Nico threw the door open, rushing inside and Zane following closely behind, closing the door behind him. Nico spun around, looking at him with a game plan forming in her head. Nico stepped towards him and placed a hand on his shoulder, giving him a small smile.
"Okay, so I am going to change out of these clothes and grab some things that we might need, and then we can go. You have your car, right?" Nico asked.
"Yea, but my dad took the keys to prevent me from going back there," Zane said.
"Oh, then we can take my bike," Nico said, turning around, walking toward the steps, and began to walk up the stairs.
"Are you sure?" Zane asked, and Nico stopped turned around, looking back a Zane.
"Yea, why you scared?" Nico asked, smirking at Zane.
"What, no. I just- just go, we don't have all day," Zane said, looking away from Nico feeling the heat rush to her face. Nico laughed and continued walking up the stairs leaving a pouting Zane alone.
Once Nico was out of sight, Zane began to pace with a troubled look on his face. The only thing that ran through Zane's mind was what he saw last night and if they would see that thing again. Zane would be lying if he said he wasn't frightened; he is more afraid now that Nico was with him. Even though Nico's idea was to go back, Zane felt worried that he would never forgive himself if she got hurt. As Zane's pacing continued, he was suddenly pulled out of his thoughts when he heard a knock on the front door.
"Hey, Zane, can you get that for me?" Nico shouting from upstairs.
"Okay, I got it," Zane shouted out and walked over toward the door. Zane opened the door and was met with Nico's friend Nate standing on the other side of the door staring at him with a look of bewilderment edge onto his face.
"Zane? What the hell are you doing here?" Nate questioned.
"I-" Zane began, but Nate never gave him a chance as he shoved himself inside the house.
"Nico! Nico, where are you!" Nate yelled, looking around. Nico came racing down the hall stopping at the top of the steps staring down at Zane and Nate, surprised.
"Nate? What are you doing here?" Nico asked, walking down the steps, not taking her eyes off Nate, who was clearly upset.
"No, no, no, the real question is what is he doing here?" Nate questioned, pointing at Zane, who was shutting the door. Nico shifted her gaze from Nate to Zane, who looked at her as confused as she was.
"We took the day off," Nico said, looking back at Nate.
"Why, what is going on?" Nate questioned. Zane sighed, leaning on the door with his arms crossed.
"Didn't anybody tell you what happened?" Zane responded.
"Told me what?" Nate asked, looking over at Zane.
"You know Emma Silvers?" Nico asked, and Nate looked at Nico with an uneasy look on his face.
"Yea, she's in drama club with me. She's been missing since last week," Nate responded.
"Well, she was found last night," Nico said.
"Oh, okay, where was she?" Nate asked.
"Nico found her dead in the woods on Oakwood Road," Zane responded, crossing his arms briefly looking over at Nico's somber expression knowing that it was still hard for her.
Nate fell silent, his expression getting dark. He shook his head and walked into Nico's living room, hunkering down on the sofa muttering something under his breath. Nico glanced over at Zane, who was looking at her just as confused as she was. The two walked into the living room, walking up to the couch where Nate was, sitting next to him at opposites' sides. Now Nico feeling more worried about how her friend was reacting.
"Nate, are you all right?" Nico asked, placing a hand on his shoulder. Nate groaned, covering his face shaking his head before running his hands through his hair, staring at his lap.
"This is all my fault," Nate responded to himself.
"Nate, no, it is not. You didn't know what was going on," Nico replied, and Nate snapped his head to Nico with tears in his eyes.
"But, I did," Nate declared.
"What do you mean, Nate?" Nico question.
Nate shot up from where he was sitting, shuffling to the center of the room, and began to pace in front of them, mumbling to himself. Zane and Nico shifted closer to each other, watching Nate and the stressed look he had portrayed across his face.
"Um, are you okay, man?" Zane said, and Nate froze in place, glancing over at the two.
"Where did you find her?" Nate asked.
"In the woods," Zane replied, and Nate rolled his eyes.
"Obviously. Where in the woods?" Nate demanded.
"I am not sure. Nico, where was she?" Zane asked, looking over at Nico.
"Um," Nico started.
"Was it by a clearing with four stone pillars in the center of this clearing?" Nate asked.
"How do you know about that?" Nico questioned, getting up from the couch. Nate shook his head and resumed his pacing.
"I told her not to go back. Why would she just listen to me?" Nate said to himself. Nico walked in front of Nate, obstructing his path.
"Nate, what do you know?" Nico asked slowly.
Nate looked at her with panic in his eyes, Zane walked up to Nate, and he turned his head, staring at the two before sighing, wandering back to the couch, hunkering down, beginning to fiddle with his thumbs. Nico and Zane shared a glance before turning to Nate, watching him covering his face for a bit before running a hand down his face looking at the ground shifting his gaze towards the hardwood floor.
"A week before Emma disappeared, she was behaving really unusual," Nate stated softly.
