Page 10 of Savage Valentine

Liv: No, honestly when was the last time we saw her?

Me: Fuck, I don’t know… I don’t remember seeing her at all at Manhunt last night.

Liv: Me either…

Me: Are you busy? Wanna meet me here and then maybe we can go look for her? I’ll get a damn search party if we need to.

Liv: Yeah, I’ll head over. I could use the distraction. Today is not my day.

Me: ?? We can talk about it while we search if you want.

Liv: Sure, I’ll give you the tea.

Closing the text thread, I walk out of Zova’s room and down to mine. I need to change clothes and find my jacket if we’re going to go searching out in the cold. That’s one thing I hate about Colorado. It’s always so fucking cold and snowing. Texas weather was crazy, but it was never like this.I need the warm summer sun back.

Grabbing my fleece lined pants from my drawer, I step into them and do that crazy jump motion all girls with thick thighs have to do in order to get their pants over their hips. I reached into my closet and pulled out my favorite 'I hate everyone' sweatshirt, graced with a centrally placed skeleton giving the middle finger. Weekends are the only time we really get to wear our regular clothes and I live for it. Skirts and button downs aren’t my thing. But it’s mandatory. Just as I sit on my bedto lace up my black Converse shoes, my bedroom door swings open and in walks Liv, looking… mad? Irritated? All of the above?Jesus, what kinda tea does she have? Doesn’t look good whatever it is.She huffs, rolls her eyes and flings herself on to the bed. A little over dramatically, if I might add.

“You good babe?” I ask, throwing myself down beside her and she lets out a loud chuckle.

“Meh, it’s been better. Let's go look for our bestie and talk about the shit show of a morning I’ve had.” She says with a huff, pulling herself up from the bed. Rolling off with her, I walk to the bathroom and throw my hair into a quick braid, sliding my black beanie over my head.

“I’m ready to endure the cold and snow. Let’s go babe.” I say with a grin, walking out of the bathroom.

Taking the stairs two at a time until we're at the bottom, I walk around the corner and look at everyone going about their day.

“Have any of you seen Zova come or go?” I ask no one in particular. A round of ‘no’s’ comes back, figuring that already, I nod my head towards Liv and we walk out the front door.

“Where the hell do you think she could even be?” I ask, turning to look at her as we head over the long creepy bridge. Day or night, it doesn’t matter,it's creepy. Sometimes, I swear you can hear women screaming and that alone makes the walk across even more sketchy. Looking forward again, I rattle my brain to think of where she could be.Maybe we can ask Ezran too?

“I don’t know. Let’s start at the sports center? She was at the game yesterday.” She replies, linking her arm through mine and looking around. Almost like she expects someone to jump out at her.Interesting, I’ve never seen her like this.

“Hey, are you good? You just seem checked out or something? I don’t know, I can feel your vibe change.” Iquestion, she stops us mid step and turns me to look at her. Her expression is full of so many things.

“Nope, I’m not okay. Me and Hayes were having such a great time and I was finally fucking happy. Then we go to leave campus to go to town and BOOM, my blast from the fucking past blows in. My boyfriend from back home is standing at the wooden doors.”

“Wait! What? I didn’t even know you had a boyfriend. Jesus.” I reply back. Absolutely floored by that admission. What boyfriend? And why has she never mentioned him?

“Ugh. I don’t even know where to start. Let's put a lid on this conversation and come back to it. We have got to find Zova.” She says just as we walk to the front of the sports center.

Walking in, we split up, I take the bleachers to look for any sign and Liv takes the locker rooms. Meeting back by the doors after we’re done, we both look at each other and shake our heads.

“I didn’t even find her phone or anything. Maybe let's try the parking lot? I don’t know where she would be.” I say as we walk out of the sports center and make the trek to the parking lot. Looking everywhere in between. You wouldn’t think it, but it’s a whole walk to get anywhere on the campus. And considering the hockey rinks are on the opposite side of the parking lot, we are definitely making some rounds.

Almost to the parking lot, my phone pings. Pulling it from my pocket and looking, I see a text from Parker.

Parker: Hey, you busy? I really need you right now. I just found some shit out and could really use you of all people to lean on.

Me: Can you give me a few? Me and Liv are trying to do something. I’m sorry I can't be there for you right this second.

Parker: It’s cool. I guess. What are you two doing anyways?

Me: We're looking for Zova. We haven’t seen or heard from her since yesterday at the game.

Liv gasps, causing me to look up. I feel my phone vibrate again but I slide it back in my pocket without reading his reply. She holds her phone up to her ear, calling someone. The phone she just picked up from the blacktop of the parking lot, lighting up with a call. Looking over at me, she puts her phone on speaker and shows me the name.

“What the fuck? Her phone is here, but she’s not? Surely it’s got nothing to do with the weird shit that goes on at the school, right? People dying or disappearing for no reason?” I question, my voice cracking from my emotions rising. She looks at me with a shocked look on her face, which probably matches mine.

“Okay! How about we go look at the cameras? We can check the ones from the sports center and maybe see what the hell happened. Because, with her phone laying here like this, makes it seem more like she was taken versus just disappearing. Right?” Liv looks over to me like I can answer all her questions, fear etched on her face.

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