Page 4 of Pucking Secret

Owen isn’t at school the next day. No one can say for sure why he’s missing. Even his friend Carson, Grace’s brother, is totally clueless when I ask him.

“Sorry, Stace,” he tells me. “He’s not returning my texts.”

I feel nauseous all day, but it isn’t because of morning sickness. Rumors are already spreading about where Owen could be. Some people say that he’s gone to Canada to play hockey, but that couldn’t be true. Why would his mom just up and move them overnight like that? It doesn’t make any sense.

At the end of the day, when the final bell rings, I head straight out of the school building and run toward my old Nissan, intent on driving to his house and getting some answers.

“Stacey! Hold on!” I stop, and turn to find Grace chasing after me. She reaches me and grabs my hand. “Where are you going? To Owen’s?”

“Yeah. I have to talk to him today. He hasn’t called or texted me, and I’m actually getting a little worried.”

Grace nibbles her bottom lip nervously before saying, “Have you heard what people are saying? That he moved?”

“That can’t be true. Maybe he’s sick or something. He wouldn’t just leave like this. He wouldn’t leave me.”

Grace doesn’t appear convinced, but she nods. “Okay, just be careful. Do you want me to come with you?”

“No, I’ll go by myself. Thanks, though.”

She squeezes my hand, lets go, and steps back. I jump into my car, then zoom out of the parking lot and across town to Owen’s house. My fingers squeeze the steering wheel so tight that my knuckles are white. A feeling of dread is building up deep in my belly. Something feels wrong about his absence.

I just need to see him. Once I see him, everything will be okay. We’ll figure out this baby thing together, and I won’t have to deal with this all by myself.

Owen will be by my side. He has always promised to stay with me no matter what. There’s no way he was lying about that.

When I reach his house, I park next to the curb and hop out to rush up to the front door. Hitting the doorbell, I wait, listening for someone to approach from inside.

I’m met with silence.

Heart pounding, I hit the doorbell again. When there’s still no answer, I raise my fist and start pounding on the door.

“Hello?” I call out. “Owen? It’s Stacey! I need to talk to you. Please let me in!”

Still, there’s no response.

Panic sets in, twisting my stomach and making me feel sick. I dart around the house, looking into the windows, but it’s dark inside. There’s furniture, but I can see that all the pictures are missing from the walls. It’s like every personal touch within the house has been removed.

I make it to the backyard and the detached garage. There are no vehicles to be found.

No. No, no, no, no. This can’t be happening. There’s got to be an explanation!

Running up to the back door, I pound on it as tears start to stream down my cheeks.

“Owen!” I scream. “Owen! Please! Answer the door!”

But he doesn’t answer. The house remains silent and still. Totally empty.

Owen is gone.

CHAPTER TWO: THE FALLOUT

STACEY

When I pull backinto the driveway of my house, I can’t force myself to get out of the car. My cheeks are still wet with tears, but I’m not crying anymore. I don’t think I physically can. I’m too exhausted and heartbroken. I turn the engine off and just sit there, staring ahead at the closed garage door. I don’t know what to do now. Owen’s gone. I’m pregnant.

How did everything go so wrong so fast?

Finally, I open the car door and get out. It feels like I’m walking through a thick haze as I make my way up the porch to the front door. The world around me seems to have lost some of its color. Its vibrancy. Everything seems dull and lifeless, a reflection of what I’m feeling right now. My own house no longer feels safe.

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