The Wrong Path - By Vivian Marie Aubin du Paris Page 0,65

“Are you,” she began quietly, “finished now?”

She was satisfied at the brief flash of confusion that flickered across his face before it was quickly repressed under a smoldering gaze.

She released her tight clamp on his arm and stepped into him, willing him to understand everything she didn’t say as she wrapped her arms around his waist. “I won’t let you go that easily.”

When he didn’t move, she briefly feared he would push her away—that she had crossed a line. But her anxiety was put to rest a few seconds later when his arms slowly closed around her, drawing her to him. “Stalker,” he said softly.

She smiled slightly, her heart aching in relief as she snuggled deeper into his arms.

***

When she woke up the next morning, Will was gone.

Chapter Seventeen

“Annabelle!”

She listlessly finished placing her books in her locker, giving herself a moment before turning to face the person calling her name. She mentally went over her list of excuses about why she couldn’t be wherever Claire or Claudia or whoever-it-was wanted her to be, but after the last few days of dodging her friends, the list was running dry. She was starting to toy with the idea of just telling them she didn’t want to go. That would definitely get her kicked out of her group. And out, she realized numbly, was exactly where she wanted to be.

But to her surprise, it wasn’t Claire or Claudia hurrying toward her in the hallway. It was Ebony, concern etched all over her normally cheerful face. Annabelle straightened, her heart skipping a beat at the sight.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, her mouth feeling strangely dry.

“Have you seen Will?” Ebony asked. The usual brightness in Ebony’s voice had been replaced with a heavy, almost urgent tone that scared Annabelle.

Suddenly the reason she hadn’t seen Will for so many days took on a completely different light. Annabelle felt her heart plummet into her stomach. “Not since Monday night. Why? What’s wrong?”

Ebony swore softly. “Will went home on Tuesday, and I guess he and Trevor got into it. Trevor said Will hasn’t been seen since.” Ebony sank back against the locker, looking frustrated and defeated. “And if Will doesn’t want to be found, he won’t be.”

Annabelle’s mind raced. Will had been missing since Tuesday? That was why she hadn’t seen him anywhere? That was why he hadn’t come into her room, even though she’d left her window open despite the sudden turn in weather? Will had been missing all this time, and she hadn’t known about it?

But why would she know? No one knew they were friends. No one would even think to tell her except for Ebony. And Ebony had probably been out trying to find Will.

It was already Friday. Will had been missing for almost four days. He hadn’t come to find her. He hadn’t tried to get in touch with her. He had just vanished.

They needed to find him.

She needed to find him.

“Can you give me a ride home?” Annabelle asked her, slamming her locker shut.

Ebony straightened, her eyes brightening with hope. “You know where he is?”

She thought of all the places Will had shown her. “Not for sure. But maybe.”

Ebony whipped out a pair of car keys. “Let’s go,” she agreed immediately.

They started down the hall, Annabelle turning sharply when a hand grabbed her arm. She tried to yank her arm free, stopping short when she recognized Trevor staring back at her, his eyes wide.

“Annabelle?” he asked, looking between her and Ebony in bewilderment. “What are you doing? What’s going on?”

She couldn’t find it in her to not scowl at him; to hold onto her mask for him. She had seen Trevor every day since Tuesday, and even if she had carefully tried to extract herself from his company every time he approached, he could have mentioned that Will was gone in at least one of their conversations.

“Why didn’t you say Will went missing?” she snapped at him.

Trevor looked startled. “I didn’t think it would matter…”

Annabelle glared at him. “It matters, Trevor. Will matters. To a lot of people. Just like he mattered to your mother. And even if you can’t see it, it’s still true.”

Trevor gaped at her, but she just spun away from him, leading the way down the hallway to the parking lot. She barely felt the rain that pelted down on them as Ebony silently fell into step with her, finally stopping outside of a dark red sedan. Annabelle climbed in, her fear and her anger at Trevor nearly making