Hey guys. Tomorrow's my birthday. Do a girl a favor and vote. Kisses from your favourite missus

After school, I make my way to the ice cream shop. It's a mixture of pink, green and yellow colors. designs, swirls and strokes line the walls.
The whole place has a cloyingly sweet smell that makes me want to abandon all rational thought and eat up the entire building.

I walk over to the counter, a dark haired boy with baby blue eyes stands with a welcoming smile, in a green t -shirt.

"Welcome to daisy's ice cream
Where our ice cream tastes like happiness wrapped in daisy's"

I smile a huge smile, almost forgetting why I'm here in the first place, the place is just so distracting.

I quickly scan the ice cream shop, the place is cramped with families, highschool students and some teachers too, two other waitresses, none of which are blonde.

"Hello"
I say cheerily.

"I'm here to see Veronica Hastings, she works here? "
I ask more than state.

His ace displays a myriad of emotions in a split second.

"Sorry, Vee's been missing for two days now  hasn't come to work, hasn't been to her house, she's kept a great record too and now, nobody knows what happened and the police are still 'looking into it'. "
He says, sounding forlorn.

I gasp.
"That's horrible"

"Yeah... You a friend of hers? "

I stare blankly... I hadn't thought this through.

"Uh.. Yes, an old friend, I just came to visit and they said I could find her here"
I lie.

"Huh... Really sorry then, maybe I'll give you her address and you can check on her folks anytime? "

Seriously? That easy? Oh, Bless the gods of ice cream!.

"Yes! "
I say, a little too enthusiastically, making him look at me weirdly.

"Um.. I mean, yes please. That would be great of you. "

He nods and writes down an address on a piece of paper.

I fold it quickly, grab his hands and squeeze.
"Thank you"

His answering smile is enough to send me on my way.

Since I'm not able to drive and I don't own a car, the walk to the address is long and tiring, not to mention the fact that I get lost, repeatedly, once running into a dog who very much thought I was lunch, don't ask me how I convinced him I was not.

I place a firm knock on the door, steeling myself into the role of long lost friend.

The door is opened by a brown haired woman with tired blue eyes, with wrinkles lining them and her lips turned downward. She has nothing but a huge shirt on and she smells like Tessa after a party.

"Good morning Mrs H"
I say, my voice bubbly and excited.

"I'm Tessa, veronica's friend, I've heard so much about you, you're actually prettier in person."
I gush, making a small smile appear on her lips.

"Oh, come I'm my dear, you shouldn't be out alone these days, strange things are happening in this town."

Thirty minutes later, I've heard the same story the waiter told me, eaten all of Mrs H's cookies and drank a huge cup of tea, and I'm no where near finding anything useful about Veronica Hastings, other than the fact that she loved puppies, she was an only child and she was crazy about the environment. Nothing useful. I decide to try a different approach.

"Can you maybe give me a list of all her favorite places in town? Maybe I can help search? "

"Oh, yes of course... That would be wonderful..... I thought you were her friend? Shouldn't you know? "

Uh-oh.

"Um... I'm her online friend. I live in the next town so we don't really see that often"
I lie.

She, apparently dosent notice my awful lying and just nods.

After saying goodbye and promising to do my best to help find her daughter, I'm walking down the street with a short list of the places Veronica liked to frequent.

The library
The park
The ice cream shop
The John's house

The John's? Who?

I'm interrupted from my no success in finding Ronica by a voice I would know anywhere.

"Careful there detective"
He said, a hint of laughter in his voice.

I turned quickly, I didn't hear him walk up . Detective? Does he? Does he know?

"Um. I am not working on anything or investigating anything."

Another stupid small laugh.

"Calm down tiger, I was kidding. What are you doing here anyway? "

Whew! He dosent know.

"Nothing. I'm just walking"

"Just walking? You know there's some sicko out there going after beautiful blonde girls with green eyes, you happen to fit into every criteria"
He said, a small frown on his face

I blush a little. He called me beautiful?

"I'm fine, aren't you supposed to be with Shelly? Where did you both leave to the other day? "
I say, trying to sound as disinterested as possible but probably coming out as desperate as Mr Grey when he's in need of a smoke.

I smile at that memory,.... Mr grey. My uncle, my friend, my brother. Now a possible murderer?

Was this even true?  That he would be after my life, would be killing so many people, be playing these games?

The Mr grey I know is kind and loves me very much, even thouh we are both crazy, I do not say this in any other way other than us being medically certified crazy, he would not kill anybody, right?
What did I know about him anyway? Other than the fact that he had a daughter out there somewhere before he was admitted.

Nothing really. He could be anyone.
My face must have shown my depressing line of thoughts because Nickolas shook me.

"You okay? "

I nod.
"Yes, I am fine. You didn't answer my question."
I prompt.

He rubs the back of his neck.

"We went over to her place"

"Her house? Why?"

"Uh... Homework? "

"Oh"
I start to walk, not really knowing how to continue the conversation.

"That's...... Nice?"

"Uh.. Yeah. Lemme walk you home."

I frown.

"There's no need, I'm fine"

"You think I'm gonna let you walk home alone with a serial killer on the loose? Tessa would have my balls."

So this was because of Tessa. Okay.

"I don't know why Tessa would be so upset as to steal your balls, but aren't they really cheap? Samuel leaves his lying around on the floor, always breaking stuff with it, aunt Layla smashed it once, right in front of him, he got another one though so.... You have nothing to worry about."

By the time I'm done, he's staring at me wide eyed.

"Uh.... Is Samuel okay? "

"Yes, why wouldn't he be, it was just one ball. Good riddance if you ask me, should've burnt it up, nasty little thing."
Nicholas's hands form a protective curve on his jean zipper, just below his waist I shrug, continuing to walk.

"What kind of balls are you talking about? "
He asks, apprehensive.

"Footballs"
I say like its the smartest thing in the world and he bursts out laughing. I frown at him before slowing feeling a smile coming onto my lips. I don't know why he's laughing but that's the thing about Nicholas, he doesn't have to do much to make me happy.

"You're one hell of a girl, mitchie."
He says and I let him steer me away, momentarily forgetting about the girl who's life is depending on me and angering a man that should never be angry.

We're almost at the house when my phone rings.

No caller ID!.  I can't let  Nickolas know.

I walk away a bit, excusing myself to answer the call..

"The clock is ticking, Veronica is bleeding"

He says.

I gasp
"I still have Time."

"Yes, apparently you have too much time and that's why you're frolicking with that boy!. You have until midnight tonight or Veronica will be saying goodnight forever, and you'd best be quick about it, my darling girl because every hour spent away from you is a body part taken from her."

I gasp.
"No, please. Why are you doing this? Please stop"

The harsh maniacal laughter is the last thing I hear before the line is cut.

I have until midnight to find the girl. I look at my phone, 5:55.
I groan, deciding to borrow one of Tessa's favorite statements.

"I am so screwed."

Or maybe we are, both of us. I can't handle the death of another girl because of me, I look back at Nicholas. He's here, now. He's the closest help I can get.
Can I trust him?