Chapter 51: Chapter 51:

Nicole POV:

I release a heavy sigh when I am done helping Alec remove the tapes from his car. We popped most of the balloons but some were left inside and Alec said Lucas would be glad to play with them.

"Thanks buttercup" Alec tells me. I give him a weak smile. I was exhausted.

He gives me a sympathetic smile.

"Won't you two go home? Its getting dark!" Kimberly hollers to us

She sits in her car and I hear her engine purr.

"I'm going guys!" She yells and drives away. Her car was still filled with balloons.

Troy and Danny follow with their sleek cars.  They also had a few balloons in them. Aaron's car was the last.

"Hey! Leave my girl alone Alec!" Aaron warns him and he chuckles.

"I cannot do that Aaron! She's so attractive" Alec taunts and I blush.

"You better! Or you'll taste my fist!" Aaron says defensively and gets out of his car. I knew he was joking.

"Okay man! I'm going! You can have her all to yourself" Alec taunts and sits in his car.

"Goodbye lovebirds" he hollers and his engine roars. Then he drives out of the parking lot too.

"Hey Aaron" I say

"Hey love" he says and touches my nose with his index finger.

I chuckle.

"I would like to make our relationship official" Aaron says more seriously now and my stomach flutters. I don't have feelings for him.

"Aaron don't you think you are rushing?" I ask him worried

"What makes you think that?" He asks

"It's okay"I sigh

"I was wondering if you would like to go on a date tomorrow with me? After school" he says and my face falls but I quickly recover.

"That's great" I say with fake enthusiasm

"Is that what you meant by making our relationship official?"

"Yes actually! We are on phase one for now love" Aaron tells me.

"I think its fine"

"So would you meet me after school?"

"Sure!"

"Thanks love! Its getting dark so I gotta go! We will talk more tomorrow"

"Bye" I say and he winks at me before entering his car and within seconds, he was gone. I sigh. This is becoming a reality!

°~•~•~°

I got home at exactly fifty minutes past six. Mom stood at the front door. She didn't look mad but worried.

"You finally arrived sweetie! What did those pranksters do to you?"

I give her a small smile

"They just taped my car"

"And the balloons?"

I chuckle "it was part of the prank"

"I'm happy you are home" mom says

"How is Trina? How did the therapy go today?"

"She is recovering really fast and the therapy went well. Your friend was here too. What was her name again?"

"Melissa" I throw in

"Yes Melissa" she says as we walk into the house.

I spot Trina watching her favourite show on the television. She laughs at what one of the actors says and I smile.

"She's slowly coming out of that depression" Mom whispers behind me.

"Sweetheart! Can you promise me something?" Mom asks with a slight frown.

"What mom?" I ask with my heart pounding. She uses that expression whenever she is dead serious.

"That you won't go back to that party again! I'm afraid you'll also face what your little sister faced"

I sigh.

"Okay! I promise" I reply and she smiles.

°~•~•°

"No! That piece goes over there!" Trina snaps at me.

"No! It goes over here! See! Fits perfectly" I say and she groans.

"You're so good in solving puzzles" she grumbles and I chuckle.

"Practice makes perfect Trina" I tell her.

"I'm tired" she says and shuffles in my bed

"What? So soon? You've barely spent ten minutes" I ask surprised

"Whatever! I'm just tired okay?" She spits. Her face has no trace of excitement. I guess  she hasn't recovered fully yet.

She walks out of my room and slams the door. What's up with her? I know she loves solving jigsaw puzzles and never gets tired of them.

I shrug and continue to solve it alone.  After guessing which pieces would fit right, I put the puzzle away and tried to find something else to do. Caden's prank resurfaces. He got all of us on our knees with that  simple prank! Maybe it wasn't so simple. But we need to get back at them! Definitely! I think about Aaron's date. I feel like I'm making a big mistake and I have this feeling I'll hurt him. Aaron and I have been friends since 6th grade and I don't want to ruin our friendship now or ever. The problem is I don't have feelings for him. I like Jake. Did I just say that? Well its the truth. My heart is speaking not my mind. I just have to forget about it and give Aaron a chance.

I take my phone and decide to watch The Crown on Netflix. I felt bored so that was the only thing I could do to entertain myself.

