Finding Her

Five

The next day started the same. Zev rose from his bed and got ready for school. He was relieved by the thought of meeting up with Shara at the same time and place as he did every school day. He brushed his teeth and ate breakfast. He checked his backpack before tossing it over his shoulder and leaving the house.

"How are you feeling today?" She put her reusable bottle back in her bag and they started riding to school.

The wind caressed his face. Specks of rain began to pelt his skin. "I'm still really worried about her and after visiting her father I want to find her more than ever."

"Did you come up with any clever plans to track her down?"

"Nope. I'm still trying to understand why she left." He drove up to the rack of bikes and locked his. "The nearest city is a two hour drive. Did she hitchhike? Did she meet someone that offered to take her away?"

"That's irrelevant. If you want to find her we need to ask her friends about it."

Lynn ran to Shara and Zev, she wasn't alone this time. Phil, Dillon and Kourtney followed behind. They had lived in Welbloom most of their lives and been friends just as long.

"Hey, dudes!" Dillon called from the bottom of the stairway. "I brought—." He ran over and searched through his bag. He pulled out an extra-large ziplock freezer-bag filled with cookies. His face lit up with excitement. "My mom heard about your dream-lover running away. She said to say, Charlotte is in her prayers. And you will survive this." He made a face and used a lady voice to relay his mother's message. He passed the bag to Zev.

Phil read as he walked. He was always listening but he was never without a book in his hands, even while he was eating. His parents hated it but they never discouraged his obsession with the written word. He looked up and made eye contact with Zev, when Dillon handed the bag over. He nodded once, assuring him that he agreed with what had been said.

The group moved to a bench on the front lawn. Kourtney took a brush and elastic out of her bag. The wind and condensation had given life to her straight hair, it frizzed out and made her look like a dandelion. "Charlotte, runs away all the time." She brushed her hair back with grimaces and groans as she caught naughts.

When she had it tamed she snapped the band around it and put everything away. "I bet she's just mad at her dad. She'll be back."

Phil nodded and wiped a drop of water from his eye lid.

"Your book is getting wet, dude." Dillon tapped his arm with his elbow.

"It'll dry."

The bell rang and they walked to their classes. Each one at a different end of the school.

Just another day without, Charlotte.