GUILTY OF LOVE

Six

ROSA's POV

Although the day was hot like I was being roasted in an oven, the night was chill. It was 9:45pm, no one was here yet. I was standing outside my house with a flashlight in hand. I haven't eaten since the pizza and I was starving but I couldn't really eat with the mood in the house although there was more than enough food in the house. I had gotten the approval i needed from the sheriff to conduct a search party for David. He set the time of the search party to be 10pm and I had spread the information. I had on a bright pink off-shoulder blouse on a blue crazy denim trouser with boots on. My hair was packed in a ponytail with a pink bow on it. I didn't wear any makeup though, just had on a cherry lip gloss which doesn't count as make up to me because I don't want chapped lips.

I kept on calling my best friends but they weren't picking up their calls. I left like a dozens voice notes asking about their whereabouts.

I was very nervous. It was 9:51pm now and no one was here. Mama and Junior were not even ready yet.

Finally someone was approaching me with a flashlight pointed directly at my face.

"Dad always told me punctuality is key. I guess same goes for you".

It was Norman. He put his flashlight off and had a big grin on his face. It was cute but annoying. He was in a grey v-neck top and black jean trousers. God, he look hot in grey. Grey is actually my best colour and he rocked that colour more than Will.

"Rosa!", he shook my shoulders jolting me back into reality.

"Yeah?" I answered absolutely confused

"I was apologizing, you know? You seemed lost...", he said while sticking his hands in his pocket, looking embarrassed.

"You can't get out of my bad list easily", I said bluntly checking the time again on my phone. The time was moving really slow.

"You have a bad list?" he said laughing but when he saw that I wasn't laughing, he cleared his throat and stood up straight, his hands still in his pocket. He was by my side now.

"We got off on the wrong foot..." He started to say but I rudely interrupted him.

"You know that's exactly what I said to you yesterday night till you literally threw me out of your house"

"What I'm trying to say is sorry. Okay? Try and see things from my point of view. I just got dumped here in Darwins by my dad and step mom because they want some alone time. I got here and almost stabbed by my hot new neighbour in my grandma's house. How do you expect me to react?" he snapped.

He thinks I'm hot? That's new... No one has ever called me hot before. Not even Will, and we've been dating on and off for over 5 years now.

"I thought you were a burglar. I was just checking up on Mrs Smith...", I said but he didn't let me finish

"I know that now but I didn't then..."

"I waved this morning too, you shut your curtains in my face"

"Actually I was still angry about last night but I can't stay mad at someone who just experienced a tragedy"

"I'll think about your apology, if it should be accepted..." I finally said

"You also owe me an apology"

"For?"

"For almost stabbing me", he said out loud.

"But I didn't stab you. You're still alive so I don't owe you any apology, asshole." I said with a smirk on.

He was about to say something but the sheriff's car just pulled up so I ran off to meet him.

Steve came down from his dad's car with a torch, his school bag and his sleep over bag

"Dad is letting me sleepover."

I hugged him tightly

"I thought no one would show up"

"Even if no one does, your best friends will always have your back." he reassured me

______________________________

"David... David... Dave, where are you?", we were all yelling

Many people turned up for the search party. Claire and Mr Topper were a little late, Will didn't show at all. Maddy came with her mom, Norman joined the search party. Some of Junior's college friends came later that day and they also joined the search party.

We divided ourselves into three groups in order to cover more grounds since we don't have any other clue of where David might be if he was lost and not missing.

"Sheriff, can i have a word with you?" I said

"Sure..."

"Any updates about the case? We have CCTv cameras around the store and in the store. Have you checked them out?"

He looked at me surprised at my questions.

"Well, I got the clips of a week from the incident to that whole day both inside and outside the store and in surrounding stores in order to watch for suspicious activities during the week."

"Have you noticed anything?" I asked

"The day the incident took place, all the CCTv cameras on Maple street were disabled."

Disabled?

"I've been thinking about it. Is it possible that David was kidnapped?"

"I don't think that he was kidnapped. I know he was kidnapped", he clarified and walked faster to continue leading the search party.

"Hey new guy", I called out to him.

"I have a name", he said while waiting for me to catch up with him. We were in the woods leading out of Darwins

"Apology accepted", I said and walked faster

He jogged a little to catch up with me. When he was finally by my side, he continued watching me. I could feel his eyes on my skin, watching my lips. What sort of magic does he do? Just his eyes movement on my skin gave me butterflies.

"You are staring"

"What?" he asked

"Stop staring", I repeated

"I can't"

"I can feel your eyes on me", I said

"You are beautiful", he said

"I have a boyfriend"

"I know", he said

"So stop drooling", I said and walked faster until I couldn't hear his chuckles anymore and then I continued walking at my normal pace calling out to David with everyone else but no response.

"Thank you all for joining us for the search party. We truly appreciate as we had a crowd and it was short notice...", Juinor was giving a speech to everyone who came to help us out at the search party. Mama was standing next to him, wiping her tears with a tissue. I just walked past them and went straight to my room. Claire and Steve came up later too with their sleep over bags.

