Stanton Box Set

“Where in the hell have you been? Natasha is missing!” I scream.

Ben’s face drops. “What?”

“We had a misunderstanding and she has run off.”

“Did you track her phone?”

Why didn’t I think of that? I run back to the room to grab my laptop and see Max texting someone. “Is that Natasha?” I ask in desperation.

“No. I was looking up the hospital security system so we can check the surveillance tapes.”

“Good thinking.” I start to type double time, initiating a track on her cell. My heart is in my chest. Please … please Tash pick up. I call her again … no answer.

Adrian walks through the door, smiling. “Hey, I bought you coffee.”

My eyes flick up to him. “Do you have your laptop with you?”

He frowns. “Yes, in the car. Why?”

I drop my head in shame. “I need it to find Natasha.”

“What do you mean?” He puts the coffee down so hastily it spills. “Where is she?”

“Amelie told her that I slept with her and Tash has freaked and taken off.”

“You slept with Amelie!?” He gasps.

I drop my head. “Sort of.”

“What the hell does that mean? You can’t sort of sleep with someone you idiot!”

I nod as I type. “It just happened and then I realised what I was doing and I stopped it midway.”

“You are the biggest fuckwit I know. Why in the hell would you give that stupid bitch ammunition against you?” He sighs as he runs his hands through his hair in frustration.

I keep typing.

“She won’t come back. You’ve done it this time. She will never forgive you.” He shakes his head in disgust.

“Shut the fuck up and get your computer!” I yell as my heart starts to speed with panic.

He runs out of the room. Cameron comes through the door and throws me a piece of paper. “This is the hospital security system. I brought my laptop for you.” He throws it onto the bed.

“Thanks. Cameron, what if those people have her? What if she is danger?” I stammer nervously.

Cameron puts his hand on my back. “I thought you were going to tell her. She would have understood if you just had told her.”

My lip quivers in regret. “How do you tell someone you love that you had sex with someone else? I tried. A couple of times I tried, but the words wouldn’t come out of my mouth.”

“They came out of Amelie’s mouth easily enough though,” he says, void of emotion.

“I thought…” I sit back and put my head into my hands. “This is all my fault.”

“You are an …” he shakes his head, “imbecile.”

Max walks back into the room. “I’m going to go outside on the street and ask a few questions. See if anybody saw anything.”

“I don’t think she would have left the hospital. She has no money on her. I am tracking her now. I will hack the security system to check the exits and see if she left. This hospital is so huge. How in the hell are we going to find her?” I say, defeated.