°~•~•°

"Nicole! Please wake up!" Someone yells and I open my left eye to see Trina. I get up and stretch. Outside is dark and I'm still wearing the outfit I sent to school. I guess I must have fallen asleep when I was watching the movie.

"What time is it?" I drawl and look on my phone. Five minutes past twelve in the night, it read. I yawn and look at Trina who was immaculately clad in her pyjamas.

"Can I sleep here?" She asks. Her voice wobbly.

"Why you can't sleep?" I ask. This is the second time she is asking that.

She nods miserably and I sigh.

I wanted to scold her so bad for leaving me alone to solve the jigsaw puzzle and disturbing my beauty sleep but I decided to be a good big sister!

"Sure Sister! Make yourself comfortable" I reply. My voice dripping with sarcasm.

She smiles and says thanks landing on my bed.

I lay down beside her on the bed and I was happy the sleep returned within seconds.

💚💚💚

"How is Trina? She wasn't in her room when I checked! I guess she came to sleep in yours" Mom tells me whiles handing me a plate of freshly cooked omelette.

"That's right mom! She is getting ready for school right now in her room" I tell mom and she nods

"But I don't think she has recovered fully cause yesterday, she wasn't cheerful" I say and take a gulp of my glass of milk.

Mom raises an eyebrow urging me to spill more.

"She got tired when we were solving a jigsaw puzzle! She hadn't even spent ten minutes and she came to my room in the night telling me she cannot sleep."

"At what time did she come?" Mom asks worriedly

I squint to remember.

I snap my finger when I do.

"12:05" I reply and poke my omelette with my fork.

Mom sighs.

"Good morning ladies!" Dad announces and pecks mom on her cheek and smiles at me.

"Where is Trina?" He asks and takes a bite of the omelette mom had just served him with.

"Getting ready for school" I state and take another gulp of milk.

"Honey! I don't think she's getting any better" mom chirps and dad stops eating.

"Why? What happened? Did she do something crazy?" Dad rolls the questions so fast that mom cannot keep up.

"Its just that, she is still suffering from that 'thing' and I'm scared" mom says and tears roll down her cheeks.

"But I thought she had improved" dad blurts and I shake my head. The more I think about it, the more I feel guilty for leaving her alone. If I had just stayed with her that moment, none of these would be happening.

I look at the time and its almost seven. Trina has kept too long in her room! What could be keeping her?

"I'll go and check on her" I say and leave my breakfast halfway eaten

I enter her room and its empty. She could be in the bathroom. I open the bathroom door and its empty.

What the fuck?

"Trina!" I begin to holler searching around frantically.

I finally find a sheet of paper on the bed.

Dear Family,

I know you'll be worried sick that I'm gone but don't worry about me. I did it for you all! You cannot keep on worrying about me. Its just ridiculous. I decided to leave and go somewhere else where I can have my liberty. Don't look for me cause you wouldn't find me.

With Love,

Trina.

I'm speechless and gobsmacked!

She left! That's the only sentence my brain could put together. Where did she go to? Why did I leave her again? I should have stayed with her! She wouldn't have left if I were around.

I bolt for the door.

"Where is Trina?" Mom demands and I cannot speak.

"Where is she?" Dad repeats.

I just give him the letter she left.

"What's that?" Dad asks and snatches it from my hand.

He reads it with mom and they are appalled when they are done.

"So she's not in her room?" Dad asks and I nod.

"Oh no! We need to find her! Its dangerous out there!" Mom says grabbing dad's collar and shaking him.

"Calm down honey! We will find her!" Dad assures.

"How do you expect me to calm down?" Mom yells back.

"I'll call the police" Dad says and dials feverishly on his phone.

"I cannot just stand here and do nothing! Come on Nicole! If she's travelling by foot, she wouldn't be too far away! Maybe we can catch up with her!" Mom spits. But what if she took the train? I follow her outside and we sit in my car.

"Go as fast as you can sweetheart! Your sister is in danger" mom yells and I nod.

I press on the accelerator and move at the speed of light down the road.

We checked everywhere and she was no where in sight.

I sighed tiredly.

"Where could she have gone to?" Mom asks

"I honestly do not know! And I don't also know if she has  best friends. I only know she...." I trail off about to say she had a crush called Mason. But he will be in school by now and I don't know where Kate even lives.

"She?"

"Forget about it mom" I reply and drive on.

