Page 26 of Grown

All the fear I should have felt comes flooding into the room in a current too fast for me to handle. I swim to my phone. It’s late. Gab is probably with Jay and won’t answer. Shea is downstairs and I don’t want to ruin her first party, plus Mom would drive all the way here to grab us then light the building on fire.

So I call him.

“Bright Eyes,” Korey sings. “I was just thinking about you.”

“You were? Really?”

“Hey, what’s wrong with your voice?”

“Nothing.”

“Are... are you crying?”

“No, I...”

“Don’t lie to me.”

I sniffle then laugh. “It’s stupid. Kid stuff.”

“Nothing you tell me is stupid. Where are you?”

“In Jersey City. At a Marriott.”

“I’m at the W Hotel. I’m sending Tony to come pick you up. Don’t tell anyone.”

“Why?”

“You know, I got to keep my location on the low. Remember, baby, I’m not your average dude.”

Chapter 16

What’s Your Emergency?

NOW

Dispatch:9-1-1, what’s your emergency?

Caller X:Hello? Yes, I think someone is screaming next door.

Dispatch:You hear screaming?

Caller X:I was in the hallway when I heard it. A man screaming. But not normal screams, like... screaming for his life.

Dispatch:OK. Sir, are you able to provide a location for first responders?

Caller X:I knocked on the door. No one answered.

Dispatch:Sir, I need to you step away from the door.

Caller X:I share a floor with Korey Fields. The singer. It sounded like him!

Caller X:Sir, I need an address to send first responders.

Chapter 17

Save Me

THEN