Ian's Point of View
I stretched my arms and leaned to the back of my chair. I gave a slightly enthusiastic 'yeah!' and high-fived Anthony. "At last! We are free! Well, until tomorrow."
Anthony laughed and nodded his head. "True, very true. But until then, let's go grab some food." Suddenly, Anthony realized something. "Hey, I never heard Hannah come in? Is she here?"
Ian called her, but no response came. "I guess not. Text her, ask her where she is."
Anthony pulled out his phone. "Oh wait. Here's a text from her. She says she's over at Allison's house. She sent it about an hour ago. Let's go get her and go get pizza."
I smiled and teased, "Or Mexican food, or Chinese food, or 'Merican food, or….well that's it I guess."
Anthony laughed and got up, grabbing our old Flip camera behind him. Never misses an opportunity, does he? We walked to my car and piled in. I drove out of the garage and a block to where Allison lived. Anthony volunteered to go knock on the door. I watched as he did, and Allison came and answered the door. Anthony said something, and then Allison looked back at him with a confused look. She shook her head 'no' and motioned toward the house. Anthony stopped for a second and then declined what Allison said. For what I was guessing was proof, he took out his phone, scrolled through something, then showed the phone to Allison. After reading it, Allison's mouth dropped open and her voice rose loud enough so I could hear it through my car window. It had panic and worry. What the hell's going on?
"What's wrong?" I asked the two of them as I walked up the steps to the McKlaine's house. "Why won't Hannah come out of the house?"
"She's not here, Ian." Anthony replied with a slightly mono-toned voice. I looked at Allison in rebuttal. She just stared straight back at me and slowly shook her head with her mouth slightly open.
"What do you mean she's not here?" I questioned to Anthony. He didn't respond, though I really didn't give him time to while I asked Allison, "Alli? Why isn't Hannah with you? She~"
"I know, Anthony showed me. She texted you guys saying she came home with me, but I swear she didn't. I haven't seen her since seventh block today, in Spanish. I never saw her after school, so I have no idea why she told you that."
I grueling pain filled my empty stomach. I felt like someone had just kicked me, knocking all of the wind out. If I had eaten before hand, I would have definitely thrown up, right then and there. "So . . . you don't know where she is?"
Allison had tears in her eyes. "No, Ian. I don't. It's not like her to just… flat-lie to you guys; to anyone for that matter. And she never goes home with anyone besides me. No one else that goes to Palm West lives in this neighborhood, and she doesn't know any Juniors or Seniors that well to get rides."
Anthony broke the pause after Allison. "Ian, something's wrong. Very wrong."
I glanced at Anthony with disbelief. No, nothing's wrong. She's just….Hannah is at….. "Nothing's wrong. Hannah's just…. Gone off somewhere, that's all." I denied.
"But she wouldn't~" Allison started, but a look from Anthony shushed her. "Alright then," Anthony continued. "We should go to look where she's run off, shouldn't we?"
I nodded at a snail's pace, and we headed to my car. I heard off in the distance Allison calling to her mom that she was going with us, and cutting her mom off in the middle of her reply. Anthony jumped into the driver's seat before I could, but I wasn't offended. Anthony knew I was in sort of a dazed state, and it wouldn't be a smart idea for me to drive. I sat down quietly in the passenger seat with Allison in the back, and did something that was actually quite sane for my dream-like state. I called Hannah. At first, the phone didn't even ring. Eventually, all I heard was a fast beeping sound, like the one you get when the phone lines are down. But this one was faster. Anthony peeked at the confused look on my face. "What?"
Without a verbal response, I turned on the speaker of my phone to let the fast sound continue. Anthony's eyes closed, trying to contain his disbelief and frustration. "W-what, Anthony? What does that mean?"
Anthony sighed and replied, "That fast beeping sound means that something's wrong with Hannah's phone. It might not be accepting calls or completely broken, I'm not sure." I could've sworn Anthony said something like, 'I don't know if they can track it if it's broken' under his breath.
"What was that last part?"
"Oh, nothing. Nothing at all." He turned out of our small neighborhood onto the highway, making the way to Palm West. We had to start somewhere.
Anthony's Point of View
My recently called list had just one person on it: Hannah. It blinked 32 times, notifying how many times we'd called her number, hoping the fast beeping would turn into her voice, telling us where she is. But the response was the same, unemotional robot everytime.
