The town has been abuzz with news of Julian and the murder case for days. Every day something new popped up on tv and the internet. Everyday it was some new piece of gossip or rumour that didn't make any sense like Julian had been kidnapped for ransom or the murderer might have got him. Some absurd articles were even saying that Jason and Fiona were still alive and hiding with him.

It's been four days since he disappeared from Lola's room in the middle of the night. Four long days, with even longer hours and somehow longer minutes that stretched on in her mind, conjuring up the worst possible scenarios involving Julian.

His alibi had been proven, the case had been reopened and now the investigation was ongoing. Which was why Lola couldn't figure out why Julian had't resurfaced. 

Where had he gone? 

What was he doing? 

And it didn't help that these absurd theories of Julian being kidnapped kept surfacing on the net like a dark night mare. She blocked all those sites, but she wished she could block them out of her head as well. 

Her head was evidently much more stubborn and paranoid. 

"Where do you think he is? Do you think he could be hiding out at his secret father's place for protection?" 

Nalini and Hanna both gave Lola the same tired, blank look they had been giving her for the past hour. They were sitting in the library during their free period and Lola could not stop voicing her worries. 

She'd been doing so since school started and even though her friends were just as curious, they were slowly losing patience with her tireless questions. 

The sad truth was neither one had the answer to them and they hated having to repeat that fact to Lola again and again. 

"You know I think it's that Maximus man. Eva's father." Lola leaned forward and whispered. 

"We know. You've only mentioned it a hundred times. But we have no proof of that, just like we have no idea where that fool has gone." Nalini sighed in frustration as she stared at the book in front of her. 

She was having a hard time concentrating today, which was rare for a girl who loved school. Lola had been having a hard time since the minute she woke up to an empty bed. She'd been wrought with worry ever since. 

But there was also that small part of her that replayed that night in her head over and over again. Julian had admitted that he liked her of all people and Lola couldn't stop thinking about the sincerity in his eyes when he had said those words or the fact that they were so close, their lips had almost touched. 

They had slept in each other's arms that night and it had been so perfect, the most perfect night of Lola's entire life, only to be ruined in a matter of hours. Now Lola wondered if she had imagined the whole thing. 

Which was why she hadn't brought it up to her friends at all. It remained a secret, locked up in her heart and memory. 

Just then she heard whispers all around, frantic whispers that flooded the library and both her friends looked up at the same time as her. 

"He's here. He's here!" Someone shouted from outside and the librarian shushed him. 

"He's alive!" Someone else shouted and the girls eyes all locked on each other's knowingly. 

Hanna jumped up first, then Nalini, but Lola remained rooted in her seat, frozen with anticipation. 

Students were already grabbing their books and rushing outside when Hanna pulled her up. "Come on. Let's go see." 

Lola felt like a rag doll, being dragged from her seat and then through the rushing bodies of students that were all running out to the hallways to see what everyone was talking about. 

It was an out of body experience, like she was floating in the air. Her head was giddy, heart racing, hands and legs numb with nervousness. 

Was it Julian they were talking about? It had to be. There could be no one else. 

Nalini and Hanna pulled her through the crowd that had lined the lockers and then she saw him and every other person cast to exist. 

All she could see was him, the Julian Grey who had broke into her room that fateful night and consequently broke into her heart, invading every chamber, every muscle, every cell. And she knew right now, as it beat frantically against her rib cage, that it was beating for him and him only. 

She couldn't remember a time where she had felt happier. Julian Grey was alive. Julian was safe and he'd never looked so good. His dark hair swept across his forehead and his piercing dark blue eyes were focused ahead as he walked next to a police officer and his mother. 

They flanked him on both sides, clearing the path for him as they headed for the main office. A teacher stepped out and welcomed them and then the principal rushed up to them quickly. The group walked in stride but Julian was soon bombarded by his friends. 

Damien and Tyronne were the first to scream out his name and rush up to him and then the rest of his former friends did the same. They formed a small cocoon around Julian which was quickly broken up by the principal and the police officer. 

Lola saw Natalie, Julian's ex girlfriend linger close by, feigning happiness which only irritated Lola because before this turn of events, everyone -except Damien- had thought he was guilty. 

Julian looked happy, relaxed even, it was the happiest she had ever seen him and when he drew closer she sucked in a breath. She stared up at him and their eyes locked, making her entire body freeze. 

The hug, the warmth of his body, everything came rushing back to her and she took a step forward, eager to welcome him back but Julian didn't even smile at her in acknowledgement. 

In fact, their gaze lasted only a second before he looked away, pretending like he didn't know her or Nalini or Hanna and then he walked away, smashing her heart with his silence. 

