I begin to bounce my leg. I have to leave now or I’m going to be late picking Sammy up. I try to call her again.
No answer.
I call Frances. “Hello, darling,” she answers.
“Are you at home? Can you do me a favour?” I ask.
“Of course, what’s wrong?”
“I can’t find Will and I’m going to be late picking Samuel up if I wait.”
“That’s fine, I can get him.”
“Oh, could you? Thank you.”
“Of course, but where’s Willow?”
“I don’t know. She hasn’t come out of the school yet. I’m going to go in and look for her now.”
“Okay, dear. We’ll see you back at your place.”
I call Julian. “Hey, babe,” he answers.
“Have you heard from Will?” “No, why?”
“She hasn’t come out of school. I’ve been here for nearly an hour now.”
“She’s probably in detention or the library or something. I’ll call her now. I’m just about to leave for home anyway,” he says. “Court has finished for the day.”
I frown. “Okay, see you at home.”
I get out of the car, make my way into the main block of the school, and I head down the corridor. The school is completely deserted.
What the hell? Where are all the teachers? Does the school just completely clear out in half an hour?
I walk down to the maths block and back over to the Library, but there’s nobody in sight.
Is she even at school today?
I begin to panic.
Has something happened? This isn’t like her at all.
I begin to jog down the corridor, dialling her number again as I run with my heart racing in my chest.
I hear her phone ring, and I quickly look around. I find her school bag outside a science lab. I bend down and open up the bag, taking out her phone as it rings. The name Brelly lights up the screen.
It’s definitely her bag.
Where the fuck is she?
“Will?” I call. “Willow, are you here?” I open the classroom door. “Willow?”
I hear a bang on a storeroom door, and I run to find it locked on the outside. I turn the lock and pull the heavy door open to find Willow wet with tears and perspiration. She falls into my arms. “Baby, what happened?” I whisper, horrified.
She sobs against my chest, shaking with fear.
“Did they lock you in there?”