Page 43 of Rough Rider (Bad Boy High)
"If we're being serious, it's likely he joined a gang or got into drugs."
"See, that's what people just assume around here. No one really takes a closer gander."
"Gander?" I shake my head. Josie always has a strange way of wording things.
“You really haven’t noticed?”
“I’m sorry, I haven’t, but I do understand what you’re getting at.” If people are missing around here, no one gives a shit.
“You’ve been hanging out with one of the Riders, right?” Whoa, where did she get that information? I shouldn’t be surprised. She makes it her business to know things.
“What makes you say that?”
“I saw him outside the school one day waiting for you. Got the tattoos.” I hadn’t paid much attention to what the tattoos meant before Niki. I’d seen them around but ignored it, thinking if I left it alone, it would leave me alone. Which worked until I went and bought those drugs for my mom, which is turning out to not have been a bad thing.
“I’m with him, but I’m not talking about him with you.” Clearly, Josie pays attention to a lot more than I do, and I’m guessing a lot of it is in that notebook of hers.
“I have no problems with the Riders. In fact, they keep things cleaned up better than the police.”
“Then why are you asking about my man?”
“Your man?” Josie wiggles her brows.
“Josie, get to the point here; class is almost over, and I’ve got shit to do.”
“Could you ask him if people are coming up missing? If he’s noticed anything?”
“Can I think about it?”
“Yes! I’ll take that.” Josie nods vehemently.
I’m going to ask Niki, but I’m not sure I’ll tell Josie his response without clearing it with him. The thing is, the two people she mentioned are missing. I wouldn’t have guessed they would fall in with a gang or drugs, but I also never would have imagined I would buy drugs, so these things happen.
“Let me get your number.” I pull out my phone and save hers before I head out.
I call my mom to check in as I make my way to the diner. No one gave up their shifts for me to snag, but I am going to grab my check. It’s not big—most of our pay comes from tips—but I’ll take what I can get.
Mom sounds good when I talk to her, telling me that the counseling is nice and she has things she needs to work through. I can only imagine. She’s been through a lot in her life, having me so young. I often think we grew up together, more like friends than mother and daughter.
After I'm done, I head to the library like normal, checking on a few programs I applied for. I’m killing time more than anything. I keep checking my phone, but no text comes from Niki, which isn’t normal. Maybe he’s busy catching up on stuff. Imean, he has been spending most of his time with me recently. I’m sure he has stuff to do.
When the library closes, I linger out front, thinking Niki will show, but he doesn’t. I try calling his phone, but it goes straight to voicemail. Instead of going home, I head toward Bam and Niki’s place. I don’t have a clue where his mom and sister live. I can’t help the worry that has settled in my stomach. This is so unlike him not to be around.
I knock, and Bam answers the door. “Hey.” I let out a sigh of relief. Bam and Niki are always together, and from Bam’s messy hair and partly closed eyes, I think he was napping, and maybe Niki is doing the same.
“Sup.” He nods his chin at me.
“Is Niki here?”
Bam rubs his eyes with the back of his hands. “I thought he was with you. I worked solo today.”
“I haven’t heard from him since this morning. Could he be with his mom and sister?”
That wakes Bam up. He reaches into his pocket, pulling out his phone. He steps back so I can enter, closing the door behind me.
Bam starts tapping away on his phone before making calls. I wring my hands together. As I see Bam start to get worried, my own grows. This is not good, but panicking isn’t going to help the situation.
“Shit.” He ends another call. “No one has seen him.”
