Songs for this chapter:
- Leave a Light On - Tom Walker
Chapter Thirty-Two
Tessa
Nate is missing.
I was awoken this morning by two missed calls and a frantic voicemail from Daphne, instead of my alarm. Anderson had messaged the most, as he actually knows that Nate and I do talk. His messages came in groups.
Anderson
Nate's M.I.A.
Have you heard from him?
He hasn't returned home and is meant to drive Ella to school today.
Blurry eyed, I managed to type a reply.
Me
I haven't heard from him since Sunday morning.
How long has he been gone?
Anderson
Since Saturday evening.
In the cafeteria, the four of us are on edge. Nate never showed up to school, either, and it was Anderson who offered Ella a lift, to try and ease some of the tension off of Nate's back when he finally decided to reappear. My worried messages have been left unread, my phone calls sent to voicemail. I leave one just in case, but I doubt it'll be heard.
"Has his dad reported this to the police?" I ask the table, but only Anderson replies.
"He's waiting until after school. Then it'll be roughly forty-eight hours."
"Nate does this all the time, Tessa. Congrats on your first rodeo. That's why Leo hasn't called the police yet. No doubt he'll turn up, cocky and unharmed." Daphne grunts, sliding her uneaten sandwich across the table. But she's still worried, trying to appear like it isn't getting to her.
I'm also trying to act as if I'm not as affected as I am, but I'm not doing very well. I fidget under the table, my hands unable to stay still, and I'm finding it impossible to get into a comfortable position to sit in. When my phone buzzes in my pocket, I rush to it, praying for a message from Nate—or a sign he's alive—but I'm let down to see a notification from Instagram.
"Daphne, come on. He's never been gone this long without a message at least. He wouldn't skip bringing Ella to school, or he'd lose his car." Anderson defends, but with a dismissive shake of her head, Daphne ends the conversation silently.
I bite my nails, a nervous habit I've picked up this morning. The final bell ringing to signal the end of the school day cannot come soon enough.
*+*+*+*+*+*
"Ella, sweetheart, go upstairs for a second." Nate's father gently rubs a soothing hand over Ella's shoulder. She frowns, but as she takes one look around the room at her brother's four friends and her father, she chooses not to argue. She leaves silently, but I have a feeling she'll be eavesdropping.
"Have you called the police?" Daphne asks as soon as Ella is out of earshot. Leo shakes his head, running a hand through his tousled hair. He looks like he has barely slept, up at night wondering when his son is going to walk through the door. He's dishevelled, shirt crinkled, tie loose.
"Leo, can I talk to you for a second?" Anders clears his throat, signalling towards the office.
They leave Daphne, Joey and I alone in Nate's sitting room. Nobody says anything for a while. It's an uncomfortable tension, filled with anxious fidgeting and frustrated sighs.
"He's going to convince Leo to not call the police." Daphne states, and Joey nods.
"Why?" I ask, my voice wobbles. I've barely said anything today, the sound of my voice shocks me a little.
YOU ARE READING
To Love An Addict
Romance'It didn't matter once sobriety kicked him hard enough, when his head is in the clouds, and the sky is almost reachable, soon to be touchable, that I loved him. Only once he's fallen back down, crashed on the cold, hard floor, will it occur to him...
