Page 142 of The Art of Us by Symone

“Brandon, we don’t know for sure if—”

“It is her,” I clip. My stomach feels bottomless. My body is shaking with fear for Kayla. “That psycho bitch has my girlfriend, and I have no idea where.”

“The police are on their way,” Dad repeats, patting the air like he’s trying to calm us down, even himself. “They’ll find her.”

“It might be too late then. We’ve already lost time.” I pivot and speed-walk to my car with determination.

“Brandon!” Dad yells. “Where are you going?”

“To look for Kayla. I’ll comb the entire state and country until I find her.”

“I’ll go with you,” Britney declares.

She gets into the car before I refute.

Dad watches us at a loss as I speed from the property, passing Mom along the way. She looks buzzed and oblivious.

The second I turn onto the main road, Britney asks, “Where could she have taken Kayla? She left a fricking muffin. Is that supposed to signify the bakery?”

“It’s a confirmation,” I retort. “Annalise would bring me blueberry muffins her mom made. Ugh.” I slam my hands on the steering wheel. “Every fucking thing that sicko did had a dirty motive behind it.”

“Try to calm down, Bran,” Britney implores. “Think.”

My head throbs from rummaging for ideas, and from being struck with God knows what.

Come find your little artist.

The note Annalise left at the guest house plays over and over in my mind until it hits me. “School. The art room. It has to be.”

“Oh my gosh,” Britney gasps. “What’s she going to do to Kayla?”

“I can’t think about that. I have to get to her.” I press on the gas and race in the direction of the academy.

The tires screech as I pull up at the gates soon after. I don’t even know how Annalise got inside with them locked, or how she restrained Kayla.

Someone must have seen them.

Unless...

“Stay here. Call the police.” I jump out of the car.

Britney gets out. “Bran, maybe we should—”

“We can’t wait. Annalise wants to teach me a lesson. Maybe I can talk her down from hurting Kayla.”

I dash alongside the academy walls and swerve around to the back where it’s just a fence. As I suspected, the back gate is open.

Quickening inside, I run by the football field, desperate to save Kayla.

I’m about to head into the building when a flicker of light catches my attention from the trees.

I break my speed, noticing the light again. It’s coming from the old tower.

“Shit!”

I bolt in that direction, ragged breaths spilling from me as I cut through the dark trees.

Nearing the entrance of the eerie tower, I slow down and try to quiet my movements, so as not to provoke Annalise.

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