“I hope so,” I respond as he drives away from the curb.
“Silas and Ronan are out looking, too,” he informs me as he turns left onto a busy street. “I said we’d take this side of town and they take the other.”
I try to compose myself, but I can’t. I ring him again and again, but every time, it has the same result.
“Do you think he’s still on campus?” I ask as I bite down on my bottom lip so hard that I almost taste blood. “He could be at the library, or football. But it’s already late as it is, he’d usually text me if he’s running late.”
JJ sighs. “I don’t know. What’s been going on?”
“Alfie,” I grumble.
“That asshole on the football team?”
“Yeah. He started spouting shit at Finn, and it got into his head. Then he was at the house with Skye, and he must have been lost in his own thoughts because he didn’t notice Skye had a temperature, and I freaked out and probably made it worse. It’s just been a series of things.”
“Jesus,” JJ hisses as he rolls his fingers over his forehead, keeping his eyes on the road. “How’s Skye?”
“Better,” I say with relief. “She overheated a little, but Finn took it out on himself. I know he should have been paying better attention to her, but I think his mind started to take over, and he wasn’t present. I know he’s really vulnerable right now.”
JJ releases a long breath. “Shit.”
For an hour, we search everywhere we possibly can. There’s nothing from Ronan and Silas as they check campus, or from Jade and Alice at home. Fear beyond anything I’ve ever felt starts to sink into my bones.
Tears leak from my eyes as I sniffle. “What if something really bad has happened to him?”
“Hey,” JJ says as we approach his car. “We’re gonna find him, and he’s going to be okay.”
I force myself to accept his words, even if they make me want to drop to my knees and beg the universe to protect him. He doesn’t deserve this. He’s been trying so hard, and it shows.
I furiously wipe my eyes. I could kill Alfie. God, I think if I saw him this second, I wouldn’t hesitate to knock him the fuck out and pray he ends up with a broken nose.
My eyes close as I listen to his voicemail for the hundredth time. I don’t hang up, I wait for the beep and leave a message. “Hey,” I say, my voice starting to sound nasally from my tears. “Where are you? Please tell me where you are. I’m not mad, no one is mad. Just text me to let us know you’re safe, or where you are. Please, Finn. I love you so much.”
I click off the call and allow my heart to squeeze with pain I can’t even describe. It’s so excruciating. JJ squeezes my shoulder supportively. “Come on, let’s check a few more places.”
We get back in the car and start driving until JJ slows down again. I peek my eyes out the window as he parks up and we stop in front of a pub. I scan the car park, and a sob wracks my chest when my eyes land on all the evidence I need.
“That’s Finn’s car,” I murmur as I rush to open the door and step out. “Oh god, that’s his car.”
JJ is right behind me, and I’m shaking from head to toe as we glance at each other. The realisation is that he’s either inside or he’s parked his car here and walked off somewhere we don’t know. I don’t know which one I want to be true.
Without a second thought, I run towards the doors of the building and shove myself inside. JJ follows suit. It doesn’t take long to spot Finn sitting at the bar in the empty pub. His head is low, and there’s a full drink sitting in front of him.
Everything starts to slow down as I realise my reality.
My legs nearly give out as I hurry towards him. As I get closer, I notice the tears that are staining his cheeks. His hands are clasped together in front of him, and he’s trembling like a leaf.
“Finn,” I whisper as I approach him.
He doesn’t even flinch at the sound of his own name, but the second I reach for his face to wipe away his tears, he glances up at me vacantly. His eyes are burning red, and his skin is flushed, yet he’s cold to the touch.
“Finn,” I sniffle.
His mouth opens, but nothing comes out. There’s guilt and shame behind his eyes, darker than I’ve ever seen, and it’s soul-destroying to know he’s been here by himself and spiralling.
“I’m sorry, Maya,” he chokes out with trembling lips. “I’m so sorry.”
I wrap my arms around him instinctively, clutch my hand against the back of his head, and hold it to my chest. “It’s okay,” I whisper as I lace my fingers through his hair and fight back my own tears. “It’s okay.”
