Chapter 4

"So. Where do you live? I've never seen you around here."

Copper didn't notice Ace was talking to her because she was too busy communicating with Chris through looks.

"Who me?", Copper finally realized that Ace was talking to her, when nobody else answered and obviously she was the only person in the room that he didn't know anything about.

"When did you start hanging out with Chambers?" , he fluttered her with questions.

"...Uh-"

Luckily. Chris interrupted, "Eyeball, can we borrow your car? We need to find Teddy."

As Eyeball was checking various pockets for his keys, Ace studied Copper. His curiosity peeked above average when she had failed to answer some simple everyday questions. He studied-one thing no one knew about him-her appearance. Her clothes were peculiar. Her above the shoulders, raven hair, had slightly longer strands in the front and in the back of her head; he also noticed that she tried her best to hide that.

As they were standing around the living room in the dark waiting on Eyeball, Copper tried to avoid Ace's gaze along with any questions he might have left in him.

Eyeball finally found the car keys in his back pocket, it required of him to get up from the sofa chair. "Here," he handed the keys over to Chris. "If anything happens to that car, it's you a--."

"Yeah. "He nodded his way out the door behind Copper. They sped off to Eyeball's car.

Once inside, "Where are we going?", Copper asked as soon as he started the ignition.

"Gordie's."

....Once at Gordie's house.

"Look, I'll get him so you won't have to deal with his folks."

"Okay." Chris sat in the driver's seat after Copper shut the door, with Eyeball's car parked in the LaChance driveway and the engine still running. He watched Copper go up the porch steps and knock on his door. It was better this way. Gordie's parents never liked Chris despite his efforts of making a good influence on Gordie; taking college courses and actually passing them, so far. He never liked Gordie's parents much either. And this hate was brought back to attention the moment Copper came to the guys in Castle Rock. The past week was real crazy. With Gordie not home for the most part, Gordie's dad found one person to blame it on: Chris. To tell the truth, it was partially Chris's fault. It was also partially Gordie's fault and Teddy's fault, and Vern's fault. They all took part of this mysterious adventure and now are suffering the consequences. It will be too soon when Copper faces the consequences that awaited her back home.

Gordie answered the door.

"Hey Gordie. Me and Chris came to pick you up."

Gordie closed the door behind him. "I can't Copper. I'm already in deep shit with my dad. But we'll hang out before you have to go. Okay."

"It's important, though. Teddy is missing."

"What?"

"And I think he's lost his memory too."

"Due to what?"

"We don't know. That's why we're trying to find him. Come with us."

Gordie stood for a moment to think. He passed a hand over his scalp, and sighed.

"Okay. But once you leave Castle Rock. Chris can't pick me up here for at least a month."

Gordie and Copper came down the porch steps the moment following.

"Hey Gordo." Chris greeted him before he sat in front with Chris and they did their handshake.

"Hey Chris."

Chris pulled out of the driveway,"Let's go get Vern."

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"Vern's got the prettiest house. Don't you guys think so?" Copper said as they were approaching the Tessio Residence.

"No." Gordie and Chris looked at the girl like she had snakes for hair. Then they laughed at the look on her face.

"Who's gonna go get Vern?", Chris asked once they were parked by his house.

"I'll go get him", Gordie volunteered.

A while later, at the next sight of the door opening, Gordie stepped in the front seat. And Vern was hauling it as fast as he could behind him over to the car. He took a seat in the back with Copper.

She greeted both with, "That was fast."

Poor Vern was still trying to catch his breath. "Is it true that Teddy's lost, you guys?"

"Yeah-Well he might not be lost. But we don't know where he is. And Ace told us that he saw him getting on a bus earlier today", Chris answered him.

"So, he's deserted us?"

"No Vern. He might have lost his memory", Gordie explained.

"Oh Boy, s-so he's totally lost it?"

"We don't know Vern. Ace might have lied to us", Copper added.

"I don't think so Copper. Ace says he didn't know who he was even after he went to mess with him and pulled out his blade. If this was our Teddy, he would have ran at the sight of his blade."

"Well how do you know he's not lying, Chris", Copper confirmed.

"Because...when he likes me he doesn't lie to me."

It was confirmed with a sigh from Copper. Then she said, "This was all wrong. We should have never-"

"Don't say that", Chris said.

"Well it's the truth. You all wouldn't be in trouble with your parents for not being home-let's see-for the past two weeks. And Teddy wouldn't have lost his memory, either, and took off on a bus."

"I'm not in trouble with my parents." Vern added.

Everybody looked at him, with the shut up stare, but their eyes showed concern over the bigger situation.

Gordie asked him,"How come you didn't get in trouble, Vern?"

"I don't know. I never get in trouble with my folks. Hey Chris, you might wanna pull out. They might get too suspicious", Vern said referring to Billy and Charlie on his front porch.

"Yeah, right, Vern", Chris said pulling out of Vern's driveway.

"I say we go to all bus stations in Castle Rock", Vern added.

And so they did. All night they spent from bus station to bus station, seeing what they could find. Finally they were back were they had started the search for Teddy, at Teddy's house.

Chris got out this time. And even though it was real late at night, his mother answered the door.

Chris walked back to the car and found everyone asleep. Somehow between getting out in various bus stations, Copper had reclaimed her place in the front seat. Vern and Gordie were asleep on the back seat. Vern was almost drooling on Gordie.

Copper was spread out in the front seat. And awoke at the sound of Teddy's front door closing behind Chris. "Is he there?" She sat up and scooted over to her side.

"No", He answered as he opened the door and sat inside, turning off the engine. He rested his head back on the seat and closed his eyes.

"Hey Chris?"

"Huh?"

"What did you think of me, when you first met me?"

"I don't know."

"I bet you would have never in your dreams thought that-"

"Yeah."

"Well neither did I. Do you think you'll remember this experience the way you remember you guys finding the body?"

"Yeah," He said.

A few minutes later,"You know, it wouldn't be so bad if I had a crush on you, cause I'm leaving anyway." She wore a goofy grin and messed hair.

"What?" He put his head down and looked at her.

"I'm never going to see you again. So I can tell you that I like you."

"Oh." He looked straight ahead.

"What? That doesn't bother you because we're friends?"

"No." He said and then appeared a smile across his lips. Then he scratched his head.

There was more she wanted to say but it was too late and her list went on. So she concluded with, "You're going to make some girl happy someday."

Chris took her compliment in with, "Thank you.(?)", and looked at her with the same grin.

She turned to the car door and fell asleep leaning on it, even though it was horribly uncomfortable.

Chris found a comfortably way to sleep, somehow, even with the wheel on his side.