Ch. 31: Without A Trace

Among her new friends Myra is carefree again, but rash decisions and bad timing make for devastating consequences.

At five o'clock on the dot the boys were ready to go. We all piled in and headed to the convention hall and to everyones excitement the freeway was already jam packed full of fellow concert goers.

 

"This is going to be huge," Nick said from the front as he stared wide eyed out the window.

 

"Told you. All the artists are coming together to give us a Fourth of July weekend we'll never forget," Scott said and everyone wooted in agreement.

 

Eliza did seem better, but she was withdrawn. Once we were alone I vowed to ask her about her outburst this morning. Right now I joined in the festive fun of the moment and before I knew it we were all getting out and going to the ticket stand. Once in we all bought way too much to eat, and drink and Cameron had spent enough money on souvenirs to supply a small army in Kuwait.

 

The concert went off without a hitch. Amber screamed so loud that I knew in the morning her voice would be gone. Violetta was picked to on stage and in a drunken display she flashed her b***s for the audience to see. She was cheered on and the lead guitarist asked for her to meet him backstage.

 

Jimmy stood to my right and more than once during the concert he took my hand and held it for awhile, but he always let go. Eliza was to my left and she was joining in on the festivities too. Drinks were freely served to us without ID's being looked at. We were all tipsy, some more than others, when we finally left at two a.m. to head back to the motel.

 

Violetta joined us in the parking lot after many unanswered calls to her phone. While we were waiting for her a bunch of us chilled with other people who had been at the concert. Eliza made nice with a guy who wore a Mohawk and I encouraged her to exchange numbers with him.

 

Jimmy stuck to me the entire night and right there in the parking lot he started kissing me on my neck. I was shocked, but it felt so good.

 

"I want you," Jimmy whispered in my ear and I could smell the beer on his breath.

 

Everyone was too busy talking to notice us.

 

"Not here," was all I managed to say.

 

"Let me come to your room," Jimmy said as he nibbled on my ear.

 

"I don't know," was all I managed to say.

 

That's when Cameron came over looked at Jimmy and laughed. Then he told us we were leaving because Violetta was back.

 

Inside the Expedition I sat next to Eliza who was going on and on about the guy she just met and how he lived in the city not too far from us. Jimmy kept looking back at me and I knew I had to find a way to get Eliza to let us have the room to ourselves. To my delight she let me know that Walter, the guy she'd just met, was staying in a motel near ours and he was following us so that she could go with him to his room.

 

"I really like him, would it be bad to go with him?" Eliza asked me and in my deep thought I told her no.

 

When we pulled into our spot Jimmy joined as Eliza told us all goodnight and got into the guy's car.

 

"Are you ready?" Jimmy asked me as he swayed slightly to the left.

 

"Yes come on," I said as Jimmy and I joined hands and I fumbled with the key.

 

By the time we burst in Jimmy and I were making out heavily. He shot the door with is leg as I took my shirt and pants off. Jimmy was in his boxers as we hit the bed awkwardly and rolled off and onto the floor. We started laughing and then Jimmy slid my underwear off. Before I knew it Jimmy was deep inside of me. Everything was happening so fast and my head was spinning as Jimmy flipped me onto my knees so that I would be on top.

 

His hands were all over me and he was whispering things to me that I'd never heard before. When I came Jimmy moved me to the bottom and continued until he came.

 

We were both breathing really hard as Jimmy rolled to my side.

 

"Take off your bra," Jimmy told me and I did so while he went to work on my most sensitive areas.

 

Soon enough we were at it again, but after we were done we moved to the bed and got under covers. When I heard Jimmy snore I went to my phone which was in my purse on my side of the bed. I had eight missed calls and a like ten text messages. Mom had been calling me since nine PM and the texts were all from David. I didn't have the heart to answer David so I sent a text message to mom confirming that it was me and telling her I'd call her when I woke up. When I looked at the clock it was near five AM. I went back to my pillow and was asleep before I knew it.

 

Before I knew it Jimmy was on me and we were at it again. I fell into a deep sleep right after that and didn't wake up until the loud banging started again. Jimmy was out of the bed before me and I covered myself up with the blanket.

 

"We got to get out of here," it was Cameron and he had a big pair of sunglasses on.

 

"What's going on?" Jimmy asked, but I didn't look anymore because the sun was giving me a headache.

 

"Check out time is at eleven and it's already ten-forty five," Cameron said and then Jimmy closed the door.

