Page 4 of King

King’s brow furrowed as he pulled out his phone. His thumb hovered over the screen. Joey wasn’t just some random kid to him. He was a friend, which was something King didn’t take for granted. Joey was one of Jessie’s dance students who was all heart and no quit. The teenager had a knack for sending him hilarious reels and checking in to say,Hey, you still alive?It was a friendship King never expected but deeply valued.

“The last I talked to him was two days ago,” King said slowly, his eyes darkening as he scanned his messages. His frown deepened. “We texted. Nothing since then. Why?”

Jake cursed under his breath. “He hasn’t shown up at the dance studio, which is unlike him, especially with the big dance recital they are getting ready to do. Jessie said he lives on his phone when not dancing. She can’t get hold of him or his dad. Some kids who attend school with him said he hasn’t been there either. She’s worried. Real worried.”

King’s grip on his phone tightened. Joey didn’t just disappear. He was too responsible, too sharp. If something had happened, it wasn’t by accident.

“I’m heading to the dance studio,” Jake added. “Going to talk to some of the kids he’s closest with, see if anyone knows where he might be. I know you’re close with the kid.”

King didn’t hesitate. “Let’s go.” King texted a message to Sloan before putting his phone away.

He was already moving, the urgency in his step palpable as he headed for his bike. His mind raced with possibilities, none of them good. A cold certainty settled in his chest as he kicked up the stand and started the engine. In the world they live in today,anything could happen. When a responsible person like Joey went dark even at his age, it meant something wasn’t right.

Following Jake out of the parking lot, King thought of the last time he had seen Joey. He had stopped in at the dance studio about two weeks ago. Joey seemed fine then but said he was busy with rehearsals and final exams at school. King had noticed that Joey wasn’t texting him as much and sometimes took him hours to text King back, but he figured it was his busy schedule, and the kid was a teenager with better shit to do than send memes all day. Maybe he had been wrong, and something had been going on.

Jessie was very protective over her students, especially Joey, so if she was worried, then something was up.

It was Saturday, so traffic was light, allowing them to reach the dance studio in no time. Once they parked, King and Jake stepped inside, the familiar rhythm of music filling the air. Students moved in sync across the floor, their focus intense as Jessie observed with a sharp but encouraging eye, offering critiques with subtle gestures and firm but positive words.

King leaned casually against the wall, his eyes scanning the room. Something felt off. He frowned. Joey wasn’t there. He was always there, front and center, full of energy and determination. A nagging sense of concern crept into King’s chest as he continued to watch the dancers glide across the floor.

When Jessie saw them, she exchanged a few quiet words with one of the older students, who nodded and took over, directing the class. Wiping her hands on a towel draped over her shoulder, she made her way toward them, her usual confident stride laced with worry.

“I’m sorry,” Jessie said as she approached Jake. “I know how busy you guys are, but I’m worried. Joey isn’t answering his phone or texts, and neither is Lee.”

“None of the kids have heard from him?” Jake asked, nodding toward where the students were now taking a break.

“No,” Jessie said, her voice tight with worry, “and he hasn’t been at school either.” She glanced at King, her hands twisting nervously.

“And he’s never just vanished before?” King asked, though he already knew the answer. He still felt the need to hear it out loud. “I mean, heisa teenager.”

Jessie shook her head firmly. “No. Not even when things were bad with his dad, this place was his escape. When things got rough, he didn’t hide; he came here.” Her eyes flicked to Jake, her worry deepening with every word. “He’s missed two of his final exams, and this recital we’re preparing for is a huge opportunity for him to get noticed by one of the top schools for the arts. Joey wouldn’t just disappear without telling someone. And he definitely wouldn’t miss rehearsals unless something was seriously wrong. I’m afraid something bad has happened.”

“Who’s Joey closest with here?” King asked, his gaze sweeping over the students. They had stopped dancing and were now stealing glances at him and Jake, whispering among themselves.

“Kristen,” Jessie answered without hesitation. She turned toward the group, lifting a hand to gesture the girl over. “Kristen, can you come here a minute?”

Kristen approached, her curious eyes shifting from Jessie to King. “Hi.” She gave him a shy smile, her hands nervouslyfidgeting at her sides. “You’re King, right? Joey talked about you all the time. I’ve seen you at some of our recitals.”

King smiled back, a warm, genuine curve to his lips, trying to put her at ease. “That’s me.”

He remembered Kristen from past events. She was a strong dancer with sharp footwork and a graceful presence. Anytime his work allowed, he supported Jessie and her students. King wasn’t one to sit quietly, either. Every performance got a standing ovation from him, complete with loud whoops and whistles that earned him amused looks from parents and smirks from Jake. He didn’t care. To him, dancers weren’t just artists — they were like fighters. Fighters in poetry. That thought made him chuckle to himself.

“We are trying to find Joey,” King said gently but directly. “We need your help to figure out where he might have gone or who he’s been spending time with outside of class.”

Kristen’s smile faded, replaced with a flicker of worry. “He hasn’t answered my texts, and that’s... weird. He always replies,” She swallowed, her eyes darting to Jessie for reassurance before settling back on King. “The last time I talked to him, he was acting... different.”

King leaned forward slightly, his expression soft but intent. “Different, how?”

Kristen hesitated, chewing her bottom lip as if weighing how much to say. Her eyes darted between King and Jake before landing on Jessie, who gave her a slight nod of encouragement. “Joey told me a lot about the issues he and his dad had,” she said slowly. “They weren’t easy to talk about, but he always trusted me. Lately, though, he said things were... better. Or at least,that’s what he wanted to believe. He kept saying his dad was really trying. But a couple of weeks ago, I noticed something was bothering him again.”

King and Jake remained silent, letting her tell them what she knew at her own pace.

She took a deep breath, her fingers twisting nervously in the hem of her shirt. “The last time I talked to him, he admitted he was scared. He said he thought his dad was involved in something, something dangerous. He didn’t know exactly what, but it felt wrong. Like... like there were people watching him.”

The words landed like a punch to the gut, cold and heavy with implication. King clenched his jaw, a muscle twitching as his mind raced. The knot in his stomach tightened. He exchanged a grim glance with Jake, who looked equally troubled, then turned his attention back to Kristen.

“Was someone watching Joey or his dad?” Jake asked, trying to keep the anger out of his voice. If Lee put Joey in danger because of something stupid he did, King would kick his ass.

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