CH

g room. "Call Ethan. Jack might have talked to him. They're

rable since childhood, going to the same schools and eventually meeting Amy and me around the same tim

her face clou

ld me by now. I don't think we should involve him

"Right now, Amy, I don't care about complications. I'd invo

than's number and presses it to her ear. After a few rings

table and head towards the door.

, following me. "You need to

" I shout, my voice tre

oesn't argue. Instead, she s

t I'm driving,"

word. I am too wrapped up in my thoughts, replaying every moment with Jack over the last few months, searching for some h

the car and sprint to the front door. My heart pounding in my che

banging again.

le

my voice cracking with

ing a frustrated-looking Ethan. His f

shouts, stepping fo

est heaving with the

ft me, Ethan. I need to know where he is.

to Amy, who is standing behind me with a worried expression. He

says, his voice low but firm. "

but my heart is still pounding, my thoughts racing. A moment

t down. "But I think I might need something stronger."

. "Are you sure you want to drink?" Et

irmly, not in the

ck with a shot glass filled with whiskey and hands it to me. The amber liquid slosh in the glass as I raise it to my

, the weight of everythin

y voice shaking. "I came home after my birthday lunch with Amy,

st for a moment. His reaction isn't a surprise. It is something else

voice hardening. "You know

ween me and Amy before runni

admits, letting o

s, and Jack mentioned that he was unhapp

catches in

, the word too big to fully grasp. "He

expression fil

he was joking or just drunk.

t we were fine. No, more than fine-we were happy, weren't we? We had our routine, our life

chest. Jack had been unhappy and I didn't know. And now... he is gone. The full rea

r as the pain finally hit me. This isn't some crue