Page 3 of The Replay
“Keep your head on straight, and don’t do anything stupid.” He raises his voice to be heard over the motor. “We’re all worried, okay? But we’re gonna find her.”
He claps me on the shoulder, and I grunt.
“I’ll see you at the house in ten. Don’t take any detours.” Flicking my visor down, I brush off the order and take off down the street, the wind whipping around me as I race toward the soccer house. My heart pounds in my chest, determination fueling me. I want to believe him. There’s no alternative.
I am going to find her. And she’s going to be okay.
She has to be.
cecilia
. . .
Five hours earlier
Felix pulls upin front of my house, the silence in the car heavy as I look up at the illuminated front porch. It’s early evening—not quite dark yet—but it will be in another hour or so. Our neighborhood is quiet, the kind of suburban tranquility that hides secrets behind closed doors. The streetlamps flicker on as the sky darkens, casting long shadows across the manicured lawns and perfectly trimmed hedges. It’s almost too perfect, like a scene from a movie set.
My parents’ cars sit in the driveway letting me know they’re home.
Terrific.
“Do you want me to ...?” Felix’s voice trails off, soft and uncertain. He’s looking at me, then at the house like he knows what I’m thinking but doesn’t know how to say it.
“No. It’s fine,” I say, swallowing down the tightness in my throat. “I’m good.”
He nods, but his frown doesn’t disappear. “If you change your mind ...”
I shake my head. “I won’t, but thanks.”
Felix doesn’t owe me anything. He’s Gabriel’s friend, not mine. He already gave me a ride home, and that’s more than enough. I can’t ask him for more. I won’t.
Unbuckling my seatbelt, I hesitate, staring down at the still-dark screen of my phone. No new messages. No calls. The longer the silence, the harder it gets to fight the growing knot in my stomach.
We’re fine. He’s mad, sure, but we’re fine. “Wehaveto be fine.” I whisper the words under my breath, as if saying them aloud will make it true. I’m trying not to blow up Gabriel’s phone, but every minute that passes without a word from him makes it that much harder.
The drive from the wedding to my place was only twenty minutes. More than enough time for him to realize I didn’t mean for tonight to happen the way it did, right? He knows I wouldn’t hurt him intentionally. Not ever. If I’d known the way his mom would react, I never would have pushed him to go.
“Call me if you need anything,” Felix says, his voice breaking into my thoughts as I open the car door. “You have my number, right?”
I freeze. “Uh, yeah.” I don’t, but I lie because why would I have Felix’s number?
Felix doesn’t move, though, just stares at me with that same look until I sigh and hand him my phone. He taps away at the screen for a few seconds, then hands it back.
“I saved all our numbers. Mine, Julio’s, Deacon’s, Atticus’s. The whole crew. Call if you need anything.”
“I could sell that, you know?” I say in a failed attempt to lighten the mood. “I could probably pay this semester’s tuition with the number of girls who want that kind of access to you guys.”
He snorts, but his eyes soften. “You won’t.”
“You sure about that?” I jest.
The corners of his eyes crinkle. “Yeah, Cecilia. I am.” He gives me a knowing look. “You’re one of us,” he says. “And family doesn’t turn on their own.”
My chest tightens in a way I didn’t expect. “Well, thanks,” I mutter, not knowing what else to say.
Stepping out, I close the door behind me, but before I’ve taken more than one step, Felix rolls down the passenger side window.
“He’s crazy about you,” Felix adds, softer this time. “Just ... sometimes the timing isn’t right, you know?”
