Needy Little Things(14)

He points. “Over there by the food trucks.”

The news is like a shot of espresso straight into my veins. “Thank you, Rincon! See you after break!” I run off before he can even say goodbye.

Sticky with sweat, I crash into Malcolm. “I’ve been looking for you guys.”

“You found us,” he says, peeling me from his body.

“What happened to you?” I ask Jude. His eyes are watery, red, and puffy.

“Uh”—he scratches his arm—“I partook in some…” He pinches his index finger and thumb together and brings them to his mouth.

I roll my eyes. “Well, I guess you and Rincon would make great friends.”

He laughs. “Huh? The school nurse? What’s that supposed to mean?”

I shake my head. “Nothing at all. Just mildly annoyed that you’ve been off getting high while I’ve been worried out of my mind. Where’s Deja?”

“What do you mean?” Malcolm asks. “Why are you asking us when she left with you?”

“Nurse Rincon said…” I trail off, realizing he never said who he saw. My chest constricts, making it difficult to take a complete breath.

“You weren’t supposed to leave her alone,” Malcolm says. “That was your idea, remember?”

“I didn’t,” I snap. “She walked off while we were waiting for the toilet. At this point, we should separate and look for her. Give me your spare phone. Mine is dead.”

His hand moves to his back pocket, but he hesitates. “My mom found out about it. She took it.”

I’d bet my last dollar he’s lying to me, but now isn’t the time to get into why. “Deja!” I yell as loud as I can.

“I can’t believe you let her wander off,” Malcolm mumbles.

“I didn’t let her do anything, Malcolm. I told you I didn’t want to come here! My head is aching. I can’t focus on anything and now—”

He jogs off, shouting her name.

“What time is it?” I ask Jude.

He checks his watch. “Nine thirty-seven.”

My stomach lurches and I sprint in the direction opposite of Malcolm. I call for Deja frantically. A few well-meaning people ask me what’s wrong, try to see if they can help, but I can’t say anything but her name. I need to find her before ten o’clock. Like some bastardization of Cinderella, I convince myself that if we can just find her before ten, everything will be okay. We have to find her before ten. That hour already took Tessa. It can’t take another friend from me.

“Deja!” I scream, dodging thoughts of her fending off an attacker with that pepper spray. I’m so stupid. I got slapped in the face with a red flag the size of my whole body and still let her come.

My bones know as soon as ten o’clock strikes and I beg Tessa for help, something I never do because it makes me feel like she’s dead. Like she’s high in the sky, able to pull some strings that affect my life. I hate myself for it, but I do it.

The music on stage three cuts, making me freeze in place. “Deja Nelson. Deja Nelson. Your friends are looking for you. Meet ’em at the security tent.”

I race for the tent, feet aching. Jude’s already there. The all-call was his idea. Malcolm shows up next. Then Rincon. We wait. Two minutes. Five. Ten. I instinctively check my phone over and over, even though it’s dead.

“Had she been drinking?” Rincon asks discreetly. “You aren’t in trouble. Be honest.”

“No,” Malcolm answers.

“Okay. Come on, I’ll help y’all look.”

We search until the crowd thins after the final set and it becomes undeniably clear that Deja is not here.

Jude places a hand on my shoulder. “Maybe she went home.”

I shrug him off. “Why would she do that without saying anything?”

“I don’t know! But I don’t want to assume something horrible happened.”

“No,” Malcolm says, ready to jump down his throat. “That’s exactly what we need to do. We tried that oh maybe she just mess with Tess and where’d that get us?”

Jude’s face wrinkles. “Who is Tess?”

Malcolm’s posture straightens. His fists clench, nails biting pale lines into his palms. Agitation evident in every muscle.

Rincon steps between him and Jude. “Hey, settle down. Take some deep breaths. Go home. See if she is there. If not, have her parents call the police. Just as a precaution. She’ll turn up.”

We shoot each other anxious glances at the mention of the police. It adds a layer of realness to this situation that I don’t want, but she’s been gone for hours now. Rincon doesn’t even know about the pepper spray and still thinks we might need to get the police involved.

“I have to relieve my son’s babysitter,” he says. “Do you guys need a ride?”

“No.” Malcolm says, refusing to look at anyone.

“Okay. Everything is going to be all right. Let me know when you find her, okay?”

I nod, holding back tears. Rincon gives Jude his number and leaves the park.

“Well, what are y’all waiting for? Let’s go.” Malcolm storms off, but whips around when he realizes we aren’t following him. “We need to go back to her house right now.”