin off of it. Then his head perked up and he rushed to the sink.