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

Chapter Twelve

Stop trying to be less of who you are. Let this time in your life cut you open and drain you of all the things that are holding you back. - Jennifer Elisabeth

As the morning sun cast its golden rays through the windows of our high school hallway, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over me. After the hell that was this morning, I couldn't wait to eat, something my stomach made very clear as it grumbled, Jon comparing it to the roar of a lion. 

Jon and I made our way to the cafeteria, our footsteps echoing against the linoleum floor. The scent of freshly baked bread and savoury soups filled the air, making my mouth water even more.

But just as we turned the corner towards the cafeteria entrance, we heard hushed voices coming from around another bend in the corridor. Curiosity piqued, we exchanged a glance before silently creeping towards the source of the whispers.

Peeking around the corner, we saw Kirsty and Damon engaged in a heated conversation. Their voices rose and fell in intensity, their expressions tense and serious. It was clear that whatever they were discussing went far beyond a simple disagreement.

"He didn't send you here to catch feelings for her," Kirsty's voice carried through the air like a sharp blade. "He brought you here to befriend her. He wouldn't be happy to learn you're trying to steal his brother's bride-to-be."

Damon's response was dismissive, claiming ignorance of what she was talking about.

Suddenly, without warning, Kirsty's hand shot out and connected with Damon's cheek with an audible slap. My breath caught in my throat at the unexpected violence of her action. Jon instinctively pulled me back against the lockers as we both tried to stifle our gasps.

The tension in their conversation escalated further as Kirsty accused Damon of betrayal while he feigned innocence. The sound of clacking heels approached us from behind where we stood hidden from view.

Panic gripped us as we held our breaths and prayed for whoever it was to pass by without noticing us eavesdropping.

"I'm sure it was nothing," Damon reassured her.

Thankfully, a second later, the clacking heels seemed to be moving in the opposite direction once more.

The voices sounded farther away now, allowing Jon to uncover my mouth and for us both breathe normally again. However, Jon still had me against the lockers. He was looking at me with an almost trance-like expression on his face.

I looked up at him; the small height difference making it easier for us both gaze into each other's eyes.

"You gonna let me go or..." I trailed off as I examined his eyes trying read his mind which seemed nearly impossible at this moment. Which was highly unusual for us; we almost always knew what one another was thinking.

It was if he didn't hear me. Instead, his face began moving closer to mine.

"If you're going to eavesdrop, you need more practice," Damon's voice cut through the silence abruptly.

We jumped apart as Damon stood there with crossed arms and an amused expression on his face.

"Oh," he said sarcastically. "Was I interrupting something?"

He turned towards me with a sly smile. "I thought I explained this already."

My heart raced as I tried not let panic show on my face. "You said you were arguing over an assignment... that wasn't about an assignment."

He chuckled condescendingly before turning coldly towards me: "Look... You don't need all these details,"

"What are friends for?" The words slipped out before I could stop them.