"What the hell?" Nalini whispered. "Did he forget who we are? What an asshole? He greets all his fake friends and completely ignores us?" 

The girls were heading to the Chemistry lab for their next class together and Lola couldn't answer her friend for fear that she would start crying. Had it all been a lie? Did Julian use her for his benefit? Lie to her just so she would continue helping him?

All these thoughts hurt. His indifference and silence just now hurt even more. 

"Maybe he was overwhelmed? It's his first day back and everyone was watching him. Maybe he didn't see us?" Hanna suggested hopefully as they took their seats next to a bunch of test tubes. She looked at Lola worriedly and Lola tried her best to hide the overriding disappointment currently flooding her entire body. 

"He's one of them. Those popular asshole jerks, who bully people and use everyone to their benefit. We just forgot about it because we were so caught up in the drama," Nalini said, her voice laced with bitterness. "Forget him Lolz. We deserve so much better." 

"You're being so harsh. He only ignored us then. Maybe he'll talk to us later," Hanna replied optimistically but Lola wasn't so sure anymore. 

The way he had ignored them, the way their eyes met before he looked away. It had been deliberate. 

Eva walked in with her usual band of groupies behind her but she looked even more miserable that Lola. She barely noticed Nalini, which was a rare occurrence for the queen bee. 

"What's wrong with you?" Nalini asked. "Failed a test I didn't know about?" 

Eva smiled faintly as she turned to her arch nemesis. Her eyes lingered on Nalini's face for a few long seconds. "Just not feeling so good. Surprised you noticed." 

No fighting, no bickering. It was like they were currently in an alternate universe. Even Nalini paused, not knowing what to say. 

"Umm, hope you feel better soon then," She shrugged and then turned away, giving Lola and Hanna a look. 

Eva stared at her for a while and then she stared at the board absentmindedly. 

"What's wrong with everyone today?" Nalini groaned. 

"Hi, Lola," Tyler greeted as he sat down next to her. He pulled his seat much too close, making Lola shift towards Hanna. 

"Hey Tyler," She answered, not really in the mood to talk to him or anyone else for that matter. 

"Okay, everyone pair up for your upcoming assignments," Mr Dubois, their Chem teacher marched inside with a bundle of papers tucked under his armpit. "I want the list now."

Just then Edward the computer whiz and the original hero who had been the one to expose the doctored tapes rushed inside. He took a seat and shouted out loud. 

"I'm paired with Hanna!"

"Okay, Edward and Hanna," Mr Dubois jotted down, ignoring Hanna's protests to be paired with Lola or Nalini. 

Tyler put up his hand. "Tyler and Lola." He announced and their names were jotted down as Lola turned to him in surprise. 

"Eva and Nalini," Eva said quickly making Nalini gasp out loud. 

"What? Don't you hate me?" Nalini's eyes were bulging out of her head in disbelief. 

"Think about it. We're the smartest in the class. If we team up, we'll blow this assignment out of the water," Eva reasoned uncharacteristically. 

"Well, you sort of have a point. I guess," Nalini mumbled and she shot a look at Hanna and Lola. "This is just getting weirder and weirder." 

Everyone had to sit according to their pairs so the girls were separated, leaving Lola alone with Tyler. She concentrated on writing down their assignment due next week but ever so often she would catch his unnerving gaze on her face. 

"You free today? You could come over after school so we can start on this," He suggested. 

Lola didn't like the idea of being in his house with him, but she also didn't like the idea of being home alone, thinking about Julian and how he had ignored her just now. 

"Sounds good," She shrugged half heartedly, making him smile in triumph. 

They went through their day of classes but there was barely any sign of Julian. It was only when the day was over did she see him leaning by a row of lockers. He was surrounded by doting schoolmates but he looked dazed as Damien did most of the talking. 

Lola walked past them and Damien called out to her. "Hey, Lola. Heading home? Where's the rest of the crew?" 

Everyone turned to look at her, the girls -including Natalie- were looking a little annoyed at their exchange. Lola's skin burned as she answered. "Yup, done for the day. Nalini's doing some extra credit and Hanna's still with Edward." 

"Edward, that genius," Damien smiled proudly and tapped Julian on the back. "Do you need a ride home?" 

Lola turned to Julian but he was looking elsewhere, avoiding eye contact and it made her want to run back home and cry into her pillow. Damien noticed his friend's coldness and he frowned in confusion.

"No, it's fine. I need to work on an assignment," Lola replied and she quickly excused herself. She hurried to the entrance and found Tyler waiting for her already. 

"Shall we?"

"Yeah," She said and then she glanced back for just a second only to see Julian's piecing stare fixed on her and Tyler but she ignored the false hope building in her stomach and followed Tyler outside. 

Maybe she had just imagined it all.