Chapter 5: The Disappearance of Marie

The wind blows chill as fall approaches Lotusville. Upon the close of three weeks, Crash finds himself more at ease than the first. His acclimation to the changing tides shows progress in the youth's battle with anxiety. Crash gives credit to his friends over himself. After all, without Alex and Karma, the introverted teenager would remain in his shell.

As school ends for the day, Crash waits by the bottom of the steps. He holds onto the handlebars of his bike tightly. 'Where is he?' his mind wonders. The passing seconds causes him to fidget his fingers.

He casts his gaze around to the other students eagerly leaving school for the weekend. Yet, there is no Alex in sight. 'I should just leave,' his mind debates. 'Though, he wants to meet her, right?' Crash sighs in exasperation.

Crash promised Karma to provide her with their history homework during her absence. She has been sick for a few days. Since she was unsure of the reason, Karma was convinced that someone hexed her.

Now, Crash shrugs his shoulders. He contemplates heading over without his late friend. Yet, the sound of music playing catches the teen's ears. He casts his gaze towards the melody's direction. Alex sings along to L.B.'s "My Way," while bobbing his head. He stops his skateboard next to Crash's bicycle.

"Hey, sorry I'm late," he smiles while turning off his music. "I was looking into some sports teams to join."

"Really?" Crash asks while trying to repress his disgusted expression.

"Yeah, really." Alex catches the other's raised eyebrow. He bops him lightly on the head. "I thought it would be fun, but I decided against it."

Crash tilts his head to the side. 'Maybe he's embarrassed,' he surmises. The thought comes as a surprise while Alex appears to be the type to do what he wants. Yet, even extroverts have to feel awkward at times.

"That's fine," the introvert smiles. "Maybe you'll feel differently next year."

"Maybe," Alex picks up his skateboard. "Enough about me, we have to go see your friend."

Crash's eyes grow wide from the realization. 'How could I forget?' He leads while walking his bike along the path.

Despite allowing bicycles on the grounds, Lotusville High prefers students to not ride along the frequented sidewalk. Regardless of protocol, some students disregard the rule after hours. Such is the same with Alex. He returns to his board at a steady pace.

Once the school is out of view, Crash mounts his bike. The weather is crisp and the breeze that blows past his face feels liberating.

Crash and Alex ride through town with ease. After falling silent for a couple of blocks, the conversation changes for the love of pestering. Alex chuckles as they stride closer to Elm Street. Crash glances at his coy smile with concern.

"What's funny?" the confused teen asks.

"I was thinking," Alex continues to speak in a sing-song voice. "It's lucky you live near your girlfriend."

The statement comes at a shock. Crash's cheeks flush red. Although he does not regard her as such, Karma is a great friend to have.

"She's not my girlfriend." Crash darts a quick look at the other. "And…I don't have any luck."

Crash trails along the street without seeking his taunting friend's eyes. 'Why does he want to tease me now?' His mind creates reasons to abandon mission and hide. 'No, I have to be a good 'friend' and help my 'friend' out.' He emphasizes the word to clarify that he's not interested in a relationship. After a silent moment, Alex taps him on the shoulder.

"Come on, Buddy," he grins. "You talk about her all the time."

"No, I don't!" the flustered teenager pouts.

"You mention Karma at least three times in a conversation," Alex's demeanor changes to a matter-of-fact. "For a quiet kid like you—that's a lot."

Upon approaching Karma's road, tactics take a turn. Rather than drive the banter towards himself, Crash attempts to deflect the attention onto the other. He presses the brakes and waits for Alex to stop.

"Do you have a girlfriend?" Crash asks.

Alex pauses and presses a finger to his chin in thought.

"Well, no," he answers dryly. "I'm Ace so dating just anyone isn't important to me."

The term is new to Crash. His mind searches for a definition. 'Asexual refers to someone who prefers to hold off on relationships until they find the right individual to pair with.' In other words, not everyone is eager for physical or emotional engagements with partners. 'Besides, some people prefer to wait for the one they call 'soul mate.'' Crash's thoughts continue to spin. Yet, he feels conflicted about his own stance on the matter.

"Well," the introvert resumes. "Why bother me about something you're not interested in?"

"That's easy," Alex beams. "Because that's what brothers do."

The awkward air dissipates as the reply brings a smile. Alex pats the other on his back.

"Now, let's go deliver some homework," Crash says while readying his bike.

"Woah, I can't believe you just said that!" the other laughs. "Though I guess Karma's not the type to want bad grades."

"People have to graduate sometime," Crash pushes the pedals forward. "Otherwise, they'll be stuck in the same position, learning nothing new."

The statement rises unexpectedly. Yet, the two couldn't agree more. There is no excitement in learning the same material over and over again.

"You know what," Alex gazes at the sky. "You're right. I think I'll graduate this year."

Crash chuckles lightly. 'He better.' He thinks to himself. The quiet boy wants to complete high school with the only friends he has. The potential dread of that passing thought flickers away. He shakes his head and returns to the present.

"Her house is the last one on the left," Crash announces as they travel down the sidewalk.

The afternoon sun hangs in the sky—wanting to dip below the horizon. A crisp breeze greets the teenagers as they reach their destination. As the house appears in view, there's a short path to the front door.

