Don't forget to send in some book covers! They'll be featured in the chapters to come! Carry on sending them in, with your username and I'll definitely throw them in!
Thank you @Aye_Love for your amazing book covers, I really loved this one, it's so cute!
Anyways, here's the chapter...
{UNEDITED}
Wrapping my arms tighter around my body, I sped up my pace to match his. "She hasn't been in for ages." He stated, mimicking my actions to shield himself from the onslaught of bitter frost.
"Maybe she's ill." I shrugged, "Have you done anything to upset her?"
Rob stopped his walking, "Why do you assume it me? Last time I checked she didn't answer your messages either?" He replied, throwing me a teasing look. "Besides, you saw her last."
I continued walking, we were almost at my house. "Maybe she wants an apology." Neither Rob nor I had seen or heard from Andrea in the past week or so, it was stranger than strange. Since that night that we spent together, it was as though she had completely disappeared. She wasn't in school, and she didn't reply to any of our messages.
"I didn't ignore her. Only you."
I rolled my eyes, a small chuckle escaping me. It had been nice, between Rob and I, it was as if nothing had ever happened, no fight, no shouting and no awkwardness. We were back to normal between us.
I pulled out my keys from my leather jacket's pocket and opened the door. It took a while for us to walk back to my place, Rob complaining all the way about how he desperately needed a car so we didn't have to walk anywhere anymore. He kept nattering on about how his dad's truck was playing up and they had to take it to the repair garage a dozen times this week alone. Something about spark plugs and gasoline. Basically, resulting in us walking literally everywhere.
Adam was back in school the past week and I doubt that he remembered a single thing from the day we spent together. He would do the same creepy-watching-thing he always used to, just from a safe distance. We didn't talk; with me trying to avoid eye-contact at every possible living moment, it was back to normal with us.
Well, as normal as it could get.
Throwing my bag down on the floor, I switched on the lights. Walking back from school took around an hour, with the addition of us staying late studying for finals, it was pretty dark outside.
"I mean do we even know where she lives." I sighed, I normally wasn't one to pry but we were both getting pretty worried.
Rob thought for a moment, "I've seen her on the rich side of town once or twice, but I don't know where exactly."
We both moved up to my room, I shrugged off my jacket somewhere along the way.
Business wise, the church was going downhill, fast. My father spent most of his nights there, helping the people who were truly struggling with the battling lawsuit our church was facing. For a lot of people it was all they knew. And to see it tumbling so quickly, I feared we would lose the demolition battle.
I went to close the curtains, but a light dazzled in my eye, flashing. It was definitely some sort of signal. My heart pounded, as I saw a torch flicker in the abandoned house, my mind instantly racing to Adam.
"What are you looking at?" Rob asked, peering over my shoulder. Quickly, I shut the curtains. Twisting around and pushing my back against them, I hated lying but I didn't really want to go through the whole Rob-hating-Adam-because-he's-a-bad-influence-malarkey again.
I push him away, "I thought I saw a bird."
"And that got you so fascinated, why?" He threw me a pointed look.
"I'm thinking about taking up bird-watching." I lied, I could already see myself with a shovel, digging a massive inescapable hole.
He bellowed a laugh, stumbling backwards a little, "That's rich." He chortled, "That's like me saying I wanted to be an intern for Gordon Ramsay. And you know I can't cook for shit."
I tried to not be offended that he completely didn't support me and my bird watching lie, but I couldn't help but get dramatically defensive. "Hey!" I shook my head, "I could watch birds, I'd be good at it!"
His laugh only got louder, as he clutched his torso for support. "Gabby," He gasped, "you got practically shat yourself when a pigeon walked next to you. How-how on Earth are you gonna be able to watch them for hours on end."
I'll admit, it was a completely low blow for him to bring up that one time offence, and I did know deep down that I absolutely hated any bird with a burning passion, even those really small ones.
"Maybe it's not the best choice." I said.
He rolled his eyes at me, changing the subject, "I'm hungry."
A wave of deja vu hit me, and I pointed to the door. "Phone's downstairs, order some pizza. Could you?"
He nodded, a fleeting excited look passed through his eyes as he bounded down the stairs. For a moment I completely forgot about Adam.
Again, that moment was very short lived.
"Are you ill, Gabby?" Rob asked, looking very concerned.
My head whipped to where he was stood, my brows furrowing before I looked at what he had in his hand. "Is there something I should know?"
"What?"
I looked at the phone in his hands, one that clearly wasn't mine. "You have Nurse Turner on speed dial?"
I quickly came to terms that it most certainly wasn't my phone, so it must have been Adam's. A cold, bitter feeling of dread latched itself to my throat, as I forced yet another lie out of my mouth. I hated every word that spilled, a flurry of nonsense, lie after lie. What was this boy doing to me? And why on Earth was I letting him?
"Yeah, that. I just felt sick a couple times during the week, so Mrs. Turner gave me her number just to check up on me. They're really thorough here, don't you think? I mean I'm sure I'm fine now, but I guess she just wanted to check up now and then. I think she was actually mean to give the number to my dad, but she asked me to pass it on. I guess I never did. Ha." I spouted out, lie after lie.
From his face it seemed as though he didn't catch a single word that I threw at him, and I couldn't have been more glad. Hastily, I snatched Adam's phone from his grasp. Feeling a flare of questions bubble up inside me. It was time he started answering them.
"Speaking of not feeling well, I think we should visit Andrea sometime. See what's really gone on?" I stated, changing the subject as quickly as I could.
He seemed to take the bait, and we continued into another conversation. Hours ticked by, and soon his dad came to pick him up. Waving him goodbye, I knew I would need to ask Adam about Mrs. Turner.
It just all didn't seem right.
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IMPORTANT MESSAGE:
FROM NOW ON I WILL BE UPDATING WITH A QUOTE AND A CHAPTER EVERY FRIDAY. THAT'S A NEW CHAPTER EVERY FRIDAY.
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TIMES:
UK (ANYWHERE BASICALLY): 12:00 PM (MIDDAY)
USA (NYC): 7:00 AM
AUSTRALIA (MELBOURNE) : 21:00PM
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