Tyra's POV

*Smack*

A pillow very promptly smashes on my face, making me almost stumble back.

"What the hell Violet?" I ask in an annoyed voice as I make myself comfortable again on her bed as currently me and Hope were over for a sleepover at Violet's House.

"Well what the hell were you thinking, drinking a bottle of Vodka yesterday?" Violet huffs back at me with concern in eyes which were stark contrast to the annoyance on her face.

"We already went over this didn't we, I wasn't thinking" I try to defend myself.

"What is done, tell me how it tastes?" Hope excitedly asks me. She was even more surprised than the rest to hear that last night's drinking was at my own accord and no evil plan of Veronica's, which kind of miffed Violet a little more than anything else.

"Rough?" I weakly provide, not wanting to incur the wrath of the older brother Austen making alcohol seem something enticing to his younger sister.

He was an extra bit annoyed at your careless drinking too, my subconscious slyly supplies.

Annoyed as in having to take care of me or annoyed as he cared...

"I don't get why everyone is mad at you tho? They all have been mad drunk at some point." Hope voices her thoughts which break me from my chain of thinking.

Another smack of a pillow is heard but this time it's Hope's face. Yay! Not me!

"You do not get mad drunk without having someone to look after you, hell we didn't even know you were going to be at the party, what if.." Violet continues her rant while I zone her out.

Obviously you didn't know, you didn't even invite me, I think snarkily.

"Tyra, we didn't do that on purpose you know that right?" Violet's replies.

"Did I say it out loud?" I ask Hope and she sheepishly nods her head. I look over at Violet and see disappointment on her face.

With quivering lips, I speak out the words running through my mind this past month, "Well it did seem like that, plus ever since the school has started it seems like you have distanced too..." I stop being unable to continue as I lay the most vulnerable truth.

I try to turn away to hide away, my instinct response, but Violet stops me and pulls me in a hug.

" I am so sorry" Violet sniffles, causing worry to flare up within me. Were my doubts turning into reality?

"I won't deny, I have been distant," she pauses and my heart skips a beat. Ouch.

The hurt must be evident on my face as she hurriedly continues, "It's not what you are thinking Tyra, it was me not you." She tries to salvage the situation but my internal negative thoughts have taken over.

Break up speech?, my subconscious chips in.

Unknown to my internal turmoil, Violet continues, " Ever since Annabella and you became friends, I just felt not enough." she concludes and finally looks at me.

The queen bee of Everthrone was feeling insecure?

My face must show evidence of my confusion as she further continues, "I have never had a meaningful friendship with another girl, it had always been girls trying to befriend me to get to the guys," my eyes inadvertently flick to Hope and she too seemed at loss at word. Seeing both of them turn blurry makes me realize that my eyes are watering too.

"Not that the friendship with the guys was anything less or not enough, except being friends with you felt complete and a whole new level of different. And with Annabella in the scene, who was so much like you, made me feel like I was gonna lose you" she adds on.

"Why would you think like that? Just like you said, each friendship is unique." I quickly reply back, all of my worries now far away. I quickly grab Violet and Hope into a hug and an unknown relief flows through me.

"God I feel so foolish now" Violet chuckles, getting away from the hug and wiping her face from remaining tear tracks.

"Well less than me, I just made a fool of myself in front of everyone" I say embarrassed.

"Not everyone, I wasn't there!" Hope whines.

"Darling, the camera exists for a reason.." Violet trails off mysteriously and goes to grab her phone.

There was proof of my stupidity? Oh god, make me disappear already..

"Did you delete it?" I cross my fingers and hope it's true.

"Why would you wish to delete something so good?" Violet asks quizzingly while my face depicts the horror I am feeling. Without giving me a chance to refute her claim she continued, "So by the way..."

Judging by her tone I knew she was going to send me into some more shock, "What's going on between you and Wren?" she completes.

That's it? Phew I breathe a sigh of relief.

"Nothing" I reply honestly.

"Why not? He is on the football team and Ryan says he is a solid guy" Violet pushes further.

Yeah but sadly he is not the guy that makes my heart beat faster, I quietly think.

"Yeah why are you not dating anyone?" Hope continues the interrogation and I fumble to think of a reply other than - I want your brother.

"Oh no" Violet exclaims while I self pity and save me from giving any reply.

"It's Austen.." she trials off without completing that sentence but the worry in her tone and that one word is enough to make my body go on high alert.

"Did dad and him fight again?" Hope asks and Violet somberly nods. This immediately deflates her and she goes to call someone on her phone.

Would someone update me as well? I whine in my head to not make a big deal about not being in loop.

Violet just said you are an important part of their friend's group, you have every right to ask, my subconscious rallies me.

Dreadingly listening to her I ask Violet, "What happened?"

"You remember how I told you about fights between Austen and his father regarding his future," she starts and I actively nod recollecting our conversation after the end of summer party, "well they had another major argument today and.."

"And what Violet?" I cut her mid sentence, my mind already jumping to terrible confusions.

"He left the house in rage and nobody could find him." Violet replies.

"You know he can take care of himself right?" I say to try to reassure her.

More like trying to reassure yourself, my subconscious taunts back.

"It's just that..." Violet goes to explain but stops as Hope re enters the room.

"Mom is very worried, he is not picking up her calls too" she urges while frantically packing her things away.

"Have they checked at Maggie's?" I ask, thinking back to the cliff behind the vintage cafe while packing my stuff as well.

"Yeah Ryan called, Maggie said that the cafe is closed" Violet answers back.

But the cliff isn't part of the cafe, you cannot close it is all I can think over as Violet drives us home.

And obviously Maggie is keeping the secret for Austen, my subconscious concludes.

"How about.."

"Oh no! You are not going anywhere, we do not need another person missing or lost" Violet crushes my idea before even hearing about it.

"Yeah Tyra, we already have a system in place, Tristan with Hunter and Ryan with Violet go to search while Hayden coordinates with them." Hope recited to me their routine, which makes me wonder, how frequently does this happen?

"If you want you can help Hayden.." Violet tries to include me but my mind is already formulating a plan of its own.

"I don't want to be in the back seat driving anyone. You already have a perfect system in place, but please let me know if you need anything" I say earnestly.

As Violet and Hope wave me goodbye after dropping me at my place. Once they are out of sight, I immediately go to the garage and get in my car, with all hopes on my gut instinct. 

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Author's Note - What do you think will happen next? And what's the secret about Austen that Violet was about to reveal?

Do comment, vote and share.