The Wrong One

“I don’t know what to do anymore.”

“We’ve got to call Zacky.”

“NO!” Bryce yelled.

“Why the fuck not?” Erica fired back.

“What the hell do you think he’s going to say!?” Delia asked.

“He’s going to call the cops, you dipshit,” Bryce yelled at Delia.

“We’ve got to tell him something,” Erica said. “He knows she’s not calling him or anything anymore. He’s got to be worried, Bryce.”

“Fine. We’ll call him and tell him she’s gone. We don’t know where she is or what happened. That’s what we’ll tell him.”

“I can’t lie,” Delia said, obviously distressed.

“Fine, I’ll do it,” Bryce said as a finalization.

_______________________________________________________

It had been two weeks since Sian first got to Huntington, and she’d spent every day with the guys or with Kyle. Within the first week, she’d gotten a lot closer to Brian and he asked her out. That’s where she was currently.

They had gone to some restaurant Brian swore was amazing. She smoothed out her dress as he told her about touring.

She listened intently as he talked, actually interested in what he was saying. He told her about all the wild parties and the time it took to come up with songs. After the conversation, she had a new respect for guys in bands. Her opinion was definitely turned around, and she retracted her statement of musicians not being able to provide for people. She listened as he explained about their records and how they actually got their fame. Judging by the way he talked, it sounded like their band was really going places. Suddenly, she was glad Samantha had found Zacky.

Speaking of the devil, he rushed up to their table at that moment.

“Zacky, what the fuck are you doing here?” Brian asked, looking up.

“I’m sorry guys, but Sian, I need to talk to you. It’s important.”

“Zacky, I’m kind of in the middle of –”

“It’s about Samantha,” Zacky said, his face falling.

Immediately, Sian was worried. She dropped her napkin and stood up. Brian stood up, too, laying a bill on the table. They all three walked out and went back to Zacky’s house.
Going in the front door, Zacky explained how Bryce had text him saying she needed him to call her when he could and that it was about Samantha. Sian read the text message and then pressed the Call button on Zacky’s phone. She put it on speaker and they sat in the kitchen as the phone rang.

“Zacky?”

“Yeah, it’s me.”

“Hey, it’s Bryce. Look, I’ve got something I need to tell you, but I don’t want you to freak out, okay?”

“What is it, Bryce?”

“You promise you’re not going to get mad?”

“I promise.”

“Do you promise not to tell Sian?”

“Hi, Bryce,” Sian said out loud.

“Oh Jesus, is that Sian?!”

“Yes, it is, Bryce. Tell us what happened.”

“Oh, Jesus. Nothing. Nothing happened.”

“Bryce, you’re lying.”

They heard a huge breath being let out and then silence. Sian knew from personal experience Bryce was stalling for time. Bryce and Sam had been friends since middle school and she’d seen this a dozen times when she had something to tell about Sam, but didn’t want to get her in trouble.

“What the hell has she done now, Bryce?” Sian asked as she looked at Zacky. He was biting his nails, staring at the phone.

“She’s gone, Sian.”

“What the fuck do you mean ‘gone’, Bryce?”

“I mean she disappeared. We were going out for the night and then the next morning we woke up and she's gone. She left us a note and her stuff is still here. The only thing missing is her backpack and some of her clothes. We tried her phone and it’s off.”

“How long has she been gone?” Zacky asked.

“…Three days.”

“My sister has been gone for three days and you’re just now deciding to tell someone!?”

“Well, we thought she’d come back that night and then we thought she got lost and so we gave her another day, but she still didn’t come back.”

“Have you called the police!?” Sian said, knowing a panic attack was coming.

“No, we haven’t.”

“Why the fuck not!?” Sian screamed.

“I don’t know, Sian. I’m sorry.. I’m just panicking, really.”

“Well you need to call the cops,” Zacky said.

“I know I do.”

“Then I suggest you hang up with us and fucking call the authorities, Bryce.”

“Sian, we’ll find her. I promise.”

“You better,” Sian said and pressed the red button to end the call.

She covered her face in her hands and leaned against the island.

Zacky sat silently watching Sian. He was worried about Sam, sure, but he knew Sian was about to lose it. She pulled her hands away from her eyes and looked at him. Already, her eyes were red and tears leaked out of them.

He pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her.

“They’ll find her, Sian. They have to,” he said as he stroked her hair. Sian cried all the harder.