Split

"Brad, are you ok?" I ask, finally finding him. It took forever because he went outside and I didn't know it.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he says, obviously not meaning it.

"I know...Tasha wasn't as amazing as you thought...but..."

"It's not just that. I've been dissed by two girls in one week, and that's kind of hard on my self esteem," he says sadly. I can't think of anything to say.

"I mean, I should stop trying." he says, doing something I wouldn't have expected. He started crying. A guy...crying...in front a girl? This is too weird.

"Don't cry Brad, it's okay!"

"No it really isn't."

"I'm sorry."

"I know you are but it really doesn't make me feel better," he says. I give him a friendly hug.

"That on the other hand does make me feel better!" he says laughing. I laugh too. I'm begining to think he might be ok.

"You doing anything after this?" Brad asks.

"Nope."

"Wanna go to the park for a walk?"

"Uh it's dark."

"But it would be nice..."

"Not in the dark...bad things can happen when nobody else is around..."

"Ok, fine...but I'm going to go if you change your mind," he says. I know he likes to sit by the pond in the park and think. It's what he does when he's upset or has something on his mind.

"Alright Brad," I say chuckling. He's so stubborn. Brad and I go our seperate directions, and I'm soon home.

"So...how was the dance?" my sister asks.

"Just fine."

"Did you dance with someone?"

"Nope."

"You're boring!" she says, going to her room. She's SO pretty, and all of the boys in her class like her. I've always been disapointed we couldn't be closer friends, but we're so different it's hard for us to sit in the same room without arguing somehow.

"Did you have a good time dear?" my mom asks me.

"Yeah, the cookies were nice." I say, not getting into details. I'm too tired to explain everything quite yet.

"Good. Well go get some sleep...you have a big day tomorrow!" she says, refering to me volunteering at the local Science Center.

"Ok, good night," I say, going up to my room. I change into my pajamas, and fall asleep very quickly.

***************************************************************************************************

"Hey mom, did I get a call from Brad?" I ask in the morning. Usually he texts me to wake me up on Saturdays because we volunteer at the Science Center together.

"No honey, why don't you call him to make sue he's awake. You have to leave in ten minutes!"

"Ok," I say, dialing his cell phone. I don't get an answer, so I try his home phone.

"Hi, Mrs. Gashwin."

"Hello Kat, what's going on?"

"Is Brad awake yet? I called to make sure."

"I wouldn't know, isn't he with you?"

"Um...no. Didn't he come home last night?"

"No....I thought he went home with you and fell asleep watching a movie or something."

"He isn't here," I say, starting to panic.

"Where is he?" Mrs. Gashwin asks. I can hear the fear in her voice.

"I don't know, but I have an idea."

"Well could you please look for him? He's going to be late," she says

"Okay, I'll let you know when I find him." If I find him.

"Thank you!" she says, hanging up. I put on my sneakers and run out the door. I walk to the park and call out his name.

"BRAD! WHERE ARE YOU?" I scream over and over. In about five minutes, I walk to the pond and find him laying on the ground.

"Brad are you okay?"

"Uh...who's Brad?

"YOU'RE BRAD!"

"Um...I am? Oh, and could you tell me where I am?" he says utterly confused.

"Did you hurt yourself?" I ask concerned

"Um...I don't remember. Who are you?"

"A friend...now let's take you home." I say, dragging him out of the park and back to his house.

"Brad, where have you been?" his mom asks.

"I'm afraid, who are you?" he says.

"What's wrong with him?" she asks.

"I don't know."