Chapter 66 - Never Letting Go Again.

Ford. 

I look up at the bleachers and he is no longer there. The seat he and Jack occupied is empty. Almost like they were never there in the first place.

''Get you head in the game Hilly,'' coach shouts at me but my mind is on one place alone. 

Lisa waves at me and for the first time, I notice her. What the fuck is she doing here?

Now I know something definitely happened. I drop the ball and coach hisses so loudly ''What are you doing Hilly?''

I sigh ''I need the bathroom,'' I lie because I need to figure out what happened. The fact that Lisa is seated so close to where Lance was is suspicious to me. I don't know what she has done but I know she has something to do with his absence. 

''You have five minutes,'' he warns me with a glare. I run over to the bleachers and she leans in her seat. 

''Hello there,'' she winks.

I wince from the sight. I am beginning to hate her, and this is someone I once found solace in. ''Where is Lance?'' I ask her. 

She smiles ''Your brother?'' she drawls the words, I wince again. I hate that she is using that word to torment me. 

''He was here a minute ago, did he say anything to you?'' 

She nods ''Oh, yeah. He went home on his own.''

''Why?'' 

She shrugs and I realise I shouldn't even be asking her in the first place. I walk away from her and out the door. I go into the locker room and grab my phone from my locker. I see his message and it seems suspicious to me. 

He went home for an assignment. 

I didn't know about any assignment before. That wasn't the plan and he wouldn't just leave without telling me. Did something happen to him? Did I do something to upset him?

I dial his number and it goes straight to voicemail. This is not good… this is not good at all. Things are good between us. Things have been good between us. I don't know what happened and now I am spiralling. Thinking the worst of this situation. I search my contact list for Jack's number. This is an emergency. I was given his number in case of emergencies. 

Unlike Lance, he answers on the first ring. 

''Hey,'' his voice is calm. 

In my mind, something terrible has happened. So why the fuck is he calm? I don't know why I am thinking the worst, but Lance is the most confrontational person I know. He wouldn't just leave unless something happened. So, what happened? I need to fucking know. 

''Is Lance with you?'' I go straight to the point because I don't have time to be beating around the bush. 

He sighs ''No.'' 

I furrow my brows in confusion ''What do you mean? He sent a text that he was going with you. Where is he?''

''I don't know?''

''What do you mean you don't know?'' 

He sighs into the phone ''He is with Patrick.''

Patrick? 

What the fuck is happening?

Why would he leave me and go hang out with Patrick? He knows how I feel about the guy. Is he upset with me? I have done everything right. Done everything he has asked of me. I don't remember doing anything to upset him. why is this happening now?

I run my hands through my hair in frustration ''What happened?'' I have to ask because I am confused, and he isn't answering my calls. 

''I don't know.''

''Why did you guys leave,'' I am asking a lot of questions because I need to know. Whatever I did, I have to fix it. 

We are in a good place. I don't want to ruin that. I need him back and I need him back right now. 

''Your friend…the cheerleader chick,'' he sighs ''I shouldn't be telling you this because I am only loyal to Lance but she said something to him and he was pissed as fuck. So, whatever she said pushed him to what he is doing now.''

I knew she had something to do with this. I fucking knew it ''Did he tell you where he went? With this Patrick guy?'' 

''No man, I left him in my car, and he sent a text that he was going to clear his head,'' he pauses, I wait. ''You don't have to worry about anything. Lance won't do anything to hurt you. He is a good guy.'' 

He can sense my fear. 

I know Lance loves me. 

I know he is not the kind of person to betray me, but you have to understand that our relationship is frustrating. It can push the best person over the wall. He seems to think he can handle everything, and I believe he is doing his best but sometimes I worry that he will get tired of it all. He will throw all caution to the wind and let go of what we have. 

''Can I come and wait for him at yours?'' I plead. With all that has happened, I am sure he won't come home tonight, and I can't wait till the morning. 

''Sure,'' he ends the call. 

I grab my back from the locker and walk out the door to his car. I don't want to go back to the gym, but I need to talk to Lisa. Find out what she said to him so that I can know how I will handle things with him. I walk out to my car and dial her number. 

''Hey Mr alligator,'' she answers her phone the same way she always has with my calls for years. 

I roll my eyes. 

''Come outside now. I need to talk to you.'' 

''Sure thing.''

I wait for her until I see her walk over to me. there is a smile on her face. almost like she doesn't know what she has done. She is acting oblivious but deep down I know she knows. 

Her arms wrap around my neck, pulling my head backwards, I force her ars away from me. I don't even want her touching me. I am beginning to loathe her.

''What did you say to Lance?'' 

She frowns ''Hello to you too.''

''I don't have time for this Lisa. You said something to him, and I need to know what you said to him.''

There are so many things she could have said to him. Lisa knows everything about me. maybe except the fact that I am gay and sometimes I feel like she knows that too. She might like to deny it or ignore it but deep down she knows. There are so many things she could've told him. 

So many things I am not sure I am ready for him to know. 

''I didn't say anything to him. I overheard him talking about you. He said so many not so nice things and I called him out on it.''

I don't believe her. 

She is manipulating me—or at least she is trying to manipulate me. 

''What are you talking about?'' 

She sighs ''Have you told him?''

''Told him what?'' 

She sighs again ''He thinks you are a drug addict. He kept saying that you drink, and you take drugs. He seems to think you are depressed. I just didn't think it was cool that he was rambling all that around school. I mean, you don't know who could be listening.'' 

He thinks I am depressed.

Do I believe Lisa right now?

''Lance wouldn't talk shit about me. you have to be lying.'' 

She scoffs ''Because you guys are fucking?''

My heart stops beating. My hands become sweaty, shaking as I try to control my expression. Once she sees the shock in my face, she will confirm her speculations ''What are you talking about?'' 

She laughs ''Stop with the act Ford, I know you more than you fucking know yourself. I know what is going on between the two of you.''

She has no clue. 

She is fishing for information. 

''You know, at first, I thought you were losing your mind, but it is clear to me. You are in another mania. Are you taking your meds?'' 

She reaches for me. I push her hand off me. 

This is not her concern. 

This is not a manic episode. 

She is fucking wrong. 

''I won't tell your father. I won't do that to you, but you need to stop whatever you're doing. This won't end well, for both of you.'' 

I don't know what to say. How to react to her words. My heart is throbbing against my chest. I am scared. We were supposed to be a secret, did we make it that obvious?

Fuck. 

I walk away from her because I need to find him. I need to hold him, get some assurance from him. Lisa is not telling me everything. she must have said more to him to make him leave me like that. 

I need to find him and make sure he is okay. 

I am not letting go of him. 

Never again.