I looked at the time. It was 11:17. Ian, Allison, and I had been looking for her for over five hours. Where the hell was she? Dear God, where was she?
Allison had gotten a call from her mother, demanding an explanation for all of this. Once she was given one, her tone completely changed from anger to sadness and fear. We all knew Hannah running away by herself or someone else was a totally inaccurate explanation. She wouldn't do it. Something bad happened today on her way home from school. Something very bad. I felt it on the bottom of my heavy heart. Allison handed me the phone and told me her mom wanted to speak with me. Oh fuck. I thought. I really don't need her to bitch at me right now. I suppressed a groan and answered the phone.
"Hello?"
"Anthony! Oh my god, dear, are you alright?" She cried frantically.
Wait, what? That was NOT the reaction I was thinking of. I thought she was going to scream at me for having Allison out so late. "Um, yes, Mrs. McKlaine, I'm fine." Then I quickly added, "So are Alli and Ian."
She sighed of relief. "Thank heavens. What happened, Anthony? Where's Hannah? Allison said that you don't know where she is and you all have been looking for her. It's not like her to run off."
I know, I know! We have established that! Get with the program! "I know. We don't know what happened, ma'am. Ian and I have no idea."
"Should I call the police, then?" Questioned Mrs. McKlaine.
This hit me like a ton of bricks. We really do need police enforcement. Hannah is really missing. Oh my god, Hannah's missing. What could've happened? Who could've….taken her?
"Anthony?" She asked when I didn't respond to make sure I was still on the line.
"Y-Yes. Please do."
"Alright, I will." She abruptly hung up. I slowly pulled my phone from my ear, shocked.
"What?" Allison saw my facial expression as I handed the phone back to her.
"Well, Alli," I started, suppressing a tear. "Your mom just called the police about Hannah. They're going to help us find her."
"No," Alli began putting her hand to her mouth. "She can't be gone. Anthony, she's not a missing person. She's just…" A tear fell from her eye.
Trying to comfort her, I hugged her and kissed her on the top of her head. "Don't worry, Alli. We'll find her, I promise." I pulled away and smiled slightly. "Now, let's get you home."
Ian's Point of View
After Anthony and Allison hopped back into the car, we drove her home in silence. Once we got there, Mrs. McKlaine stood on her porch waiting for us. In her hand was the telephone and she wore a blue robe and slippers. Her face was filled with worry, but softened slightly when we drove into the driveway. Allison quietly got out of the car and walked to her mom. Mrs. McKlaine said something, not looking Alli in the eyes when she did. When she finished, Alli nodded and went into the house as he mother told her to. Mrs. McKlaine took a very deep breath then walked over to our car. Anthony and I politely got out and went to speak with her.
"I called them," she began, talking about her phone call with the police station. "And they said that because she hasn't been missing for 24 hours, Hannah is technically not a missing person. Call back tomorrow when 24 hours has passed."
Anthony nodded, looking down. I sighed and said, "Alright, Mrs. McKlaine. Thank you for all your help." She nodded and her lip quivered. She jumped on me, giving me the biggest hug. "I'm so sorry, Ian. I'm so sorry. But I promise. We. Will. Find. Her."
I hugged her back, not saying a word. Once the hug dispersed, Anthony and I walked back to the car and I drove home. Once there, I headed inside to the empty house and plopped onto the brown leather couch. My head fell into my hands. Anthony came over and sat down next to me. He rubbed at patted me on the back and said soothingly, "Ian, look at me."
I looked up and half-smiled. "I promise you, Ian. I promise you. Hannah will come home."
"Anthony. Hannah, my own sister, she's the only one I have left. Her and you are my only family. I-I can't lose her too." I held in my tears, but couldn't control the flow. My eyes began to water.
"Aw, Ian." Anthony began as he pulled me into a hug. It'll be ok." We didn't move for quite a while, and I'm sure if someone else walked in at that moment, we would've looked full-out gay, but I didn't care. I just needed my best friend, my brother, right there with me. And thank God he was.
There's Chapter 4! Yeah I know, a little boring. But some chapters have to be so the next one can be AWESOME! You'lll see :D (MUHAHAHAHAHA)