Chapter Forty Three

Chapter Forty Three
Rachel slipped off her shoes, the soft carpet a welcome relief to her tired feet. She stood there for a moment, listening to the sound of Lisa's quiet sobs coming from her room.

Normally, Rachel would've rushed to her side, eager to comfort and fix whatever was wrong. But tonight, she felt a pang of hesitation. She knew Lisa's tears were probably because of Marcus, and the thought of telling her he'd showed up at the club, too, made Rachel's stomach twist with guilt.

She dropped onto the couch, phone in hand, and started texting her friends from the club. "Hey guys, just got home. Thanks for understanding."

As she sent the messages, Rachel's gaze drifted to the door, her heart aching for Lisa. She knew she should check on her, but she didn't want to bring up Marcus, not tonight.

With a sigh, Rachel tossed her phone aside and stood up, shoes in hand. She padded softly to her room, trying to be as quiet as possible, hoping to avoid a conversation she wasn't ready to have.

But as she slipped into her room, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was abandoning her friend.

She changed into comfy pajamas, her mind racing with thoughts of Marcus and Lisa. She knew she couldn't avoid it forever, but tonight, she just wanted to pretend everything was okay.



Rachel's eyes snapped open the next morning, and she immediately thought of Lisa. She tossed off her covers, feeling a surge of determination to make things right. She got out of bed, said her morning prayers, and brushed her teeth, trying to shake off the lingering sleepiness.

As she walked into Lisa's room, she was expecting to find her friend curled up in bed, maybe still sleeping. But the bed was empty, the sheets rumpled but cold. Rachel's heart skipped a beat as she looked around the room, hoping to see Lisa's familiar shape somewhere. But she was nowhere.

Rachel's calm facade crumbled as she rushed out of Lisa's room, checking every corner of the house. The kitchen, the living room, the bathroom – all empty. Panic started to claw at her chest.

She grabbed her phone and sent Lisa a text: "Hey, where are you?"

No response.

Rachel tried to dial Lisa's number, but it went straight to voicemail. Her mind racing, she called Lisa's mom, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Hello, Auntie, hi. Is Lisa with you?" Rachel asked, attempting a casual tone.

Lisa's mom sounded concerned. "No, dear, she's not here. I thought she was with you. Is everything okay?"

Rachel's panic spiked, but she tried not to alarm Lisa's mom. "Yeah, yeah, everything's fine. I just... I must've missed her. I'll check with her friends, Auntie."

As she hung up, Rachel felt her guilt swirling into a storm. She hadn't checked on Lisa last night, hadn't been there when she needed her. What if something had happened? Her fingers trembled as she locked the door, her eyes scanning the empty hallway. ‘’Where could she be?’’

She started frantically calling everyone she could think of – mutual friends, Lisa's colleagues, anyone who might know where she was. But no one had seen or heard from Lisa.

Rachel's thoughts were a jumbled mess. Where could Lisa be? Why wasn't she answering her phone? The questions swirled, making her head spin.

As the minutes ticked by, Rachel's panic turned to desperation. She was a mess, pacing around the living room, her mind racing with worst-case scenarios. She'd called everyone, checked everywhere, and she needed to find Lisa. Now.

She rushed to the bathroom, the warm water a blur as she scrubbed away the night's events. Her mind was a jumble of worry and fear. What if something had happened to Lisa?

As she got dressed, her anxiety spiked. She needed to find Lisa, to make sure she was safe. 

And then, just as she was grabbing her keys, the door swung open, and Lisa walked in.

Rachel's relief was immediate, but it was quickly replaced by a tidal wave of anger. She was furious that Lisa had scared her like that. Her emotions were raw, and she didn't hold back.

"Where have you been?!" Rachel snapped, her voice low and fierce, her words tumbling out in a rush. "Do you know how worried I was? I thought something happened to you! I was about to go out looking for you!" Her eyes blazed with a mix of fear and frustration, her body tense with pent-up anxiety.

Rachel's anger was fueled by the what-ifs that had been swirling in her head. What if Lisa had an accident? What if she ran into trouble? What if... what if... what if... The questions had been tormenting her, and now she was lashing out.

Her words came out sharp, but beneath the anger, there was a deep relief that Lisa was safe. She didn't give Lisa a chance to respond, just kept going, her emotions pouring out. "You just disappear like that, without telling me? Do you know how that feels?"

Lisa stood there, looking fragile and guilty, and for a moment, Rachel's anger faltered. She saw the hurt and worry in Lisa's eyes, and her heart softened slightly. But the fear and worry still lingered, and Rachel's words hung in the air, heavy with emotion.

Lisa's eyes dropped, her shoulders sliding in a defensive posture. "I went to see Marcus," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Rachel's anger faltered for a moment, replaced by shock. "Why?" she asked, her voice still sharp.