Chapter 36: Broken

“For fuck’s sake, why?!” I shouted at the empty room, my voice cracking.

Tears spilled over, and I wiped them away furiously, as though that would make everything better. But it didn’t.

I climbed further into the bed, tucking myself into a tight fetal position. My arms wrapped around my legs, and I pressed my forehead against my knees, sniffling quietly into the silence. The room felt colder than usual, or maybe it was just me, and this stupid feeling.

Where was I supposed to start now? My head spun trying to think up something. I’d lost years of work. Years of effort. Half the everything, contacts, and important files that defined Aura—gone. Just like that. I just hoped Asher finds it.

And Wendy. God, Wendy. She wouldn’t let me hear the end of this. I could already imagine her smirking, tossing some snide remark about how I always let my "irresponsible habits" ruin things. It wasn’t like she cared about me—she only cared about what I could reflect back onto her. I squeezed my eyes shut as the thought burned deeper into my mind, yet my head was blank,

The sound of the breeze slipped through the cracks in the windows, brushing against my skin. The rhythmic, gentle and persistent whooshing sound finally pulled my focus away from my racing thoughts. I didn't even realize when my body gave in to it, and the heaviness in my chest softened just enough for sleep to take me.

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Frankie Windsor adjusted her dress for what felt like the hundredth time, her fingers fumbling with the hem as her eyes darted between her phone and the darkened school premises. Most of the students were gone by now, shuffling out of the gates with annoyed looks, some glaring at her as they passed.

She could feel the frustration practically oozing off them. What? She’d ended the party only twenty minutes earlier—was that such a crime? Not like they cared to ask why. None of them knew what had happened, and even fewer would bother to care.

It was her party, her fucking party. Frankie had every right to end it whenever she wanted.

Her fingers hovered over her phone screen, thumb poised over her brother's contact. She’d already called him at least six times in the past half hour. Nothing. No answer, no text, no sign of him. Her chest felt tight, and fear clawed at her chest. She tilted her head back, glaring at the dark sky as though it held the answers she so desperately needed.

Blakely didn't know anywhere in Eden. She rarely went out, she stopped cheer practice, nothing took her out anymore. So technically if she took one step out of the school or house without her phone, she was lost.

“Where the fuck are you?” she muttered under her breath, her voice cracking slightly despite her irritation.

She didn’t want to panic, but every passing second made it harder not to. Blakely was missing. She’d searched every corner of the school, asked every guest that stayed back if they’d seen her, and called every number she could think of. No one knew anything. Frankie didn’t care if she had to wake the entire vegas—she wasn’t going to stop until she found her.

Her thumb hovered over Asher's contact again, ready to hit call. But before she could, the low roar of an engine broke through the silence. Her head snapped forward, and relief hit her like a wave when his car screeched to a halt in front of her.

She didn’t even give him a chance to get out. She stormed up to the driver’s side, her fists clenched at her sides.

“Oh, you idiot!” she snapped, though her voice trembled with equal parts anger and relief. “Is it that hard to take a fucking call?! You almost gave me a heart attack!”

Asher sighed as he opened the door, stepping out with a look that was far too casual for her liking. “Sorry,” he said, running a hand through his hair. “I got stopped by the cops for speeding. I couldn’t exactly answer my phone while they were writing me up.”

She stared at him, incredulous. “Stopped by the cops?” she echoed, her voice rising. “So what? You got the ticket and decided to jerk off for a bit after that? Your hands were to busy to text me after?!”

“Wha…Gross,” he grimaced, holding up his hands. “I didn’t chill. I came straight here.”

She took a shaky breath, rubbing her temples to calm herself. She knew she was spiraling, but the frustration and fear were too much to contain. “Okay, fine, whatever. Did you find her? Please tell me you found her. She doesn’t even have any fucking friends to call!”

“She’s safe,” He replied, and she let out a loud exhale, her chest heaving as relief washed over her. “Thank God,” she whispered, pressing a hand to her chest. For the first time in what felt like hours, she could breathe fine.

He continued. “Some guy brought her home,” he added. “She began freaking out about her phone after. Said she might’ve dropped it when she got pushed into the pool or something.”

She blinked, her relief quickly giving way to confusion—and then anger. “Pushed into the pool?” she repeated.

“That’s what she said.” He shrugged. “I didn’t get much else out of her. She was all over the place, looking for her phone.”

Frankie swore under her breath, raking her fingers through her hair. “Why the hell didn't you just call me after she said that, I could've kept the students in to see if anyone took it? And who the fuck pushed her? Oh, Goodness, she must be freaking out real bad”

“She looked broken. I've never seen her like that before”

“Of course she would be.” she sighed, pacing back and forth now. Her mind raced with questions.

Almost immediately, Blanche came rushing out from the back, where the party had been in full swing moments ago.