Street lights illuminated the road. I couldn't believe I was actually in a car alone with Arry. The reminder made my heart beat faster. I stole a look at her. "You okay Heath?" I asked. Her face was squished against the cool glass. Her one arm wrapped her knees and the other leaned against the car door. Her fingers rapped against the window rhythmically.

I remembered when I first met her. She had been introduced to me as Tobin's little sister when she was in sixth grade. We had gone to a gig she had gotten at BFP. I remember being mesmerized by her voice as she sang to Julie's keyboard and Morgan's drums. Crystal had agreed to play guitar that night but nowadays, Arry does. That's the night all of my troubles started.

"Dunnah-nah dunnah-nah dunnah-nah nah. Baduh-bum-bum-bum-bum," she sang, her head bobbing up and down to her own music. "I love the Nutcracker. Have you ever seen it? I have."

"Arry," I chuckled.

She looked at me sternly. "I'm not joking."

I shook my head and said, "You're humming 'Jingle Bell Rock'." I had this goofy smile spread across my lips.

We were silent again. The steady clicking of the blinker was the only noise between us. We didn't spend much time together considering I was a junior and she was a sophomore. Her sister and I were friends, but we didn't hang out much. Despite the minimal time we've spent, I knew a lot about her. She pressed her finger into my cheek. I flinched. "Stop it," She ordered, her eyebrows furrowed together. "I have to . . ." She trailed off and went to poke me again.

I ducked away. "You are so wasted," I said.

Her hands slammed against the dashboard. The car swerved. I screamed and she remained silent with a scowl on her face. "What is-What the hell?" I choked out. "I could've killed you!" I gripped the wheel to straighten the car. My brain was still rattling in my head. She could've died, and it would've been my fault.

I glanced at me her, but I knew that I had to keep my eyes on the road. "She's not a waste," She muttered, holding clumps of hair in her fists. She stomped on the floor of the car. "She's not. I am. I'm the waste. She's not!"

I pulled over and cut off the engine. Her breathing picked up. She slammed her fist against the window. "Don't hurt me. I'll shut up. Don't hurt her. She's not a waste. I promise. Please." Her eyes were shut. I wanted her to open them. I didn't know what to do. I had never seen her like this. She was so chill, just like her sister. Unless she was provoked.

"Arry." I said. "What's wrong? Open your eyes."

I held her hand in mine. Our fingers were interlaced and it felt warm. I could see her breathing slow. She opened her eyes and blinked. The car lights illuminated my face and hair. A soft glow outlined my jaw and strong arms. "Arry, concentrate on my voice." I said trying to make eye contact. I could've sworn she eyed my lips. Stop it. It was so obvious she didn't have an interest in me. She was always bragging about me and Hope. Hope.

Oh yeah.

I had a girlfriend.

She removed her hands. I was hoping it would cut off all traces of a connection, but I missed her touch. Was I drunk? I had successfully buried my feelings for her. Why were they surfacing again? Stronger? I loved Hope. I had a girlfriend.

Despite being unavailable, I couldn't help but feel hurt when she turned to stare straight ahead. "Sorry," she murmured softly looking at the floor.

I reached out to touch her arm, but she shifted away. I said so quietly she barely heard her, "Don't be. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." I didn't move away. "Please, just-just, I wanna go home."

I complied begrudgingly and turned back onto the road. She didn't speak anymore. I turned onto her street to see police cars lined up. The road in front of her apartment building was closed off. I pulled over. I glanced at the obviously drunk and obviously underage girl in the passenger seat. "Hey," I said patting her cheek. "Hey, look. I'm gonna go see what's going on, 'Kay?"

She nodded a mumbling sound falling from her lips. I shut the door behind me and approached one of the officers. "Sir? What's going on here?" He looked up from his notepad.

"I'm sorry but this area is closed off. I can't talk about this case with anybody outside," he said. He looked back at his notebook. I didn't move. "Do you need something?"

"My friend lives here. I was dropping her off," I said.

He eyed me obviously annoyed. "Where is this friend?"

"In the car," I said.

We looked over at the car to see the passenger door wide open and nobody in the seats. "Do you think you're funny?" He growled.

My eyes widened. I turned to him and spat, "Thanks for your help. Now if you'll excuse me I have to find my friend."

I turned to leave but he gripped my shoulder. He slipped a photo out of his shirt pocket. "Do you recognize this girl?" He showed me a photo of a girl with light brown hair and caramel eyes. She had a goofy grin that I instantly recognized. "Her name is Arden Heath, ring any bells?"

I glanced at the car. "I know her sister," I said instead. I wasn't lying.

He looked me in the eyes. "How do you know her?" I felt my body heat up under the pressure.

"We go to the same school. We play soccer together," I informed him. Still no lies. All just basic information.

He gestured to the photo. "Well then you must know Arden. She plays on the school team too."

I had walked right into that one. I couldn't deny it. "She prefers Arry," I said.

His facial expression remained stern. "Do you know where she is? She isn't in her apartment. In fact none of the supposed occupants are. We need to locate her."

"She's not trying to hide. How have you not found her?"

He looked me up and down. "We sent some men to break down a party she was supposed to be at, but she wasn't there. There happened to be alcohol at that party." He got too close for my comfort and inhaled deeply. "You were at the party. You drive towards this apartment complex and it can't be for Tobin Heath. She's in custody."

"Custody?" I exclaimed. "W-what do you mean?"

"I can't say. I have to find out Arden Heath's whereabouts," he stated.

A cop car with its sirens wailing approached from the other side of the street. It parked and a uniformed policeman got out. He opened the back door to let two girls out. Lauren and Amy. "Calvin, this is Lauren Cheney and Amy Rodriquez." He squeezed there shoulders.