"Unusual how?" Nico asked.
"Emma would show up to practice late with dark circles under her eyes like she hadn't slept in weeks. She was also very restless whenever someone would try to talk to her or when she was reenacting lines," Nate said.
"Did she tell anyone besides you anything?" Zane questioned, and Nate shook his head.
"No, Emma didn't tell anyone in the drama club. I didn't know for a while until one day I saw her walking into the woods looking frantic, so I decided to follow her to see what made her so freaked out and that when I saw Emma in that clearing. I observed her study those pillars like she was searching for something," Nate said, gazing at Zane.
"What happened after that?" Zane questioned.
"Well, I started to walk away, and I stepped on a twig, and she caught me, and Emma started to panic. Emma was always the calm one, even during showtime, but this- this was different. She started to scream at me to leave, stating that I was not safe," Nate stated, letting out a shaky breath gripping his hands so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
"Not safe? Not safe from what?" Zane urged Nate to continued.
"I- I don't know. Emma told me that she was being watched and that anyone close to her was in danger," Nate said.
"Did she tell you who?" Zane asked, and Nate shook his head.
"No, but she said that they needed her," Nate said.
"They needed her for what?" Nico asked.
"I don't know, but Emma said that she saw the person who was following her going into the woods after practice, so she followed them, trying to catch them and find out why they were following her," Nate said.
"What happened to the person she was following?" Zane asked, crossing his arms.
"She said that he was gone by the time she reached that clearing." Zane fell silent, and Nate continued. "I convinced her to go home that day instead of staying out here chasing something that is not there and that she should go to the police about her being followed, and she agreed, but I should have known that she was lying to me because later that night, I received a call from her," Nate said shaking his head.
"What did she say?" Zane asked.
"Emma told me that she saw the same person now watching her from her window. Emma said she went to get her mom, but when she came back, they were gone. She said that she had enough and went to confront them," Nate said.
"Why did she called the police?" Zane asked.
"I told her that, but she would listen. She insisted that she was going to end tonight," Nate said.
"Did she tell you anything else?" Nico asked.
"Yeah, she said that if anything happens, then tell the cops everything she told me and urge them to go back into the clearing. If I told them in the first place, then maybe she would still be alive," Nate said, putting his head in his hands.
"Why would she tell you to go to the clearing?" Zane asked.
"I don't know," Nate replied.
"Did she say anything else?" Nico asked, sitting next to Nate.
"No, because the call cut out," Nate said, looking over at Nico.
"Why didn't you go to the police about this when you found out that she was missing?" Zane asked, and Nate stared at the ground and sighed.
"Two days ago, I received a letter from Emma saying that she was okay and she had to get away and asked me not to tell anyone," Nate said.
"Do you still have the letter?" Nico asked.
"No," Nate said, shaking his head looking over at Nico.
"Okay, so we have to go back and see what she was talking about," Nico said.
"No, I don't think so," Zane said, and Nico whipped her up to Zane.
"What do you mean no?" Nico said, getting up marching up to Zane.
"I mean no, Nico. What we should do is go to the police with this information," Zane said in a firm tone.
"And what are they going to do, Zane? They are going to turn us away the moment we give them this story," Nico stated.
"Nico, you don't know that," Zane shouted.
"Yes, I do, Zane! If we told them that we knew something about Emma's disappearance, they would either turn us away thinking that we are just a bunch of kids pranking them or think we did something to Emma and put us on a suspect list. It is better to go do this ourselves," Nico shouted back.
"Aren't you forgetting that Emma was found dead near that clearing, and you want to go back? Also, that thing out there probably killed Emma, and it's probably going to kill again. Are you crazy?" Zane yelled.
"Maybe I am Zane, but I am not going to sit here thinking that there is nothing I could do when I could do something about it," Nico screamed.
"Why are you so difficult about this? You are safer here," Zane countered, glaring at Nico.
"I am going," Nico said, not faltering.
"No, Nico, it is better to just go to the police," Zane spoke in a firm tone.
"How about we just take a breath-," Nate said from the couch, looking at the angry two.
"Quiet!" Nico and Zane yelled at the same time, looking at Nate before glaring at each other.
"Listen, I am going. With or without you," Nico stated, crossing her arms.
"What is going on here!" Nico and Zane heard.
They turned their heads, looking at Evan, who was standing behind the couch with a confused yet angry look on his face. Evan glanced down at his boyfriend, who was looking at his tear-stained face. Evan looked at the other two with anger in his eyes.
"So no one is going to say anything?" Evan said, switching his gaze from Nate to Nico, finally settling on Zane.
"Honey, we were talking about Emily," Nate said, and Evan looked down at him.
"Oh yeah, where is she?" Evan said, and a grim look painted across his face before looking at the ground. Evan looked at Nate, and it clicked, and Evan snapped his head towards Zane.
"What is going on here, Peters?" Evan said.
