Where's Warren?

Morning and noon passed quickly, and the evening began to settle in by the time I woke up again, this time to quietness. I'd become used to it.

Remaining in bed, I reminisced on a time when there was noise ringing through the house, back when my parents were in love, back when they used to say 'I love you' to each other, back when they used to dance around the kitchen. I remembered when they used to look at each other with such love, adoration and devotion in their eyes that I wanted something just like theirs. And I got it, with Warren.

Except, Warren and I's relationship was different. We weren't married or dating and most likely never would and our love actually meant something then just a regular definition of love. We shared something more, something deeper then describable. All I knew was that I knew from the moment Warren and I became best friends, he would forever have my heart. I could have only hoped the same thing happened for him.

People always asked about us, asked how we loved each other or even if we'd get married one day. Those questions were simple to answer: no, we wouldn't get married one day and we loved each other just like any other person loved another. It seemed simple, but that was just the surface. It seemed as though our friendship had many layers, as though we'd never truly only be friends.

We were confusing to others, but one thing was for sure: I was his, and he was mine. Anything else just wasn't acceptable or imaginable. We'd forever be bonded together, even if we'd found love in another. It would have never compared to the love we shared and someway, some unspoken way, I think we both knew that.

I'd like to believe that that was the reason I stayed single all that time—because I'd rather not have given myself a chance to fall for someone only to end up comparing our relationship to Warren and I's. The other person would surely fall short...impossibly short and things would have never been the same between us.

I frowned, unable to figure out how to feel about that. I have an amazing guy friend who will forever own my heart and soul, even though we'll probably never end up together. It didn't sound all Cinderella-like huh? It wasn't and it was frustrating sometimes.

Warren could have—and did—flirt with other girls. He did it so naturally that it made me question whether he and I held the bond I thought we did. I was angry at him a lot of times for doing this, but I didn't know why. I didn't want to be his girlfriend, but he was mine and it just felt like he didn't...respect or remember that.

I knew I sounded silly, whiny even, but it was just how I felt.

Sighing, I turned over and looked at the light shining from the window in my room. The night was slowly approaching, and I was still in bed.

It wasn't like I had a reason to get up.

…except the reason that Warren was missing.

With that thought in my mind, I pulled myself out of bed and downstairs. When I looked in the refrigerator and saw that there was no food at all, except a few bottles of water, half a gallon of milk and some weight lost shakes that my mom liked to sip on every morning. Were they even any good? After checking the date, I pulled the top off of one and began to sip on it.

Two more days, then I’d be free for two. Thursday and Friday, I’d just have to make it through those two days then I’d be free to think and do as I please. Then, I’d be able to maybe get to sit down with Ellen and talk to her, all jokes and poems aside. I wasn’t taking his disappearance seriously and I knew it, but I didn’t know where to start. I didn’t have any recollection of that night at all and Ellen was being no help so what could I do??

After a moment of thinking, I almost face palmed myself. Why hadn’t I thought about the other party-goers before!?! Of course it wasn’t like they were banging down my door to help but maybe they could tell me something that would help.

I went to my bathroom for a quick 5 minute shower. Afterwards, I threw some make up on the bags under my eyes and my cheeks for some color and pulled on some clothes and was out the house, heading towards the police station.

It took me almost 30 minutes to pry my cell phone from the police, but after they copied the video and some of my messages to a computer, they allowed me to take it. So far, they had nothing on Warren’s whereabouts and I was just giving up hope of them ever finding them. It was like they weren’t even trying.

With my cell phone in possession, I dialed a number I hadn’t used in literally months. Hallie Main picked up right before I was sent to voicemail.

“Hey,” I murmured into the phone, pushing my blond hair behind my ear.

“Daisy? Um, hey. What’s up?” She tried to sound casual, but her voice showed her confusion.

“Not much, I was just wondering if...you wanted to hang out? Or something, I don’t know...”

“Hang out? Really?” Her voice rose.

“Yea,” I cracked a smile. “I need to talk to you.”

“About...?”

I hesitated in telling her, hoping she wouldn’t turn me down. “...The party.”

“Oh.” Now she sounded disappointed and I could almost imagine her pink lips turning down into a frown, shoulders slumping. I’d seen her do this on more than one occasion when we were working on our project together a few months ago.

“Yea, can we meet up?”

“Coffee shop, 10 minutes. Be there?”

“Yea, th-“I wasn’t about to finish my sentence before she hung up. I frowned at the phone but quickly headed towards the coffee shop.



“Let’s get this over with,” Hallie dropped into the booth, removing her sunglasses and shaking out her blue stripped blond hair. Her green eyes stared at me, waiting.

“How’ve you been Hallie?” I grinned slightly, my hands moving to cup my mug of coffee.

