I hadn’t stopped thinking about her the entire week. Images of her would flash in my head. As I walked to class I would watch every face that passed me, hoping hers would be one. I opened the news app on my phone “Still no trace of Everly Chamberlain. Please inform the police station if any evidence shows up.” I clicked my phone off, not being able to handle it anymore.
I sighed and got up, ready to head to my next class.

I was so overwhelmed with all of this, classes, and everything else that was piling up suddenly. “Fuck it” I whispered to myself and began walking the opposite of my class. I found myself at the coffee shop I would always go to. Everly went here also. I always watched her from across the room, studying away and drinking her latte. I wish I had grown some balls and just taken the initiative to talk to her. I slid the lady some change and ordered a coffee. I took my drink outside and walked around on the sidewalk.

“Oh goodness, I’m sorry!” said a lady with a raspy voice as she ran into my shoulder, spilling the hot coffee down my hand. I glanced up to see who it was. She was wearing all black, with no contrast to her pin-straight black hair. A girl stood behind her, the lady seemingly shoving her behind. The girl stared at the ground. I looked at her face, wondering why she wouldn’t look up. “Here’s some cash, go get yourself a new coffee.” I shook my head, realizing I had been staring at the poor, shy girl. “Erm, no thanks. It’s alright. Truly.” I said beginning to walk away. The girl glanced up at me and caught my eye. Her chocolate brown hair suddenly falling over her face, the lady in black grabbed her hand and rushed away.

---

For some reason my mind kept going back to the weird encounter I had earlier that day. It was so strange… Some lady, out of nowhere…and why was she acting so weird towards that girl? She seemed so rushed. A million questions were flying from every angle of my brain, taking over my mind.
“Oi lad, what’re you doing? Thought ya had class?” An Irish accent broke the chaos that was happening inside of me.
“Yeah, I just needed a break.” I said, taking a sip of the coffee I had purchased with the lady’s money. I didn’t know if I should tell Niall of my encounter, so for now I just kept my mouth closed.
“You’re still thinking about Everly aren’t ya?” He said putting his hand on my shoulder.
“You know how I would always tell you about this girl? I would see her around campus and she would always smile at me. She would go to the coffee shop after school and order a latte?” I said to Niall.
“Yeah but ya didn’t have big enough balls to talk her, yeah?” He said with a bit of a chuckle. He always knew how to lighten the mood and that was one thing I admired about him.
“It was her Niall, it was Everly.” Niall just looked at me and took me in for a hug.
“They’re gonna find her, mate. I just know it!” He said. “Hey I want you to meet someone. I sit next to her in English and I think you should meet her!” he said with a grin.
“Niall, I don’t really want to meet other girls right now.” He let out a laugh.
“Nah she’s mine, but I want you to meet her!”
I didn’t know Niall had a girl, what? “Sounds good! When?”
“She’s gonna come over in about an hour, okay?”
“Sounds good, I’ll meet you at the flat.”
He disappeared.

Notes

Let me know how you guys are enjoying the story! I would love some feedback and criticism.