"What are you doing here, Towns?" Zane said, and Nate and Nico turned to Zane.
"How about you answer mine, and I will answer yours," Evan angrily stated.
Zane pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing, and Nate and Nico were switching their look from Zane to Evan.
"Wait a second, how do you guys know each other?" Nate asked.
"My dad and his Uncle work together," Zane said, crossing his arms. Nico and Nate sat there for a moment, and suddenly it clicked for Nate, and he turned to Evan.
"Towns. Your uncle is the lieutenant," Nate said, turning to his boyfriend, and Evan nodded his head.
"Wow, what are the odds?" Nate said, looking over at Nico, who was shaking her head.
"Low. Really low," Nico said.
"I thought you would have known Nico," Evan said, looking over at Nico.
"What, why me?" Nico asked, confused.
"Well, from what Zane tells me, I thought you knew because you guys-" Evan started but cut off by was stopped by Zane rushing over to Evan, throwing a hand over his mouth.
"Are friends! Nico and I are just friends, and you still didn't tell me why you are here," Zane said, slowly withdrawing his hand from Evan's mouth.
"Well, Nate asked me to drive him to Nico's house because he was worried for her because she wasn't in the first period," Evan said, crossing his arms.
"Wait, it's ten o'clock. You cut school to come to check up on me?" Nico said, glancing at the clock before looking at Nate, annoyed.
"Oh, come on, you would do the same for me?" Nate said.
"No, Nate, because I know that I could just text you and see you after school instead of cutting. You know your parents are gonna kill you when they find out?" Nico said, crossing her arm, rolling her eyes at Nate.
"I mean, they would if they had any cell service on their cruise," Nate said, playing with his fingers, and Nico huffed, sitting next to him.
"You know I tried to talk him out of it, but you know how he is," Evan said, looking over at Nico.
"Yeah, I do. And I do know that if you do what Nate wants, you get something in return, so what I want to know is what did Nate promise you?" Nico asked. Nico stared at Evan, and he coughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Well um-," Evan started, and Nico held her hand up at him.
"You know what, I don't want to know," Nico said, waving him off before crossing her arms.
"So tell me what the screaming match was about," Evan asked, shifting the conversation.
"Nico and Zane were arguing about going back into the woods where Emma got killed," Nate said, and Zane looked over at him, annoyed.
"Yea, and we are not going," Zane stated.
"I agree with Zane. Babe, my uncle, was telling me that that area is dangerous and to not go there. I think it is best to stay here and tell my uncle," Evan said, crossing his arms. Nate groaned out in frustration and shot up, looking at his boyfriend and his best friend, angry.
"Look, any other time, I would probably agree with you, but Emma was my friend. I could have done something, but I didn't because I was afraid, but if my best friend is going to risk her life to find out what happened to someone she doesn't even know, then I am not going to sit by at let her get hurt," Nate said, looking over at Nico.
"Do you hear yourself? You sound just like crazy over here," Zane said, throwing a hand towards Nico.
"Nico is my best friend. If she told me that she was going to rob a bank, then I would do it without any hesitation," Nate stood by Nico's side. "Because we are a team," Nate said, glancing over at Nico, giving her a smile. Zane groaned out in frustration because now he has to deal with two stubborn people.
"Okay, let's say that you are going to go. How are you going to get there?" Evan asked, looking down at the pair.
"Well, I was hoping you would take us there?" Nate said, giving Evan the puppy dog eyes, and Evan stood there unfazed.
"Yeah, that is not going to happen," Evan said, and Evan huffed.
"How about I give you another option either you take us and make sure that we are okay or, Nico and I could go on her bike, and you two can stay here being worried sick. The choice is yours," Nate said. Nate stared Evan down, and Evan finally broke down, running a hand down his face, groaning in frustration.
"Fine, but when things don't feel right, we are leaving. Got that?" Evan said, and Zane looked over at him.
"Evan, are you serious?" Zane retorted.
"Look, Zane, let's be realistic. Does it even matter what we said or did because I believe that they were going to do it anyway," Evan said to Zane, who crossed his arms and huffed.
"Great, I am glad that we can come to an agreement. We'll be in the car," Nate grabbed Nico's wrist, pulling her up, and walked towards Evan kissing his cheek. "And I will keep to my promise that I made to you earlier," Nate said, winking at Evan before walking out of the house with Nico close behind, who was grabbing her backpack before walking out the door with Nate. Zane and Evan stood there. Zane looked over at Evan, who was blushing hard, and he shook his head. Evan looked at Zane, who was shaking his head from the corner of his eye.
"What?" Evan asked, turning to Zane.
"Nothing. I was just wondering what was it that Nate promised you to have you acting like that?" Zane said, rubbing his chin.
"Shut up, let's go," Evan said, walking towards the door with Zane behind him.
Evan walked out the door, and Zane stopped in the doorway, sigh one last time, really regretting offering to go to the woods in the first place before walking out, closing the door behind him.