Chapter 91 TYLER
Sixteen unanswered texts and two full days later, Harper still hadn’t shown up or spoken to anyone. What bothered me most was that I seemed to be the only one taking it seriously.
Megan was furious, too angry to even consider that something might actually be wrong. Mark had just been discharged and couldn’t pay her a visit yet; he was focused on recovering and had little attention for anything else. As for the rest of the team, most of them were friends with Harper by association. If I wasn't worried, neither would they be.
I lay flat on my bedroom floor, my gym mat pressed beneath my back, chest rising and falling as I stared at the ceiling. Sweat cooled against my skin after three rough sets of sit ups. I should have been exhausted enough to sleep, but my thoughts refused to settle. They kept circling back to the same thing, over and over.
Harper didn’t normally disappear like this.
Across the room, Peter sat on a chair with his back straight, lifting dumbbells with measured care. His movements had slowed compared to when he started, his biceps flexing with every controlled lift, proof of how long he’d been at it. He looked focused and calm, a stark contrast to his usual restless energy, as he finished the last of his set.
“Don’t you find it weird?” I said suddenly, the words spilling out before I could talk myself out of them.
Peter looked up at once. “Harper?”
“Yeah.” I propped myself up on my elbows. “Am I overthinking it or does something feel off to you too?”
He lowered the weights immediately and leaned forward. “For real,” he said. “I was starting to think I was the crazy one because you hadn’t made a fuss about it yet.”
I sat up fully now. “So it’s not just me. I really think something’s wrong.”
“Think?” Peter scoffed. “Something is wrong. Harper doesn’t just vanish. I haven’t even known her that long and I know that. She’s basically the group’s conscience. And there’s no way she’d skip visiting Mark—even if she's avoiding you—unless something serious was going on.”
I nodded, though his words still landed painfully. The thought that she might be avoiding me lodged stubbornly in my chest.
“She lives alone, right?” Peter continued. “At least most of the time? Maybe we should pay a visit?”
“I think so,” I said. “But showing up unannounced might not be smart. Not everyone appreciates surprise visits.”
Peter waved that off. “I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t enjoy my sudden appearances.”
I bit back a response. I didn't. Sometimes. Especially on days when I wanted to be alone, when my head was full and my patience thin. Peter showing up uninvited had a way of getting under my skin, though never enough to actually push him away.
“How do we even get her address?” I asked, pushing myself to my feet. “I should shower if we’re doing this.”
“We ask Mark.”
“Not a good idea,” I said immediately.
I paused, weighing the options. Mark and I were barely holding neutral ground as it was. Asking him for his girlfriend’s location so I could go check on her felt wrong. Worse, when I knew the visit wouldn’t be for his sake, but for mine.
“Megan then?” Peter suggested.
“She barely lets us say Harper’s name before she starts snapping. I doubt she’ll help.”
Peter frowned and started counting on his fingers. “Okay, so we have two options left then. Option one. We break into the principal’s office and pull Harper’s records.”
“What?”
“Option two. We hack into state records, find her parents’ voter registration, and trace it back.”
I stared at him. “Or we could just check Minnesota’s county assessor website.”
He went quiet.
I shrugged. “Ever consider smart, non complicated, non illegal solutions?”
He sighed and picked his weights back up. “You take all the fun out of everything.”
“This isn’t about fun.”
I crossed the room and opened my laptop, fingers moving quickly as I logged in. Peter's breathing deepened in short bursts as he restarted his reps again.
“So,” he said after a moment, “have you decided yet?”
“Decided what?”
“The cabin trip.”
I hesitated. “I don’t know. Especially if something’s wrong with Harper.”
“What’s wrong with Harper?”
Mom’s voice came from the doorway, startling both of us. I snapped the laptop shut without thinking.
“Nothing,” Peter said quickly, shooting me a look.
“Yeah,” I added. “We were just talking about my last session with her.”
Mom stepped into the room, arms folded thoughtfully. “I did notice she hasn’t come around in a couple of days. Did you give her time off?”
“Yes. I mean, kind of.” The lie came together poorly. “Family stuff. You know, her parents’ divorce and um…everything.”
“Oh, that’s unfortunate,” Mom said softly. “Rachel and Ethan always seemed perfect together. I still wonder why they're filing for divorce. They could’ve talked things through. The poor kid.”
Peter and I exchanged a glance. Neither of us said anything.
“Oh,” Mom added suddenly, tapping her forehead. “I came in because Peter mentioned your class’s upcoming seniors getaway. You didn't want to go?”
I shot him a look that promised consequences as he pretended to be fascinated by the weights.
“Aren’t you supposed to be happy I’m staying back?” I said. “No distractions, just training and exam prep. Besides, aren’t you a little concerned about what usually happens at these things?”
Peter snorted, and a smile broke across mom’s face.
“Of course, I am,” she said softly, shaking her head. “But you only get to live once. I trust my upbringing and my son—you wouldn’t do anything to embarrass our family name, right?”
“But—”
“No buts. You’re going. It’s tomorrow, so you’d better get ready,” she said, her voice leaving no room for argument.
“Let’s go, Mama Rose!” Peter whooped, clapping his hands in agreement.
She rolled her eyes playfully, pointing a finger at him. “And you, young man, better behave yourself while you're at it. You’re practically part of this family, and I’m holding you responsible if anything goes wrong.”
Peter’s grin faded along with the clap. I allowed myself a small smile, though it didn’t reach my chest. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to go. I just couldn’t leave, not when I had no idea what was going on with Harper.
As soon as Mom left the room, I turned back to my laptop, only to see a notification already waiting on the screen.
Harper: Sorry, I’ve been MIA. I’ll see you at the getaway with Mark.
That was it. No explanation. No follow-up. Just that brief message.
I hadn’t realized Peter had come up behind me until he spoke, his presence startling me.
“Well, that settles it,” he said, leaning over my shoulder to look at the screen.
“Yeah… I guess,” I murmured. But the message didn’t settle anything. If anything, it made my chest tighten even more.
Something was wrong. I could feel it.