Missing

Ring. Ring.

I twirled my fingers impatiently into the phone cord.

Ring. Ring.

I took a deep breath, hoping, preparing myself.

Ring. Ring.

I sighed exasperatedly.

"Hi you've reached the Uleys!" Sam's mothers voice cheered through the speaker, "If you'd like to contact Sam-"

I practically slammed the phone into the receiver. I had left too many messages before-none of which were answered-so why leave a new on only to be ignored?

Part of me was angry that one one seemed to care, that everyone seemed to be avoiding talking to me today. Maybe that was because Sam really was the only person I talked to almost every second of the day. Maybe that's why I felt so...disconnected. But why wouldn't he want to talk to me? Why wouldn't he answer the phone? The questions burned in my mind, trying to think of a logical answer.

Sam was sick, he practically bolted out the door three nights ago at the tribe gathering to get away. He must be really sick, not to be able to answer my calls. But what did he have? The flu wasn't spreading around...none else that I knew of had gotten sick. But even then, couldn't his mother have called, or answered my calls?

I took a deep breath. Relax, Leah. I told myself, He's sick, he needs to be alone right now. Give him time.

I turned and heaved myself onto my bed, trying to disregard the thoughts that raced through my mind. The disappointment and worry crept through me once again, as I found myself thinking about how sick Sam was. Poor baby! I wanted to be there at his side to help him through whatever internal pain he was in, I wanted to be the one to help him heal...

ughh! Stop it! I shouted at myself.

Sighing, I twirled my finger anxiously through my loosely curled hair. What do I do now? I wanted to do something...I wanted to stop myself from thinking about it more. I was overreacting and I knew it. I just needed to keep myself busy. I needed something to do before I drove myself insane with worry.

A thought finally came to mind.

I crawled over to the side of my bed, grabbing my car keys. A new sort of happiness took over my emotions, now that I had something to do today other than worry about my sick boyfriend.

I walked out to the living room, finding my mom on the couch, curled up next to my dad as they watched TV together. I smiled automatically at the sight of them. They were such a loving couple, even for parents at their age. I admired them for the love they still had for each other after two kinds and many years...ever since I first noticed that my parents were more deeply in love with one another than other people's parents seemed to be, I wanted what they had. I wantd to love some one as they had, to endure everything together and still hold strong.

I want that with Sam.

Shaking myself mentally, I cleared my throat, "Hey, do you think I can go visit Emily today?"

"Well, sure, honey. I talked to Sallie earlier today actually. They seemed to be up to nothing."

"Great, I miss her, I want to see her."

"Alright, just call us."

I sped down the road in my 2000 white Jeep Wrangler, hearing the engine purr, the tires rolling smoothly over the pavement. I loved my Jeep. I turned onto a neighborhood street, an pulled in front of a dark mocha-colored house. I smiled when I saw it, memories flooding my mind just observing the house.

I door swung open suddenly, I turned my head to it.

A tanned, tall girl walked out. Her dark ivory hair flowed carelessly around her, framing her face beautifully. Her figure was perfectly shaped, slightly in an hour-glass form. Even in a plaid blue shirt and casual jeans she was stunning. Her chocolate brown eyes lit up when she saw me, her perfectly white smile starting to mirror the emotion in her eyes.

Emily had always been beautiful.

I found my lips curving up into a smile when I saw her too. I climbed out of my Jeep and ran into her open arms.

"Hey stranger!" She teased in our embrace.

I laughed, "I know I haven't seen you in forever!"

"I've missed you Leah."

"We talk everyday!" I grinned at her.

"It's not the same as actually seeing you though. Your hair! Its longer!"

"And yours is shorter." I noted with a edge of sarcasm, "Can we go inside?"

She laughed, "Sure, what do you want to do today?"

"Anything." I replied, hoping she didn't hear the desperate tone in my voice.

"Hey, I have an idea! Lets take the Jeep out for a run in the canyon." She said, a mischievous smile touching her lips.

"Oh wow, I haven't been offroading up here in forever."

"Then lets do it."

I smiled mischievously back, glad to finally have something to do, and glad I was spending time with Emily.

Emily and I were more like sisters than second cousins. We shared everything together, she knew more about me than even Sam knew. I could tell Emily anything in complete confidence, and I kept her secrets to heart as well. We called each other almost daily, just to catch up on how the others day had I had not seen Emily in a few months, and it was a relief to my emotions to see her in person, to be able to look in her eyes. She was like my comfort, my conscience, and my best friend.

We drove along a dirt path, carved neatly among the forest of trees surrounding it. We stayed on it for hours, talking and laughing while I sped thought the twisted moist track. Then, we approached a dirt clearing where the trees dispersed and soon disappeared. On the other side of the clearing was a steep drop-off. Acting like a cliff. It gave us a perfect view of a large stretch of world below us. And the perfect sky directly ahead of us. I could see Forks from here, and La Push, and first beach...

"We came a little early for sunset." Emily said, admiring the view, "Wanna stay for it?"

I shrugged happily, "Sure, sounds good."

Grabbing the snacks we brought for our trip, we migrated to the back, open seat of my Jeep, sitting comfortably in the back seat. We layed across from each other, our knees touching as we faced one another. I face the sun set, she faced me. we found ourselves talking, as we always did, about every happening in our lives.

"So how's the boyfriend?" she asked, a teasing grin on her face.

My face fell slightly, remembering the reason I sought an escape from Emily in the first place, "He's...fine."

She arched an eye-brow at me.

"Alright, well...I haven't actually talked to him in a few days. The last time a saw him he was really sick...he hasn't called me back yet."

She smiled tentatively at me, concern in her eyes. She knew automatically that I was worried that he hadn't called me in a while, "I wouldn't worry about it too much, Lee." She said reassuringly, "Like you said, he's really sick."

I nodded, at a loss for words, and silently hoping that what she said was true. My mind started to wonder for a second, resting on an image of Sam's face in my memory...

I shook myself mentally, and turned to Emily with a grin on my face, "So what about you Em? Any boys lately?"

She opened her mouth to answer me-

Music suddenly erupted from the center council. We both jumped slightly in surprise, looked at each other and laughed at our skittishness. I got up, leaned over the front seat and grabbed my vibrating cell phone. Reading the caller ID, I frowned, 'MOM'.

I had privately hoped that it would be Sam finally returning my call.

I hit accept, "Hey Mom, sorry I haven't called yet. Em and I were catching up."

"Leah? Sweetheart are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'll come home soon just let me-"

"Leah, I- I have news." her tone was hushed, almost hesitant. It scared me.

"Whats wrong Mom?" I asked, my voice serious.

"Its-Its Sam."

My heart froze at his name. I forgot how to breathe for that instant. Her seriously sad tone of voice matched with his name were sending my brain into a petrified moment of panic.

"Sam?" I breathed.

"Yes...honey, no one can find him...I'm so sorry...he's missing."

Tears stung my eyes and my breathing returned to my lungs suddenly extremely labored. My entire body trembled madly, my mind forgot everything else around me. In my head, all I could see was a perfect image of his face- his glowing brown eyes, his lovely smile, his laughter...

Sam.

Missing.