“Fine,” She narrowed her eyes at me slightly, one arm moving to rest on the table. “Now can we cut the crap? I know you don’t care about me.”

Ouch Sitting up in my seat, I looked at the girl. “Of course I care about you, I’ve just been occupied.”

“You know I’m a pretty loving person, right Daisy?” She waited until I nodded until she spoke again. “Well one thing I don’t like is liars. Stop lying to me Daisy and just admit that you only wanted to talk to me because I might know something about Warren.”
I sighed, slouching in my seat again. “It’s not that I don’t care about you, it’s just that...”

“Warren’s more important.” She finished for me, nodding her head.

“No! Well....not more important just...”

“More significant than me.”

“No! He just means more to...ughhh just forget it! I just need to find him.”

Hallie looked amused and upset at the same time, a slight chuckle passing through her lips. “Okay okay, I’ll spare you the stress.”

I muttered ‘thanks’ even though I didn’t want to talk to her anymore. She seemed so sweet before she knew what our meeting was about, why did Warren really have such a negative effect on her?

“I saw you two walk into together and said my hello, even though Warren steered you to a secluded corner almost as soon as I made my way over. Vintage Warren, always so possessive over his little Daisy.”

“Wha-? No, Warren’s never possessive towards me.”

Hallie laughed. “You’re so blind Daisy. Everyone can see how he circles you like you’re the Bella to his Edward or the Katniss to his Peeta or-“

“Okay, enough Hallie.” I spat her name, my mood darkening with every pun of hers. I didn’t need anyone else telling me that I’d shut myself off from the world and focused on Warren, I knew it and it was quite pathetic, actually. Maybe if we’d been more open to other friends, people would actually care that he was missing.

“I’m sorry,” She shook her head, her laughter dying down. “It true though! Anyway, I went off to talk to other. About an hour later, you were stumbling around like a lost puppy asking where Warren was. You came right over to me and just about collapsed into my arms, asking if I knew where he was. I said no and she just walked off like nothing happened. He came back inside the house about 10 minutes later and that was your first public display of affection.”

My mouth dried, and I forced some coffee down before clearing my throat and talking. “Public display of affection?”

“You jumped on him and kissed him, begging him to not leave you. He didn’t seem to mind one bit and actually kissed you back, looking around like he wanted to make sure people saw what you did. I think he liked that you did it to him and not the other way around.”I heard her mutter something to herself. “He carried you off to somewhere and I didn’t see you for about 2 hours. There was talk of you two being upstairs, doing you-know-what.” Hallie winked.

“Sex? Everyone thought we were having...sex?”I asked, my voice lowered to not attract attention.

“Ohh yea, people said they heard you say his name-more like yell his name-when they walked past a guest room. But, you know, those are just rumors.” Hallie said before adding, “I don’t believe them, but...you know how teens are.”

I nodded before taking a deep breath and tilting the mug to my mouth, almost gulping down my coffee. I didn’t know how to feel about my possible hook up with Warren. Of course, we shared something that could result in a hook up, but I didn’t know if it was even appealing to me. The fluttering in my stomach didn’t help me distinguish whether I liked the idea or was against it but I did know was that this put me a step closer, even if it was a baby step.

“Anything else?” I asked once the mug was empty and my nerves settled down, replaced with slight jitters from the caffeine.
“After those 2 hours, you and Warren left and came back after some time. Then you left again with Ellen and some girl no one had ever seen before. She was really pretty though, so no one cared that she didn't go to the school. That’s all I remember.”

“Some girl? What’d she look like?”

“She wasn't from around here, but Warren looked like he knew her. She had brown hair and was really tanned. No—she was black. Yea, she was black. They hugged and you all left. I don’t know who came back and who didn't so I can’t really help you with that but hey, some info is better than none right?” Hallie sat back in the booth, and for the first time, I noticed she didn't have anything to eat or drink.

“Right,” I nodded and smiled at her. I liked Hallie, I really did. Even though she irritated me with her puns, she was a cool girl. “Maybe we could hang out another time.”

“Maybe,” She slid on her shades and stood from the booth. “Call me if something comes up?”

I nodded. “Yea, of course. Thanks, Hallie.”

“Don’t mention it.” She turned to go, but stalled. “Daisy?”

“Yea?”

“You should talk to Ellen and try to find out who that girl is. If anyone remembers, Ellen does.”

Nodding once more, I looked down to pull a 5 dollar bill from my pocket. When I set it on the table, Hallie turned to face me and looked me right in the eye.

“Be careful when dealing with her, she may play stupid but she’s actually...crazy smart and...”Hallie shook her head, frowning. “Nevermind. Just be careful, okay?”

“I will.”

She nodded once and left without another word.