CH. 51
Andrianne paced back and forth in the living room, her eyes glued to the clock on the wall. It was already past 11p. m, and Lucas was nowhere in sight. She bit her lower lip nervously, wondering where he could be. Lucas had never stayed out this late before without letting her know. She tried calling his phone, but it went straight to voicemail.
Her mind began to race, imagining all sorts of scenarios. Maybe he had gotten into an accident, or worse. She tried to calm herself down, telling herself that he was a responsible adult who could take care of himself. But the anxiety continued to gnaw at her.
As the minutes turned into hours, Andrianne’s worry turned to agitation. She began pacing more erratically, biting her nails and fidgeting with her hair. She wondered if he was with Emily, his girlfriend. A pang of jealousy shot through her, but she pushed it aside, reminding herself that they were not together anymore.
She tried calling him again, but still no answer. Andrianne decided to go to bed, but sleep eluded her. She tossed and turned, her mind racing with possibilities. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.
Andrianne’s eyes were heavy as she struggled to keep them open. She was exhausted and drained from the anxiety and fear that had taken over her. She had been waiting for Lucas for hours, hoping he would come back home safe and sound. But as the minutes ticked by, her worry grew deeper and more persistent.
Finally, the exhaustion won over her and she drifted off to sleep. She woke up the next morning, still sitting in the same chair she had fallen asleep in. The sun was up, streaming through the windows and casting a warm glow on the room. Andrianne rubbed her eyes, trying to shake off the grogginess.
But as she sat up and looked around, the realization hit her once again. Lucas still wasn’t home. Panic washed over her in waves as she fumbled for her phone, almost dropping it in her haste. She dialed Jackie’s number, hoping for some comfort and support.
“Hey, Andrianne,” Jackie’s voice came through on the other end. “What’s going on? Is everything okay?”
Andrianne’s voice shook as she explained the situation to her friend. “Lucas hasn’t come home all night,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’m so scared, Jackie.”
Jackie didn’t waste any time. “I’m on my way,” she said. “Just hang tight, okay? I’ll be there soon.”
Andrianne hung up, feeling a small sense of relief knowing that her friend was coming. She paced back and forth in the living room, trying to think of what could have happened to Lucas. Her mind ran wild with all the possibilities – a car accident, a mugging, or worse.
When Jackie finally arrived, Andrianne flung open the door and practically jumped into her arms. “I don’t know what to do,” she said, tears streaming down her face. “I’m so scared.”
Jackie held her tight, trying to calm her down. “Let’s figure this out,” she said. “Have you tried calling him? Or the office?”
Andrianne nodded, feeling a glimmer of hope. “I’ve been calling his phone all night,” she said. “But it goes straight to voicemail. And I called the office, but they said he wasn’t there.”
Jackie’s face hardened. “Okay,” she said, taking charge. “Let’s call the police. Something’s not right here.”
Andrianne nodded, feeling grateful for her friend’s practicality. Together, they made the call and waited for the authorities to arrive. But as they waited, Andrianne couldn’t shake off the feeling of dread that had settled in her heart. Something was wrong. She just knew it.
Andrianne’s phone rang, breaking the tense silence in the room. She quickly answered it, hoping it was Lucas. “Hello?” she said, her voice trembling.
“Ms. Andrianne, I see that the police are on their way to your house. I advise you not to involve them if you want to see Mr. Lucas again,” the unfamiliar voice on the other end of the line said.
Andrianne’s heart skipped a beat. “Who is this?” she asked, trying to steady her voice.
“That’s not important. What is important is that you listen to me. If you involve the police, you’ll never see Lucas again. Do you understand?”
Andrianne felt a lump form in her throat. She didn’t know what to do. She wanted to scream and cry, but she knew that wouldn’t help. She took a deep breath and tried to remain calm. “What do you want?” she asked, her voice shaking.
“That’s none of your concern. Just know that Lucas is safe for now. But if you involve the police, you’ll never see him again.”
Andrianne’s mind was racing. Who was this person? What did they want? And most importantly, where was Lucas? She knew she couldn’t risk losing him, but she also couldn’t just sit back and do nothing.
“Please, just tell me where he is. I won’t involve the police, I promise,” she said, her voice pleading.
“I’m afraid I can’t do that. You’ll just have to wait for further instructions. And remember, don’t involve the police.”
And with that, the line went dead. Andrianne was left feeling more confused and scared than ever before. She didn’t know what to do, but she knew she had to keep her promise to the unknown caller. She couldn’t risk losing Lucas forever.