Chapter 162: The Disappearance

Chapter 162: The Disappearance
Dana’s POV

At last we could finally experience peace at least, or so I thought...

Archlight Academy seemed to return back to normal again. The school filled with normal students chatting instead of frightened whispers, and the fear that once spread to every corner felt a little less threatening.

The kidnapping incident had finally become a memory everyone was trying to move past. Lectures resumed fully, teachers no longer looked around every two minutes to ensure they are indeed safe, and students began laughing again, loudly and annoyingly. Archlight felt more like a school again.

I locked my dormitory room door behind me as I headed for morning lectures, smiling deeply, I was back to my normal life, I get to see everyone both in class and football training.

Maybe we could finally enjoy peace without danger lurking around.

After classes, I headed straight to football training. Seeing the girls again sparked something joyful inside of me. Their laughter, their dramatic complaints, the way they teased one another, all of it reminded me how these people had somehow become a part of me.

My team, my anchor, my little chaotic family. We might not have started in good terms, but we are happy together.

Training ended, and I was kneeling to tie my shoelace when  shadows fell over me.

I looked up and was stunned.

Alex and Kyle stood in front of me, sweating heavily and wearing identical looks of fear.

I rose to my feet instantly, my heartbeat quickening.

“Why do you both look like that?” I asked, scanning their faces.

Alex’s voice cracked as he blurted, “We can’t find Damian.”

“What?"

The word flew out of my mouth louder than I intended.

Kyle inhaled sharply, as if trying to steady himself. “We woke up late this morning, so we left the dormitory separately. When Alex saw you enter the lecture hall earlier, he asked after Damian. You said you didn’t check on him but assumed he’d come later.”

“Yes,” I muttered impatiently. “And?”

“And he didn’t,” Alex said, his voice strained.

Kyle continued, “When lectures ended and there was still no sign of him, we thought he was sick. So we checked the dormitory.”

“And?” I pressed.

“He wasn’t there,” Kyle said. “We also searched everywhere he might usually go. The cafeteria, the library, the sports field, the garden behind the lab block, Dana everywhere.”

“And still nothing,” Alex added, rubbing his palms together anxiously.

I forced myself to stay calm. They were both freaking out, and if I joined them, we would get nowhere.

“Guys, just breathe,” I said softly. “We’ll find him. Damian can’t just disappear without a notice.”

Alex and Kyle didn’t look convinced, but they nodded.

“If you say so,” Alex murmured.

“Good. Let’s keep searching,” I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt.

We dashed off.

But the more we searched, the more my fear were looking as though they were coming through. Damian was nowhere to be found.

It was as if he had vanished into thin air.

By the time the sky started darkening, we were already exhausted and terrified.

“Let’s check the dormitory again,” I suggested, my voice shaky. “Maybe he returned.”

Thankfully, neither of them argued. We hurried back to the boys dorm building.

But just like Alex and Kyle has said earlier, Damian wasn’t there.

Something else caught my eye instead.

His hair cream and brush lay on the floor beside his bed. The hair cream had spilled, the contents poured across the tiles as if it had fallen straight from someone’s hand.

I bent  and picked up the items slowly, my heart pounding.

No, no, no, this wasn’t normal.

I turned to them sharply.

“When you guys entered Damian’s room earlier, did you touch anything?”

Alex shook his head. “Not really, we just looked inside and left.”

“Was the door open?” I asked, already fearing the answer.

“Yes,” Kyle said, nodding slowly. “It was wide open.”

My thoughts started flying. Damian never left his room messy, and he never left the door wide open, never. Something terrible was wrong. I could feel it.

“Dana, did you find anything?” Alex’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

“No,” I lied softly, standing up with the cream and brush in my hand.

But then I saw it.

An envelope.

Neatly sealed.

Placed on the table in a way that felt intentional and deliberate.

My heartbeat pounded loudly against my chest.

“Guys,” I whispered. “Come here. I found something.”

Alex and Kyle rushed to my side. They stood beside me as I tore open the envelope with trembling fingers.

Inside lies a single letter.

My eyes scanned the message, and my entire world  stand still.

My hands trembled so violently the letter slipped from my fingers and fell on the floor.

Kyle snatched it and read out loud.

“Damian is kidnapped. It’s up to Dana, Kyle, and Alex to save him.”

“What?” Alex and Kyle yelled in unison.

“This has to be a joke.” Kyle exclaimed, pacing uncontrollably. “Someone is messing with us.”

But the voice in my mind screamed the opposite.

No.... this wasn’t a prank.

Everything in the room pointed to danger.

I took a long breath, feeling fear running through my throat.

“This isn’t a trick,” I said firmly. “Whoever wrote this, they’re serious. Damian is really kidnapped.”

Alex’s opened his mouth wide. Kyle’s fists balled tightly.

“But who would do something this evil?” I asked, my voice trembling despite trying to appear strong. “Who would go this far?”

I felt something hot spark inside me. Anger, fear, and determination all wrapped together.

“Whoever took him,” I whispered, my voice low and dangerous, “they’ll have me to contend with.”

“And us too,” Alex and Kyle said immediately, their voices echoing my resolve.

I swallowed hard. My hands were still shaking, but my heart had found something to hold unto, which is hope and purpose.

Damian wasn’t just a friend.

He was family.

And no one touched family.

No one.

Not without facing the storm we were about to become.