💙💙💙

"What did the police say? Have they found her?" Mom asks as soon as we enter the house. Dad is frustrated. I was supposed to be in school but I am so worried about Trina.

"I wish they did but sadly no" Dad replies and my heart drops.

Mom gasps

"I can tell that you two did not find her either" Dad says and I nod accepting the reality that Trina left.

"This cannot be! What if she bumps into another rapist? What if she doesn't get someone to save her again?" Mom spills anxiously.

"That's not gonna happen mother!" I quickly cut in.

"Its a possibility sweetheart! We need to find her before dark" mom interjects

"I will do everything in my power to find her! Right now, just calm down" dad assures and mom nods taking ragged breaths

My phone rings and Aaron registers on the Caller ID.

"Hey Aaron" I drawl sadly

"What's with that tone Nikki? Did something happen? Cause you didn't show up today"

"Its just that....." I trail off releasing tears and sniffing

"Wait are you crying? What happened Nicole! Tell me" Aaron demands.

"Trina disappeared and we cannot find her" I blurt

"Oh no"

"Am so sorry about that"

I sniff.

"I'll tell the rest and we will all search for her love. The date is cancelled for the mean time"

"Please tell them to look for her! I cannot lose my only sister!"

"Alright I will"

"Thank you"

"Relax love" Aaron says and hangs up.

I take a deep breath and go to my own room. I called Trina's phone.

"Nicole" she answers at the other end and am overjoyed

"Trina! Where are you? We are worried about you"

"This is what makes me sick! Always worried about me! I'm not a kid anymore!" Trina practically yells

"Can you at least tell me where you are?" I ask and the other end is silent.

"Hello? Trina?" I ask and there is no response. I sigh.

"Did you get her?" Mom asks at the doorway. I didn't know she was here.

"Yes I did" I tell her and her lips tug upwards

"So did she tell you where she is?"

"No mum! She hang up"

Mom's smile falters.

"But I think  she's okay" I assure mom

"I just want her to come back home" mom says and exits my room

I try calling her again but the call ends and she doesn't pick up.

A few hours later.......

"Hey Nicole! Have you found her?" Melissa asks as she enters my house.

"No Melissa! I spoke to her but she didn't tell me where she was going" I reply sadly.

"I'm sorry!" Melissa says.

"Its five o clock in the evening and she's not back yet. Steph will be arriving soon too" I say and the doorbell rings as if on cue.

"She's here! She will be disappointed to hear that Trina run away" Melissa tells me.

Steph enters quite jaunty

"Hello people! Where is Trina?" She enquires and she gets the answer when no one responds.

"Steph she er...." Melissa trails off

"What?" Steph asks. Worry evident in her tone.

"I'm not in the right position to tell you" Melissa says and sits down

"What happened Mr Anderson?" Steph demands.

"My daughter run away! She hasn't returned and we don't know where she is!" My dad says

Steph gasps.

"How come? She was improving according to my perspective"Steph blurts

Dad nods

" I  thought so too"he says

"It could be she was just pretending to get well and decided to fool all of us" Melissa states

"That's a serious allegation Melissa!" Steph cuts in.

"It could be" Melissa says with a shrug

"My sister isn't capable of that" I tell her.

"Did she leave anything? A note or something?" Steph asks.

"Well she left this" mom says and hands her the letter.

Steph scans it.

"I think Melissa's allegation might have some prove" Steph concludes.

"Are you serious right now? My daughter is out there with that condition and you are accusing her of some stupid pretence?" My dad yells

"Calm down Mr Anderson but that is what I think! She was perfectly fine when she left yesterday?" Steph states

"You should know that her condition makes her behave in a weird way" mom interjects.

"Yes I know but I'm a professional! I know what I'm talking about"

Dad sighs

"So you believe she was pretending to recover?"he asks and Steph nods

" but why would she do that?"mom questions.

"I don't know" Steph spills

"We all know she didn't want to undergo the therapy. So maybe she did that to deceive us into thinking that she is okay so that the time for the therapy will be shorter" I suggest

"Makes perfect sense" Melissa compliments

"Yeah" Steph agrees.

"We need to find her soon" Dad concludes.

Hello! How did you find this chapter? Do you think they can find Trina?

Don't forget to tap the little star at the bottom of the page. Please leave your comments as well!!!

Thanks for reading ❤😘