 

I was already out of bed and I ran to the bathroom. I started the shower as I sat on the toilet. I knew there was only fifteen minutes to leave, but I had to wash the scent of Jimmy off of me. I felt so guilty as I remembered David and the way things were progressing between us.

 

Once I got out I dried off as Jimmy knocked on the door. He needed to use the bathroom. I exited without looking at him and then I got dressed. I lotioned my hands and faced and then grabbed my phone. When I looked at the time I saw it was only ten-thirty and grew annoyed at Cameron's bluff.

 

I dialed Eliza's number, but it went straight to the voice mail. I left her a message saying it was time to go and that I hoped she was having fun.

 

I heard the shower going and knew Jimmy was washing off too. Again a huge wave of guilt hit me, but I tried to block it out as I did my hair and then packed my things up.

 

When Jimmy came out he spoke to me:

 

"I know that you already have a guy so I'm not going to push you into dating me," he said as he looked at the floor.

 

"Ok," was all I could respond with.

 

Jimmy put on his clothes and left. By ten-fifty AM when I hadn't heard from Eliza I called her, but again I got her voice mail after the first ring.

 

I was growing concerned because all her things were in the room. I decided to pack up for her and then move it into Cameron's car just in case she showed up as we were leaving.

 

At eleven AM everyone was outside ready to go.

 

"Where Eliza?" Amber asked and she had sunglasses on too.

 

"I don't know her phone is off," I answered as I put her things in the back.

 

Everyone looked concerned, but Cameron said if she showed up and we were gone she'd probably have the guy take her back to the city.

 

It was a lonely ride home without Eliza. I checked my cell phone constantly for a call or text message from her along the way, but nothing came in. When we pulled into Pinewood Acres it was a little after one PM. Cameron dropped me off by the park and I left Eliza's things in his trunk. I waved goodbye to everyone, especially Jimmy and then walked back to my house. People who I hadn't seen since the whole debacle began were milling around in the driveway with loud music going from the garage. There was trash scattered all over the front long and Kevin was in the middle of the crowd enjoying the limelight.

 

When they saw me approach all the whispering began and I darted my eyes from face to face hoping to see neither Langston or Rick. When I got close someone shouted, "the w***e is back," and snickers flowed through the crowd.

 

"Move the f**k out of my way all of you!" I screamed at them and they all parted from out my way.

 

Kevin was staring at me as some girl, wearing only a bikini top and a shirt, gyrated on him to the music that played.

 

Through the garage I went into the kitchen. People were everywhere and most seemed to pay me no mind. I climbed the stairs and went into my room. I set my bags down and then went to the bathroom. When I came back I plugged my phone into the wall to charge. I called mom's phone to let her know I was home.

 

"Myra, where were you?" Mom asked after two rings.

 

"I was with David," I told her as I took my shoes off and went to my drawer to get some shorts.

 

"No you weren't! David came over last night looking for you!" Mom screamed into the phone and once again my strange day was getting worse.

 

"Oh my God, so what is he spying on me now!" I said faking anger and trying to divert the conversation.

 

"That's not the point, I stayed up until three AM waiting for you to return my calls or text me and you didn't. I had to take a Vicodin to go to bed and by the grace of God you came out of your little selfish spurt and text messaged me so I knew you were safe. Where in the hell were you?" Mom demanded to know and I knew that even if I hung up I couldn't go without answering that question.

 

"I was with some friends," I admitted, but mom was still vehement.

 

"What the hell do you mean friends? What friends? It couldn't be your school friends because you've tainted every friendship you've had!" Mom screamed and I'm sure wherever she was there was scene being caused.

 

"They're friends that live in the neighborhood. We went to a concert," I explained in a calm voice as I fought back tears.

 

"Yes and you lied to me and you lied to David, Myra what is getting into you?" mom wanted to know and honestly I couldn't tell her.

 

"I'm safe. I'm back home. There's some type of party going on though," I let her know.

 

"I'm aware of the party. I told the boys it was ok. Last night I stayed up waiting for you to come home so we could watch fireworks and you didn't even bother to text me that you were ok. Do you know what that does to a mother to know her daughter might be somewhere dead?" Mom asked me, but she was more rambling on to herself than anything.

 

"I don't know," I told her giving up and letting the tears flow.

 

"Oh my, I'm sorry it's just I'm upset. I was so worried and now I'm relieved that you're ok and safe at home," Mom said softly as she heard my tears.