Amy winced and Lauren crossed her arms. "Why is Tobin in jail? For kidnapping her own sister for god sakes! She loves that girl to pieces! Why the hell would she kidnap her!" Lauren screeched stomping to the police man and thrusting her finger into his face.

The policeman I was talking to backed up and said, "If you could calm down miss."

"Don't tell me to—" she growled with a glare. Amy grabbed her arms and pulled her back.

She looked at the officer sternly. "We would like to understand why Tobin is in jail."

"She's not in jail but she is being charged with kidnapping Arden Heath so we are trying to locate—"

Lauren's laugh cut the cop off. He sighed and rubbed his face with his hands. I didn't blame him. So far, he had done really well surviving Mama Cheney's wrath, but a human can only last so long. "Arry has been living with us for two years. How can her parents just randomly cry kidnap!"

My eyes darted to the angry teenager. "I thought her parents were dead."

The two shushed me and turned to the officer. "Sir! You can't keep her in custody for over twenty-four hours without proof she kidnapped. Arry willingly lives with us," Lauren claimed. If she wasn't a soccer player, she wanted to be a lawyer. She'd make a pretty good one too.

"If you want to get technical your going to have to talk to someone else. I was only told to locate Arden."

"Will that get Tobin out faster?" Amy asked calmly.

He nodded. "We can't do anything until she's found."

They looked at me. I shifted my gaze to my car. My jaw dropped as I stared at the wide open passenger door and the empty front seat. They followed my gaze. "Oh my gosh," Amy muttered.

I looked at her worriedly. "I-is there any chance she runs away often and you know exactly where she is?" I swallowed the fear climbing in my throat.

Lauren gave me a hard stare. "When she was in eighth grade, she cried when she came home an hour later than she was supposed to."

Oh, hello fear. How are you today?

+ + +

Lauren wanted to file a missing person report, but Amy had convinced her to look around first. It was obvious they hadn't ever dealt with a runaway. I mean, neither have I but really? She couldn't have gone far. Also, Lauren knew they couldn't file it till she was missing for twenty-four hours.

Despite there being no report, cop cars were still patrolling and searching for the teen. Amy had said that I should go home. That it was late.

I left, but I didn't go home. I circled our small town multiple times. I had been pulled over a few times for suspicious activity. The police had told me to go home. I couldn't. Not with the knowledge that Arry was anywhere but home.

I was exhausted by the time four A.M. rolled around. I pulled over to rest my eyes for a little. I had fallen asleep when a knock woke me up. I jerked awake and blinked. "Hey," Carli said through the window. Her shirt was sweat through. Leave it to Carli to work out after a wild party. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and fumbled to roll the window down. She asked once the glass was lowered, "What are you doing out here?"

I groaned and put my head in my hands. "Arry," I muttered. "No one knows where she is."

She stared at me wide eyed. "Arry Heath? That girl has a lot of guts, but she doesn't have it in her to worry her family like that." By family, she meant Tobin, Lauren, and Amy. I supposed that also meant the team too. We all felt responsible for the younger ones. Especially those with crappy family lives like Arry.

"I know. I-I couldn't live knowing she got hurt 'cause I couldn't get her home," I whispered angry tears coming to my eyes. I wiped them away quickly.

Carli sighed and crouched to lean against the open window. "Kelley, listen," she said. "If Arry gets hurt, it isn't your fault. You were just trying to do the right thing." I nodded slowly, but I couldn't help the doubt settling in my chest. Carli didn't understand how much I cared for her. No one did. "Hope is really worried about you," she said gently.

I looked up at her. "She is?" I croaked.

Carli shook her head. "Kelley, she was worried sick. She had no clue if you were alright. Especially since your Aunt didn't know where you were."

I winced as guilt also found its way into my chest. I hadn't told my aunt or my girlfriend about my whereabouts. I felt like an awful human being.

"I'll call them," I said.

Carli gave me a smile. "You're a good person Kel." I don't feel like it. "Don't worry, Arry will show up or she'll be found." I hope so. "She isn't exactly a pro at running away." People can surprise you sometimes.

She continued on her run and I watched her rhythmically carry herself away. I slipped my phone out of my jacket. I called my Aunt and told her I was fine and that I'd come home later. She was just glad I was safe. I was afraid to call Hope. She was gonna be angry. I knew that it all came from a state of fear but that didn't make it any less . . . scary. She was a good person, don't get me wrong. She just had her moments.

The phone rang twice before it was picked up. "Kelley," she said, her voice hopeful.

I exhaled. "Hey."

"Where have you been?" She exclaimed. Her tone was definitely angry.

I swallowed the dryness in my mouth. "Looking for Arry."

"All night?" She cried out. "All night Kelley? Really? I was worried sick."

Are you sure it wasn't the alcohol?

"I'm sorry," I whispered. I'm pretty sure my breathing was louder.

She said, "Sorry? I don't know where you are all night and all I get is sorry?"

"What do you want me to say?" I asked feeling a build up in my chest. Ugh! I don't want to cry.

She said, "I don't want you to say anything! I just want to know that my girlfriend is still breathing!"

"Well I am," I said. I couldn't help the angry tone my voice took.

There was silence on the other end. I heard shattering. "Shit."

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"I'm fine," she grumpily replied. "Has Arry been found?"

"No," I said quietly.

"They'll find her. Please come by so I can see you."

I say yes but deep down, I want to keep looking. How selfish of me? I don't even want to see my own girlfriend all because I'm looking for a girl who barely knows I exist.