I just nodded. “I think I’m going to go in and go to bed,” I said. “School tomorrow.”

            “Are you going?” he asked.

            “I have to,” I said. “I can’t just sit here and do nothing all day.”

            “Well I’ll see you tomorrow then,” he said. We hugged again before he got in his car and left.

            Kyla and I walked inside. We locked up and went upstairs.

            “Where are you sleeping tonight?” she asked.

            “With you if it’s ok,” I said.

            “Yeah,” she said. “That’s fine.”

            “Thank you,” I said.

            She smiled and said, “It’s the least I can do.”

            We both went to sleep quickly. It had been a long day. Kyla’s alarm clock went off at seven the next morning. We both reluctantly got out of bed. We both took showers. I didn’t want to but Kyla told me that I smelled so I figured I should take one. I didn’t care what I looked like today. I just threw on some sweats and a hoodie. I just put my hair up in a ponytail too. We went to school and I kept getting sympathetic looks from people. I didn’t want to be there. I almost broke down every time I walked by Spencer’s locker and she wasn’t there. I made it through the day. I didn’t hear from Officer Martin at all. I went to school the next day and barely made it through again. After school, I got a call from Officer Martin.

            “Hello,” I said, answering the phone.

            “Ashley?” he said. “It’s Officer Martin.”

            “Hi,” I said.

            “I wanted to let you know that we have a couple strong leads that we are following,” he said. “It looks like we’re going to find Spencer soon.”

            “Thank you,” I said. I smiled for the first time since she had been taken.

            “I will let you know when we find out more,” he said.

            “Ok thank you,” I said, hanging up the phone.

           It had been a week and I still hadn’t heard anything from Officer Martin. I was beyond worried. I was beyond nervous. I was beyond scared. I had become pretty much numb. I still slept in Kyla’s room. My bed hasn’t been touched in a week. Kyla and Aiden were pretty upset too. I had gone to see Spencer’s parents almost every night. We were all devastated. I could hardly eat. I could hardly sleep. I cried myself to what little sleep I got every night. I just want my Spencer back.