 

"I won't leave. I promise," I told her as I laid my head back on my pillow.

 

"Good and I should be home before dinner. Don't let the party get too rowdy," Mom said as she hung the phone up.

 

I was still crying as I closed my eyes. I was exhausted from what Jimmy and I had done and I couldn't help, but be a little concerned about Eliza's failure to call or ride back with us. The mornings events replayed over and over in my head and again shame crept over me and sucked me down into the abyss with it.

 

When I woke up my phone was buzzing in my hand. It was Jimmy calling. I answered, "Hello?" I asked as I tried to drown out the noise of the party down below.

 

"Hey has Eliza called you?" Jimmy asked me.

 

"No, why has she called you?" I asked sitting up.

 

"No and she hasn't called anyone in the crew either," Jimmy told me and suddenly my stomach knotted up.

 

"Have you tried her phone?" I asked looking at my clock and seeing that it was a little after six PM.

 

"Yes and it's turned off," Jimmy said and I could hear him typing.

 

"Has she logged into her MySpace page?" I asked as I went to my closet to get the laptop.

 

"That would be a negative. She hasn't been on since the day we left. If she's not back by midnight her aunt is calling the police," Jimmy told me and I began to feel nauseated.

 

"How do you know?" I asked wondering how he could remain so calm.

 

"Her aunt called Amber's phone wondering where she was. Amber made up a lie and said we were all headed back home tonight, but then Eliza's aunt said she saw Violetta arrive home this afternoon and she knows Eliza wouldn't be anywhere without us," Jimmy explained to me as I sat at my desk and started the laptop.

 

"Eliza and Violetta are neighbors?" I asked because that was news to me.

 

"Yes, they live across from each other. This could get bad. Eliza has runaway before, but she always returned with us. This time none of us know where she is and she hasn't called," Jimmy said to me and flashes of the night before came flooding back in.

 

"After her aunt calls the cops what's going to happen?" I asked trying to fight back those memories.

 

"They'll make the report and then if she starts naming names an investigator will come to each of our houses for questioning," Jimmy said and this time his voice fluctuated.

 

"What are you doing?" I asked breaking the conversation away from Eliza for a moment.

 

"Just laying down. That was some wild fun we had last night at the concert, huh?" Jimmy asked and I was disappointed that he didn't bring up the motel room.

 

"Yes, so much fun," I said as I went to Eliza's MySpace page and saw that Jimmy was correct, no login since the day we left.

 

"We need to do it again sometime," Jimmy said yawning.

 

"So when they question us will they take our names and personal information about what we did while we were gone?" I asked growing more concerned about my pending court case.

 

"Most likely. What will you say?" Jimmy asked and his voice changed, but not from being tired.

 

"I'll tell them the truth. Eliza left with a guy she met at the concert. She told me that he was staying in a hotel by our motel and that he lived in the city," I said and I cruised Eliza's page and saw comments from Crystal posted an hour ago asking her where she was.

 

"No, I meant what will you tell them happened once you got into your room?" Jimmy asked and his voice had gone down some octaves.

 

"Well, what should I say?" I asked him lowering my voice too.

 

"Tell them that you got scared and asked me to sleep in the room with you and I did so in the other bed," Jimmy said returning his voice to normal and throwing me off balance.

 

"If that's what you want then I will," I told Jimmy as I added comments to Amber and Violetta's page asking them if they'd heard from Eliza.

 

"I need to get some sleep. We're going to meet up at Dom's house tonight and wait out this whole thing. Will you come?" Jimmy asked me.

 

"No I can't," I told him and I knew he was disappointed.

 

"Oh, well then call me if you hear from Eliza first," Jimmy said and hung up the phone.

 

I stayed on MySpace for a little bit and then I decided to look up Daisy's page just for fun. To my surprise hers was public and it showed her last login as today. There were comments from everyone wishing her well. Apparently when I socked her in the throat it had only bruised her. I didn't know if they were going to go for attempted murder charges, but I held out hope that it would stay at aggravated assault.

 

I saw comments between she and Kimmi and the last one was today at two PM. They were meeting up and Destiny's place for some "fun." I knew I could never trust that b***h Destiny. She always hated that I was better than her in every way.

 

As I read on I could see some comments directed at me. I contemplated writing down names and sending them in to Mr. Litfield, but then I changed my mind. I was over all of this and just wanted to move on with my life as it was.

