Research On You

Chapter 13 : The Five Days He Went Went Quiet

I didn’t see Theodore Alistair for five days.

He just vanished.

Friday morning I went to Rel’s at 7:40 AM like always. Two coffees. Black for me. Caramel for him. I sat in our corner and waited.

8:00 came and went.

8:30 came and went.

9:00 and Rel was already giving me that look.

"Where’s your boy?" she asked.

"I don’t know," I said. "Maybe he overslept."

But Theo never overslept. Not for class. Not for me.

I texted him. morning?

Delivered. Not read.

In Prof Celes’ class his seat next to me was empty. Cold. She noticed.

"Where’s Mr Alistair?" she asked.

"I don’t know, ma'am," I said. My voice was too quiet.

After class I called. It rang. No answer.

I texted again. are you okay

Delivered. Not read.

By 3 PM I was outside his dorm. Room 108. I knocked and knocked.

His roommate opened the door, annoyed. "What?"

"Is Theo here?"

"Haven’t seen him since yesterday night," he said. "He said he had to go to the hospital. For his Lolo. Left with a bag."

"A bag?"

"Yeah. Overnight bag."

My stomach dropped. "Which hospital?"

"Dunno. He didn’t say."

I went home and sat on my floor. theo please. i’m worried.

Delivered. Not read.

The group chat was dead.

Sera: have you seen him

Me: no

Cass: no

Eli: no

That night I didn’t sleep. I kept checking my phone.

Saturday I went everywhere.

Rel’s was empty. Rel gave me tea. "He’ll come back, kid."

The library. Our table was empty.

The garden. Our bench was cold.

I went to St Luke’s because that’s where he said his Lolo was. I asked at the desk. They couldn’t tell me anything. I walked the halls and looked through windows. No Theo.

That night. Theo. Where are you. Please.

Delivered. Not read.

Sunday Prof Celes called me.

"Reyes. I’m concerned about Alistair. He’s missed his appointment. Have you heard from him?"

"No, ma'am," I whispered.

"I hope he’s alright," she said.

"Me too," I said.

I went back to his dorm. Knocked until my hands hurt. His roommate said he saw Theo leave early Friday with a bag. Said he looked tired. Really tired.

I sat outside Rel’s until closing. Rel sat with me and didn’t talk. Just refilled my tea.

That night I sent him everything. Theo. I’m not mad. I’m just scared. Please tell me you’re okay. Please tell me you’re safe. I don’t care about the paper. Just tell me you’re okay.

Delivered. Not read.

Late that night Eli messaged. someone saw him at the bus terminal friday night

going where

idk. he looked sick. like really sick.

I didn’t sleep.

Monday. Tuesday. Wednesday.

Nothing.

No posts. No seen. No calls.

Sera and I went to the police but they said he was 22.

Cass checked hospitals. Nothing.

Eli asked everyone. No one saw him.

I stopped eating. I just sat in our corner at Rel’s and waited.

Thursday night at 11 PM my phone buzzed.

can you come over

now?

please

It was him.

I ran.

He opened the door and I almost didn’t recognize him.

Same blue shirt but it was loose on him now. Dark circles. Pale. He looked exhausted. Like he hadn’t slept in days.

"Where were you?" I asked. My voice cracked.

He didn’t answer. He just pulled me in and hugged me. Tight. Shaking.

"I’m sorry," he whispered into my hair. "I’m so sorry."

"Five days," I said, crying. "Five days, Theo."

"I know," he said. "I’m sorry."

We sat on the floor.

"What happened?" I asked.

He took a deep breath. Wouldn’t look at me.

"It’s Lolo," he said. His voice was hoarse. "He got worse. Really worse. I had to be there. With him. At the hospital."

"Which hospital?" I asked.

"St Luke’s," he said too fast. "And then another one. They were transferring him. It was... it was bad."

"Why didn’t you tell me?" I asked. "Why didn’t you text me back?"

"Because I didn’t want you to worry," he said. "And I didn’t want you to see me like this. I’ve been running back and forth. I haven’t slept. I’m sorry."

He looked terrible. But I believed him. Because he was Theo. And because I wanted to believe him.

"Is he okay?" I asked.

"He’s stable," Theo said. "For now. They’re doing tests. A lot of tests."

"Can I see him?" I asked.

"Not yet," he said quickly. "He’s not up for visitors. He’s really weak. But he’s asking about you."

I nodded. I wanted to hug him again but he pulled back.

"I’m sorry I left like that," he said. "I panicked. I didn’t know what to do."

"It’s okay," I said. Even though it wasn’t. "Just don’t disappear again. Please."

"I won’t," he said.

But he was lying.

In the weeks after he came back, he was different. Quieter. More hospital visits. More "I have to go see Lolo" texts. More days where he looked pale and tired.

Sera started bringing him food. Cass started walking him to class. Eli stopped asking for pictures. Prof Celes gave him extensions. Rel started making him tea instead of coffee.

No one questioned it. Because who questions someone taking care of their sick Lolo.

Two weeks later at 11 PM he texted. can you come over

I went.

He was on the floor with a manila folder in his lap. His name on it. Unopened.

"I got the results," he said.

I sat next to him.

"And?" I asked.

"About Lolo," he said. "They’re not good."

"Can I see?" I asked, reaching for it.

He pulled it away. "Not yet. I haven’t read them myself. I’m scared."

"Theo," I said.

"I just need time," he said. "Okay?"

"Okay," I said. Even though my chest hurt.

He put the folder down and leaned on me.

Before I fell asleep I opened my notebook.

Pink for introduction. Blue for literature review. Yellow for methodology. Green for results.

Purple for unexpected.

Under purple I wrote: the five days he went quiet. The hospital. The folder he won’t open.

I don’t know what’s inside.

But I know he’s hiding something.

My phone buzzed.

Theo: thank you for not giving up on me

Me: thank you for coming back