I was already in my silk yellow pyjamas lying on my bed.

"We missed you downstairs", Steve said to me

"Yeah, no event is ever complete without you there", Claire added

"It wasn't a good event. It wasn't a party... it was a David's thing", I said the last words in disgust.

"I'm starving", I added and went out of the room leaving them.

Two of Junior's friends were drinking beer straight out of the bottle when I entered the kitchen.

"Hey", one said

"Rosa, right?", the other asked

"Yes", I replied and opened the fridge. So many dishes were there. I then remembered they were brought because of David. I know I should feel bad and lay David off for a while because he's missing but I guess my hatred for him can't see through this. So I took out two beers instead.

"I'm Greg"

"Kelvin"

"Nice to meet you", I winked at them and left them.

Junior was in the sitting room with his other friends. When he saw me walking to the door, he sprung up immediately

"Where do you think you're going to at this time of the night?", Junior asked

"Don't wait up for me", I said and walked out.

I went to Mrs Smith's and knocked for like 10 minutes. Norman opened in his pyjamas. Did I wake him up? Well, no going back now...

"You again?" he sounded surprised to see me

"Want to drink with me?", I raised one bottle up

"Sure, come in"

I stepped into the warmth of his house. He took one bottle from my hand and then took that hand where I held his bottle of beer and led me up the stairs until we got to a door. He pushed it lightly and walked in, I followed him in. It was his room. The lights were on. The room was painted blue. He had a punching bag and a pull up pole at one side of the room. His room was neat, his bed was clothes free unlike Will's bedroom. His books were arranged in a shelf next to his reading table that had a lamp, pen holder, paper weight and laptop. He had a guitar close to his bed.

"You play?", I asked while sitting on his bed

"Sure." He opened my bottle and then his and then we took a gulp.

"Play something for me"

"It's been long since I last played."

"Please...", I pleaded

"No"

"Please...", I blinked sheepishly

"Doesn't work on me", he laughed

"You are no fun..." I said making a sad face

"Only because you forgave me today", he chuckled

He walked over to get the guitar. He tuned it and sat on the bed next to me.

OVER AND OVER AGAIN

From the way you smile

To the way you look

You capture me unlike no other

From the first hello

Yeah, that's all it took

And suddenly we had each other

I won't leave you

Always be true

One plus one, two for life

Over and over again

Chorus

So, don't ever think i need more

I've got the one to live for

No one else will do

And I'm telling you

Just put your heart in my hands

Promise it won't get broken

We'll never forget this moment

We will stay brand-new

'Cause I love you

Over and over again

Over and over again

Over and over again

By:Nathan Sykes

"That was really good", I gave him a standing ovation. He stood to bow, "Thank you...thank you"

"That was really really good. Who taught you to play like that?", I asked

"My mom", his smile suddenly disappeared

"I also play the piano and cello", he added

"I would love to hear you play but that will have to be another day. I kind of left my sleepover to come here", I stood up to leave.

"Oh... okay. I'll walk you downstairs" he said as we left room.

"I won't be going to school tomorrow"

"Can you come over... to my house after school tomorrow... with notes from school... so I can write them down?" I added

"Sure..."

"So see you tomorrow"

The rest of the evening went smoothly. I got back home 1:45am, Claire and Steve were already asleep in my bed. There was enough space for me in the middle though.

I first washed my hands and face and then applied aloe vera gel on my face. Then I went to Junior's room, lightly knocked twice before opening the door. Junior was sitting on the bed

"You want something?", he asked

"I need something to knock me out, man. You know, to take the edge out"

He then opened his drawer and opened a medicine bottle. He gave me two blue pills.

"These should do the work"

"Thanks bro"

"You give your sister drugs?" Greg asked

Step brother, moron.

"You'll soon have to start paying up for more drugs", Junior told me

"No problem", I told Junior

"Switch off the room light on your way out", Junior said

"Good night boys"

When I got back to my room, i first swallowed drugs and then I tried to get in the middle of Claire and Steve on the bed without waking them up but my efforts were futile.

"Where have you been?" Claire asked sleeping

"You ditched us", Steve accused me

"I'm sorry, I needed to be alone for a while", I apologized

"Will called. He apologised for not coming for the search party", Steve said

"He also sent out invites for his party on Saturday" He added

"Guess the name of the party...", Claire joked

"I hate guessing"

"Summer falls. I think your boyfriend needs to learn a thing or two about naming parties", Claire squealed a little while mentioning the name of the party

"I think it's a cool name", I decided to support Will.

"It's a pool party", Steve added. We all laughed at the name of the party for about a minute.

"I don't think I can go", I said yawning

Then we all cuddled each other under the duvet in order to pet me that was in the middle. It's something we've always done when one of us experiences a tragedy. That warm feeling of being loved was that thing I felt before I slept.