 

I logged out and put the laptop away. I switched on my television to watch the latest music videos. I danced and sang along and for about an hour and a half. Then I remembered the text messages from David and went to my phone.

 

The first five messages were just asking me where I was, but the last five were so much deeper than that.

 

"I love you so much Myra and I know that wherever you are you're thinking about me because I'm thinking about you," David wrote and in his next message, "whatever you're doing I just hope you're being safe. I miss you," David wrote. I skipped to the final one sent at about four AM and it said, "Myra, when you get this please text me back. I'm so worried about you. I've never been worried about a girl like this before. This has got to be something special."

 

I replied to David's text message with a simple, "I'm fine," and then I set my phone back down. There was no where for me to go and I was tired of being away from home. The sun was still visible, but a dark shadow seemed to have set on the city. My head was spinning a bit and I blamed that on the liquor from last night. I turned my television off, closed my blinds, and then crawled into bed. The emotional weight of the days events had taken it's toll on me and sleep swept over my body and carried me off into the night.

 

My eyes snapped open in the darkness. The music downstairs no longer penetrated the walls of my bedroom, but had now been replaced with the familiar ring off my cell phone. I looked at my clock and it was just after four AM. I couldn't believe I'd been asleep that long, but I quickly answered the call.

 

"She's still not back," Jimmy said before I could say anything.

 

"What?" I asked because I had no idea what he was talking about.

 

"Eliza is still gone and her aunt phoned the police. They'll be coming to question you by noon if Eliza doesn't show up," Jimmy said to me and now I remembered that Eliza, who'd become a good friend of mine, had gone off with a guy we'd met at a concert the night before and had yet to return.

 

"Is her phone turned on?" I asked as I snapped on my lamp.

 

"No, it's still off. They questioned Cameron, Violetta, and Scott already. Eliza's aunt has the names of everyone who went to the concert now," Jimmy said in a pained voice.

 

"Who told her?" I asked not liking the sound of any of this.

 

"I don't know, but it was between the three of them. Once the police heard your name they classified Eliza as an endangered runaway," Jimmy revealed to me and I was shocked.

 

"What?" I half screamed into the and finally coming back down to Earth.

 

"Apparently Eliza's aunt and the police feel that you know more than you're telling," Jimmy said and I could hear talking in the background.

 

"I haven't told anyone anything!" I said and now I was off my bed and headed to my bathroom because the urge to urinate was coming on strong.

 

"Eliza's aunt thinks that you not going to the police right away after Eliza didn't return is a bit too suspicious since you two were sharing a room. Don't get angry, please because I'm a person of interest also. Someone told them that I spent the night in your room," Jimmy said as I sat on the toilet trying to figure out exactly what was going on.

 

"So if she's not here by noon and they come questioning me can I go to jail?" I asked suddenly afraid for the first time in a long time.

 

"Probably not since you don't know where Eliza is. Just give them the name of the guy she left with and a description of him and that should make them go away," Jimmy told me and I nodded my head even though he couldn't see me.

 

"Ok, that's what I'll do," I told him as I washed my hands and then walked out.

 

"So, what are you doing right now?" Jimmy asked me as I descended the staircase and went into the kitchen.

 

"I'm about to get something to eat. Where are you?" I asked as I heard even more chattering int he background.

 

"I'm over at Robbie and Crystal's place. Amber, Nick, and Dom are here too and we're trying to stick together so that when we're questioned the others will be around to hear. You should come over," Jimmy said once again extending an invitation my way.

 

"That's not a good idea. My mom found out I left of town and she went nuclear on me. I promised her I'd stick around over here for awhile. I have a lawyer and if the police want to question me incessantly I'll just refer them to him," I told Jimmy as I poured a cup of orange juice and grabbed an ice cream sandwich out of the freezer.

 

"When will I be seeing you again?" Jimmy asked me.

 

"Whenever you like," I answered him before I took a big gulp of my juice.

 

"How about tonight? It's Friday and usually we all go to Dom's for a movie," Jimmy said and I thought about it.

 

"Ok, but only a movie and then you walk me home once it's done," I told Jimmy.

 

"Good, well I hope Eliza is home by then. See you later," Jimmy said and he hung up.

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[Tina Kline]

Another big diaster looming on the horizon for Myra. Negative events seem
to keep happening around her. But no one can blame her for this
girl not coming home. Hope she's not dead.