Disappeared

Chapter 3 : Gone without a trace

Ash and I hoped into her car a little after 12 that night. We drove on in silence.

For that whole 40 minute ride home was awkward, a shadow of our former selves begun to appear.

Once she reached my house it felt like I could finally take a deep breath again.

Unsure of what to say, I took it upon myself to make the first move. "So great party, wasn't it" I said, nervously.

She sat there, glaring at her phone for a moment. "Um, yeah."

"Really? It was a heck of a night." I replied, trying to lighten the mood. But she wasn't ready to beige.

"Let's not pretend, OK. I get it!" She finally responded. "I can take a hint, you're not in to girls. You don't like me in that way."

"So those photos were -". I sensed I could put two and two together.

"To an ex, yes." She finally had answered the curiosity that had been burning inside of me for weeks.

It was clear that she was getting uncomfortable. "OK. I have to head home. My folks are probably worried about me...best be on my way." She said. Tears were starting to well up in her eyes, yet she fought them back.

I was set on kissing her goodbye, but she wanted none of it. "Take care." She whispered.

I opened the door and let myself out. I turned to wave to her and she was on her way home.

This was the last time I saw Ashley alive.

Two weeks later, I saw her picture glaring across the TV screen, saying that she'd gone missing. I immediately thought of those photos, the comments, Marissa who had so bluntly said she wished Ashley would disappear.

And yet here I was sitting there wondering, could I have said something? Should have I given into my feelings that I now clearly had? Why?

Weeks turned into months, months turned into years and yet all that I had left of her were questions instead of answers.

Nothing. She was never found but as time passed, her family and I had to come to terms that she was no longer.

You are who you choose to be. I wish I could've been that way with my best friend, Ashley Jameson.

The End.

AN: I will be writing a sequel to this story. Stay tuned.