Seize the Day

Johnny wrapped his arms around Lacey, but she was looking around frantically. Cady had been gone longer than she should have been, and now she was worried. Jimmy checked his phone one more time before laying down on a bench and closing his eyes. Lacey sighed, not happy that Cady was gone.

"Lace, I'm sure she's just talking with her instructor," Johnny said. "She said she might have a little trouble."

"Yeah, but even with that, she still should be back by now," Lacey replied. She wrung her hands together and said, "She's pretty good at pursuading people."

Zacky chuckled, "I can see why."

Lacey shot him a look, and Matt caught him in a headlock. Lacey rolled her eyes and turned back as the two began to wrestle around. Brian came up beside her and slid his arm around her waist. She looked up at him, and Johnny smacked the back of his head.

"Ow, what was that for?" said Brian.

"Stop touching my girlfriend, you manwhore," Johnny said.

"Stop calling me manwhore, you shrimp," Brian laughed.

"Why don't you shove it up your asshole?"

"You'd like that, wouldn't you Shrimpy?"

Lacey looked off into the distance, seeing a girl with flaming red hair running toward her as fast as she could. It had to be Emma, the only girl she knew with hair that red. She stepped away from Brian and Johnny who continued to slam each other, and she squinted to make sure she was right- and she was.

"Emma?" she said.

"Lacey! Oh, Lacey! Thank god I found you!" she shouted, coming to a halt in front of Lacey. "I've been looking everywhere..."

"Emma, what's wrong?"

"I think- I think- I saw Cady," she breathed. "She was by the pond, running toward one of the ducks screaming something about a stallion duck."

Jimmy sat up immediately. "What? Where?" he said. He stood up and made his was to Lacey and Emma. "Did you say stallion duck?"

"Yeah, I don't know why though," Emma replied. "Anyway, she was stopped by these two guys, and one of them looked like..." She looked dead into Lacey's eyes. "You know..."

"Ah, shit!" Lacey said. "I knew it...goddammit..."

"The other guy was all over her, and I didn't know what to do so I came and found you as fast as I could."

"Ben..."

"I'm sorry! I should have stopped them. I don't know, I just...I just..." Emma slumped down and began to cry.

Brian noticed this immediately, and he sat down next to her and put his arm around her. "It's okay. You found us."

Lacey rolled her eyes and said, "How long ago was this?"

"I don't know," said Emma. "Maybe thirty- forty minutes ago?"

"Shit! Come on guys, we gotta go." Lacey pulled on Brian's arm, and she took Johnny's hand. "Thank you so much, Emma. You have no idea."

Emma nodded and sat down on the bench where Jimmy had been. Zacky and Matt noticed everyone leaving, and they stood up. The five guys all follwed Lacey away from the stadium, and they heard the band strike up another song. Halftime. Johnny tugged on her hand, and she looked back at him momentarily.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"First, to Ben and Brandon's dorm," Lacey replied. "Then...I don't know."

Matt flexed his arms and said, "Well, as long as you don't have a plan- I've got one of my own."

"That's all good and well, Matty," Lacey said, "but we don't even know if they have her."

But I'm pretty sure they do, she thought to herself.

"I wouldn't mind punching that Ben kid in the face a couple more times," Jimmy said. "Even if he doesn't have her. He's a twirp."

"Count me in," Zacky mumbled.

Lacey sighed. They hadn't even confirmed where Cady was, and already the guys were wanting to beat up her kidnappers.

That could be a good thing.

Or it could be very bad...