The Red Lounge

Chapter 28

We were on our way to DC when I decided to turn my phone back on. It buzzed none stop for a good minute after it turned on. That was a first. I wasn't one to receive many messages or really be on my phone.

4 missed calls and 6 text messages from Xavier. 2 missed calls and 3 text messages from Pia.

My phone started ringing in my hands and Xavier's name popped up.

"Hello? What's up?" I answered.

"Mo, are you okay? I've been calling a day." He sounded worried, but I'm not surprised. He usually found a way to contact me daily just to make sure I was alive. He had an irrational fear of losing the people he loved.

"Yeah, I see. I'm fine, I was just out and had my phone off."

"Oh, okay. You weren't in class today and I got worried. Its unlike you."

"Yeah, I had a long night and needed some down time. Do you want to meet tomorrow so I can get the notes?"

"Sure, sure. At a cafe? We can drink some hot chocolate and eat a croissant," he said, attempting his best French accent.

I smiled and shook my head. "You're ridiculous. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye, Mo."

I ended the call and slipped my dingy phone back into my jacket pocket. Elijah glanced over and placed his leg on my thigh. "I'm dropping you off at your place. I had a new security system installed at my place, but want to check it out before I bring you back there."

"Stay the night with me?" I asked, placing my hand on top of his hand. "Please?" I didn't want to worry him or make him feel guilty, but I did have a fear of someone following us and targeting me when I was at home.

"Do you mean stay up all night with you?" He joked.

"Hey, sometimes it's hard for me to keep my hands to myself."

He smirked and raised his hand higher up my thigh. "I have the same problem sometimes."

We arrived at my apartment around 7 PM. Pia wasn't home, but sometimes she would get held back at work.

Elijah and I made some popcorn and picked out a psychological thriller movie. All I wanted was to cuddle up next time him since our talk earlier in the day made me feel closer to him. Plus, my legs were sore from all the hiking.

Two hours had passed and still no sign of Pia. I had turned off the TV and stared at my phone in concern. She had never been this late and if she did had plans, she would usually shoot me a text.

"I'm getting worried," I tell Elijah.

"Try calling her," he suggested.

I called her phone and it rang a few times before going to voicemail.

"Have you heard from her recently?" He asked lowly. There was a shift in his voice. It's as if he went into private investigator mode.

I opened my call history and showed him my phone. "She called twice, but it had to do with Xavier calling me. Look," I said, opening my text messgaes.

Pia
11:45 AM: Xavjer is blowing up my phone asking for you.
12:01 PM: He's still calling. I told him to fuck off and wait till you called him back.
12:10 PM: Might've gotten myself in some trouble.

There wasn't much to analyze, I thought, but Elijah had been staring at the text messages for a good three minutes in silence. "I doubt the last message had anything to do with Xavier. What's her schedule like Wednesdays?"

"Class is over for at 11:15 and she has work at 12 until 6 PM. So, she had to be at work when she sent this message."

"Where does she work? Would it be open?"

"She works for a magazine agency. I'm sure they'd be closed by now." I placed my hands over my face and held in the tears. "What if she was in danger and I completely ignored her? First the break in at your house and then Pia being missing? What if someone is after me, not you?"

Elijah rubbed my back and brought me in closer. "Baby, who would be after you?"

"My evil step-dad or maybe someone from the club. I had a lot of admirers."

"I dont think anyone would be targeting you. Look, I'm going to make a few calls and we will get someone to contact her employer, I'll have Felix drive around the city, I'll notify some police officers, I'll do whatever I can, Morena. Breathe and we will get through this."

Elijah had spent the last thirty means making calls, ending calls, making more calls, and pacing around the room. All of his pacing and phone calls were making me anxious, I decided to text Xavier for some emotional support. He felt guilty for possibly being the last person to talk to Pia and irritating her so he decided to come over.

There was a knock on the door and it was Xavier, along with two police officers. I grabbed Xavier by the arm and pulled him into a hug while Elijah gave the police officers all the information we had on her.

"Oh God, what if I made her kill herself?" He rubbed his eyes and shook his head.

He seemed genuinely upset, but I couldnt help but crack a smile. "You're so ridiculous. She would not kill herself, and you'd be the last person to make her want to kill herself."

"First I worried about you and now I'm worrying about Pia. This has been an emotionally exhausting day."

"Boy, I feel you." I played with my thumbs as I thought about where Pia could be. I had texted her and still haven't received any message back.

An hour had past and the two police officers were still here and this time interrogating me. All the information we had was that Pia did go to work and did leave after her shifted ended which was 5 o'clock. The camera on the street showed her hoping into a black mustang. I was asked if I knew anything about Pia's relationships, if I knew anyone who had a black mustang, if anything seemed peculiar in the video.

I answered everything to the best of my ability and walked away from them. Elijah gave me a kiss on the forehead and told me that I did great. I gave him a weak smile and walked out of the apartment. Xavier stuck his head out to see if I was okay and I told him I needed some time to myself.

I looked at my phone until it was officially the next day. It was now midnight. I placed my head in between my knees and just released myself. I cried and let the streams of tear overrun my face. I had been so emotionally and mentally exhausted. First, the home invasion and then the realization that I knew nothing about myself and now Pia going missing. It was all too much for me.

I picked myself up and wiped the tears off my face. I headed back into the apartment and threw myself onto the couch. Elijah was talking to the police officers and Xavier was in the kitchen making coffee for everybody in the apartment.

The front door flew open and Felix barged in with a look of disappointment. I braced myself for the news as I held onto of the throw pillows.

"We found Pia and it's not good," he announced in a low voice.

I buried myself into the pillow as streams of tears poured down. A silent cry had escaped my body, the one where someone want to cry so loudly that no noise is projected. I didn't know how I was going to get over this pain.