Chapter 63-3

Immediately, her eyes peered at him accusingly. “Oh no, what did you do?” “Why do you have to put it like that? I didn’t do anything.” Her accusing expression continued and forced him into reluctant submission. “Alright, I might have said something, but c’mon, I didn’t say anything that wasn’t true. He doesn’t love her Krislynn. He shouldn’t marry her. Marriage isn't a game.” She sighed as he pushed himself off the edge of the bed. “Where are you going right then? Is Jace in need of comforting? Is he okay?” “Well, more than that… looks like LaCienega is gone.” Her eyebrows wrinkled. “Meaning?” “I don’t even know right now.” He sighed. “She probably turned off her cell so she could have some time alone and think, but Jace is scared she might do something stupid. She’s out there in the middle of the night and she doesn’t have her wallet on. Who knows where she could be.” “She couldn’t have gone far if she didn’t even have money with her.” “I don’t know Krislynn.” He heaved a sigh. “But I should go help look for her.” She nodded and quickly got up, but Chase shook his head, knowing perfectly well her intentions and wanting her to have no part in it. “You stay here,” he said sternly. “But I could help look too!” “It’s late, just stay here. I feel like it might be casually my fault so I have to see things through, but this isn’t your problem or your fault so don’t pry into it.” She seemed hesitant to let him leave alone so before she had further criticism, he shushed her with a kiss. “I’ll be back before you know it. Goodnight Piglet.” Chase met Jace at a Starbucks near his house less than twenty minutes later. He was already waiting when Chase got out of his car and looked as if he had been thrown in a human-sized washing machine and tossed around for a good hour. “I don’t know where she could be,” he spluttered, looking more dishevelled than Chase had ever seen. “I looked everywhere I thought she could be. I thought she just walked out for a breather, but that was hours ago! That was this afternoon!” “Jace, calm down!” “I should have done it slowly, planned it out.” Jace squeezed his eyes clothes. “But I just… I don’t know what came over me. She’s not at her parents and she doesn’t have any friends here besides Michelle!” “It’s not your fault.” Having never seen Jace lose his cool, Chase didn’t know how to comfort him, but he was sure that no one in his or her right mind would blame him for what he did. It was almost praiseworthy how long Jace was able to hold his feelings in until now. He grabbed his shoulder and gave it a squeeze before repeating his words. “It’s not your fault.” Jace glanced up at him with doubt. “What do I do now?” “First, let’s find her. Does her parents know she’s missing? Where have you checked?” “Her parents don’t know. I just asked them something vague and determined she wasn’t in their household. As for places, I’ve checked all the places around our house and all her favourite cafés and restaurant.” “Maybe she went and watched a movie?” It was odd, but he could picture a lovesick girl sitting alone, crying in the dark movie theatre, and watching a comedy of all things. “She doesn’t enjoy places like that.” “Well, let’s just check everything again. Maybe you just missed her before. You said she left the house on foot, she couldn’t have gone far. You check the places she likes to go to that are still open at this hour, and I’ll circle the places and neighbourhoods around your house. We’ll call each other as soon as we find her. Got it?” Jace nodded and as Chase turned to go, called out his name. “Chase? Thanks.” Chase smiled. “No problem man.” It was three in the morning, and for twenty minutes Chase drove around Jace’s neighbourhood at a snail’s pace. It was dark except the spots the streetlights illuminated, and Chase quickly lost hope. Who would actually wander the streets this late at night with nothing to do? Sure, it was unlikely she could have gotten far without any money, but he couldn’t rule out that she could have gotten a ride from a friendly neighbour or a stranger. There was also the other option, but he didn’t want to think about an unfriendly stranger so he omitted that possibility out of his head. So where could she be? There was something that had been bothering him even before he parted ways with Jace. Something he said didn’t feel right, and that thought had been poking the back of his brain for the longest time. What was it? “Oh shit. That’s what it was!” He stopped his car abruptly in the middle of the road, and slammed his hands against the steering wheel when he remembered. Places that LaCienega didn’t enjoy – of course Jace wouldn’t know – but as Chase clearly recalled, LaCienega had a peculiar habit of venturing into places she didn't "enjoy” when she was having a rough day, and Chase would call today pretty rough. He was starting to think the image of the girl sitting alone in the movie theatre was not his imagination earlier, but a clairvoyant vision of where to find LaCienega. He would make a beeline for the theatres around L.A, but it was three in the morning, and since it was on the way, he decided it would be smart to check one other place first. It was the bar he had ran into her before. It was exactly how he remembered it when he arrived, same old, musky smelling place though for a Saturday night, it wasn’t doing too well. The band was packing up just as he walked in, and because of the vacancy inside the pub, he found her right away sitting at the bar, swirling a brown liquid in one hand. There was no mistake. Her long, dark curls were evident, and the closer he got to her, the closer he was convinced it was her. “LaCienega?” The dark haired girl turned at the sound of the name, and Chase frowned when their eyes met. It was LaCienega alright, and from the looks of it, he was surprised she could still recognize her name seeing how drunk she was. She smiled when she saw him, but her attractive smile faded behind the harrowing gaze of her eyes. They were red and lightly smudged with black makeup that Chase was sure she was still crying heavily only moments ago. “What are you doing here?” He asked. LaCienega continued smiling wryly. “I’ve been waiting for you. What took you so long?” “Waiting? Why? You sure you recognize me right now?” He raised an eyebrow at her. “What’s my name?” She downed her drink and looked at the empty glass thoughtfully. “This is our place, isn’t it? Nobody knows about this place, but us. Nobody can find me here, but you. So I’ve been waiting for you here.” She smiled at him. “Chase.”