Crash dismounts his bike and places it by the fence. The gate opens with a creak. The disturbance startles a black cat in the yard which scampers towards the back of the house. Once on the porch, Crash pulls out the necessary folder from his bag. His finger hovers in front of the bell.

"Don't be shy!" Alex scolds. "She's your friend, right?"

The other nods and slowly presses the button. The bell chimes. A passing moment of inactivity prompts unease. The nervous teenager looks for a suggestion. Alex shrugs his shoulders. Before Crash decides to press the doorbell again, he hears the lock click open.

"Hola, mi amigo," a dreary Karma greets. "Thank you for your help."

She stands in the doorframe with tired eyes. Crash hands her the folder.

"You're welcome," he nods. "I hope you feel better."

Karma smiles in response. Her gaze passes towards the new face. She points to the teenager in a beanie.

"Who's he?" Karma asks while repressing a cough.

"Oh, that's Alex." Crash moves to the side. "I meant to introduce him sooner."

"Nice to meet you, Karma," Alex waves a hand.

The teenage girl stands in observation of the other. 'He's much louder than Crash,' she thinks. Karma debates whether or not to pester him. However, in noticing the anxious expression on Crash's face, she decides against the thought.

"Nice to meet you, too," she smiles. "I'm going to head back inside. See you later."

"Okay," Crash answers with a concerned look. "Get well!"

"Yeah, get better so we can hang out!" Alex adds with a grin.

"Agreed!" Karma nods happily and shuts the door.

The two boys return to their mounts. Crash begins to pedal towards the way that they arrived. Yet, his friend stops him. Time edges closer to when Crash wants to go home. He is reluctant to ride in the dark. On the other hand, he is interested in what the other proposes.

"Hey have you been to Market Place?" Alex asks eagerly. "It's essentially Lotusville's business and entertainment district."

Crash shakes his head 'no.' He is reluctant to embark on a new adventure, but his friend's excitement is contagious.

"Would you like to go?" Crash remarks with a soft voice.

"Of course!" He beams and throws a thumbs up. "We can get ice cream!"

"I'm game!" Blue eyes brighten. "Though I feel bad since Karma's sick…"

"We should bring her when she's better," Alex suggests.

"Okay." Crash nods in approval.

The leader shifts. Crash follows along slowly. He glances around at the different folk muddling about in their yards. Children cheer as they play with their dogs. The sound of laughter sets Crash at ease.

'Maybe, it's fine.' He concludes. 'I've been late for my medication before…' The thought is only as reassuring as logic attempts to blend around an emotional need.

"Here we are," Alex announces. "Welcome to Market Place!"

Crash's eyes widen as his mind adjusts to the new environment. There are numerous shops and eateries. As they pass by a cafe, Crash's nose sniffs in delight. 'A hard temptation!' He smiles. Fortunately, he has an easier time staying out of his mind. Alex's exuberance is entertaining.

"The theater is ahead on the right," his guide declares. "Across the street is Jeff's Ice Cream."

"I think that we deserve a treat," Crash says at the front door. After another moment, he comes to a realization. "Shoot! I don't have money on me!"

"Then it's my treat!" Alex states with a fist to his chest. "And don't try to talk me out of it!"

The introvert concedes. Crash secures his bike around a vacant pole. As they enter, the smell of rich ice cream wafts in the air. Several customers sit down with giant glass bowls of sundaes. There is a jukebox which adds to the old-fashioned parlor aesthetic.

The two eager teens take menus and sit at a booth. After studying the various options for ten minutes, Crash is ready to order.

"An explosive peanut butter brownie sundae please!" he beams.

"I'll take a banana split." Alex replies when asked.

The green-eyed teen begins to chuckle. His friend looks at him with confusion. While noticing the other's perplexity, Alex covers his mouth.

"You'll see," he grins.

Crash twists his lip. 'What the heck is he talking about?' His question is shortly answered. A giant glass bowl with vanilla ice cream smothered with rich peanut butter and chocolate sauce appears on the table.

"This is huge!" Crash exclaims while taking a spoonful of peanut butter sauce and whipped cream.

"And that's why I laughed!" Alex centers his oval bowl of ice cream. "Didn't you notice the dishes on the other tables?"

"Yeah, but I only had a single option!" The surprised teen takes another bite into his sundae. "Delicious!"

"Right?" Alex replies delighted after his first take. "Looks like a dessert for dinner kinda night."

There are no further complaints. The two indulge in their dishes. Talk is less frequent when enjoying dessert. All appears at ease until a blaring alarm echoes throughout the parlor.

"An Amber Alert!" Alex says while reading the notification on his cellphone. "Marie Caldwin from the middle school is reported missing."

"That's terrible." Crash sinks into his seat. "I hope she'll be alright."

Alex nods in agreement. The excitement fades as the two reach the end of their bowls. This is the first time that Crash has seen his friend so quiet. 'Understandable. Such news is devastating in a small town.' He shakes his head.

They leave the parlor feeling morose. While glancing behind, Crash notes some faces have already forgotten about the girl. On the contrary, groups of children trail after the teenagers with the intention of reaching home safely.

"Please be found soon," Crash pleas underneath his breath.

The ride home is silent as dread grows in Crash's stomach.