Betwixt

I move behind my friends in order to avoid an onslaught of human traffic as we weave through the narrow corridor and out into the quad.

"Listen to this..." Pe

The girls gasp and my chest tightens with hope.

Okay girls, start piecing it together. I hold my breath.

"No way. She's playing hooky again." Lauren rolls her eyes.

"Yeah, I mean she didn't call this morning."

"Did you call her?" Pe

"I tried."

"Liar." Lauren giggles. "You're still mad she rejected your ride home last night."

I did what?

"Hey, I had to break down a very important kissing scenario and she wasn't there for me."

Are you kidding me, right now?

"Guys! Can one of you at least start to worry please!"

Pe

"I'm go

"Thank you, Pe

If you want to know anything at this school, you follow @Twitterbug. Within two minutes the guys from study group were chasing us down.

"So Nicole's AWOL. What's up with that?" Matt swings his arm around Pe

I shake my head. How long has he been trying for her affections now? How many rejections does it take? Get a clue, Matt.

"Yeah, her mom called the office. She hasn't seen her."

"She's probably just hiding out at home until her mom leaves the house or something."

"I'm surprised her mother even cares. She's allowed to do whatever she wants."

"I know, right? If I ever got busted sneaking home after ten on a school night, I'd be grounded for life. She waltzes in and out of her place whenever she wants."

"I wish I had her life."

Not right now, you don't.

"So, where do you think she is?" Pe

"At home."

"L.A. for the day."

"Making out with Trent behind the bleachers."

"Who's making out with me?" Trent appears from nowhere. I look up at his tall frame and fight the urge to admire him. Cheating A-hole. If this had been a normal day, I would have put my arm around his waist. He would have kissed the top of my head and we would have walked to the library, listening to the others, while sharing secret little looks. His hand would roam my back, sending sparks over my body.

Hands that roamed other backs.

I step away from him and call him the worst swear I can think of.

"Nicole, who else?"

Trent chuckles and runs a hand through his short, dark hair. His dimples pop into place and he looks around with a grin. Matt and Drue roll their eyes. Maybe they know he's scum too... or maybe they think his cheating antics are cool. Man, I hate these guys sometimes.

"She's missing, you know." Pe

"What?" Trent swallows, looking slightly nervous.

"Yeah, apparently her mom called the school to say she doesn't know where she is."

"That's crazy. She's around."

"She's not at home."

Trent shrugs. "She's probably just run away to L.A. for the day."

"He's right, you know." Lauren shrugs. "Amber you said she stole her Dad's credit card. She's probably walking Rodeo Drive as we speak."

The jealousy in Lauren's voice is impossible to miss.

"But she usually invites me." Amber frowns then her expression darkens. I can hear her thinking, "Bitch."

"I didn't not invite you, Amber. I'm stuck in a forest somewhere, dying, not shopping on Rodeo Drive."

I look at Lauren.

"Didn't you take her home last night?" Pe

He nods, looking slightly awkward.

"What?" Amber steps towards him.

"Nothing. I just hope she's okay. She wasn't herself last night."

I wasn't?

"What do you mean?"

"She just seemed uptight. I'm sure she's just blowing off steam somewhere. You know what she's like."

They all nod.

I frown.

What was I like? Why was I uptight last night? What did he mean by that?

I wish I could remember. My head pulses and I rub my temples.

Lauren gives Trent a sympathetic look. "Sorry if she ruined your night." She squeezes his arm.

He shoots her a glum smile, playing for the sympathy card like a pro.

I roll my eyes.

"Excuse me? Ruined his night? He's not the one lying lost in the forest."

I want to scream. This is so frustrating. How is it possible that Trent dropped me home yet I've ended up in the middle of nowhere? What happened between his car and my house?

"Well, us big seniors have more important things to think about right now." He gives the girls a wink and grins at Matt's retaliatory insult before sauntering off to his next class. I want to follow him and ask for more details, but since he can't hear me staying with this group will probably work to my advantage. Maybe some of their gossipy natter will lead to the truth.

Matt pulls open the door for everyone and they file inside. I jump in before it closes on my butt.

"Pe

"What if she's not shopping?" Pe

Thank you. Finally.

"Maybe she's run away. She's been threatening to do it for months." Amber pulls out a chair. "Trent did say she was acting weird last night. Maybe when he dropped her off she collected her stuff and left?"

"What's the bet some studly picked her up and they're now getting married in Vegas."

Everyone laughs at Matt's joke.

"Maybe some trucker kidnapped her and she's locked in the back with a trailer load of livestock." Amber giggles.

"Why would that be fu

"Maybe she's on a bus to New York. Hashtag, Nicole makes a break for it." Pe

"Pe

"Maybe she's dead." The table goes silent at Lauren's casual statement. They all look at her then at each other... then all start cracking up.

"Why are you guys laughing? I'm not dead. I'M NOT DEAD." I scream.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see a head pop up from a book and look around the room as if he just heard something.

"I'm not dead." I yell across the room.

He flinches, lowers his book and looks straight at me.

I wince.

Dale Fi

Un-freaking-believable.

CHAPTER SIX

Of all the people.

I lick my lips and take a step towards his table. He's still sca

I wave my arms and jump up and down. Dale frowns then looks back down at his book. Okay, so maybe he can't see me.

"I'm not dead." I call across the room again.

His eyebrows pucker and he's obviously making a concerted effort to keep reading.