The Vanishing Girls Of Willow Creek (Willow Creek, #1)

Chapter Eight

The only people worthy to be in your life are the ones that help you in the hard times and laugh with you after the hard times. - Unknown

With everything finally back in order, I made my way to the gymnasium where Jon's basketball practice was being held. The sound of squeaking shoes on polished floors filled the air as players dribbled and passed around me. The sky outside was gray and ominous, raindrops tapping against the windows in a steady rhythm. 

 Taking a seat in the bleachers, I watched as Jon joined his teammates on the court, sweat already glistening on their brows from their warm-up drills. The coach blew his whistle sharply, signaling the start of practice as they began running through plays and shooting drills with precision and focus. As I observed Jon moving swiftly across the court with determination in his eyes, I felt a swell of pride in my chest. Despite all his quirks and forgetfulness, there was no denying that when it came to basketball, he gave it his all. The gym echoed with shouts of encouragement and cheers as the team worked together seamlessly towards their common goal.

The piercing sound of a whistle blowing suddenly snapped me out of my thoughts, causing me to clutch my ears in surprise. I narrowly saved my laptop from crashing to the ground as Coach Bruile's voice boomed across the gym. 

"Listen up! Gather around!" he shouted, commanding everyone's attention. 

I rolled my eyes at his authoritative tone before refocusing on my screen. As Jon effortlessly sunk a three-pointer, eliciting cheers from his teammates, I delved back into my research. 

My fingers flew over the keyboard as I typed in "Elena Phillips Willow Creek," hoping to uncover more about my mother's friend who had vanished without a trace years ago. 

A plethora of search results filled my screen, leading me to a forum dedicated to discussing local disappearances. One user in particular caught my eye – @claymoore. His posts were detailed and insightful, hinting at a deeper knowledge of Willow Creek's dark secrets. 

I hesitated for a moment before deciding to reach out to him. Maybe he held the key to unlocking this mystery that had haunted me. But before I could compose a message, Jon's triumphant shout drew my attention back to reality. 

"Woo! Go Jon!" I cheered along with his teammates, momentarily forgetting about Elena Phillips and her enigmatic disappearance. As the basketball practice continued around me, I couldn't shake off the feeling that this newfound connection with @claymoore would lead me down a path filled with unexpected twists and turns.

As I sat in the bleachers, half watching the basketball practice unfold, my attention was suddenly drawn to a heated exchange between Jon and Jake. I strained to hear what was being said, but all I could see was Jon's face contorted with anger as he stood toe to toe with Jake.

I knew I had to intervene before things escalated further. With a sense of urgency, I quickly made my way down the bleachers, my laptop forgotten beside me. As I approached the two boys, I saw Jon's muscles tensed and ready for a fight.

Without hesitation, I stepped in front of him, placing my hands on his chest to calm him down. "Whatever he said doesn't matter," I urged Jon softly. "He's not worth it." Jon's gaze softened as he looked down at me, his jaw still tight with frustration. I could see the turmoil in his eyes as he struggled to contain his anger. Ignoring Jake's taunts behind me, I focused on Jon, placing a hand on his cheek to draw his attention back to me. "Let it go," I whispered firmly. After a moment of hesitation, Jon nodded slowly and began to relax under my touch.

Feeling relieved that the situation was diffused for now, I took a step back and turned towards the bleachers.

Jake's arrogant voice cut through the tension once again. The crude suggestion he made about me made my blood boil with anger.