Jamie’s POV (A/N: okay, I know that most of the italic/bold's weren’t originally in her POV, but I am the author of this book, so I can do whatever the hell I want. Yeah.)
“You know how you said your gut tells you when not to go out with a guy, but you do anyway?” Zayn asked.
“Yeah.” I answered.
“Do you get that feeling with me?” Zayn asked. I sighed and looked at him.
His words from last night keep echoing in my head.
“Do you get that feeling with me?”
I lay on my bed, spread out, head hurting. I was staring at the ceiling. Why had I told him that? Why had I ranted? Why didn’t I answer his question?
“Do you get that feeling with me?”
Why didn’t I damn well answer?!
You didn’t answer his question, because you don't know the answer. My thoughts told me. But they were wrong. I do get a gut feeling around him. I just can’t tell if it’s a good gut feeling, or a bad one.
If you can’t tell, it’s probably a bad one… my thoughts trailed off. But, what if it isn’t? What if I’m mistaking butterflies for a really bad gut feeling? What if I’m pushing away feelings? Good feelings? What if I’m saying that I should stay away when I shouldn't?
You have good judgement. No. I don't. I have terrible judgement. If I tell myself it’s okay to go out with someone and they turn out to be a dick, what would happen if I said not to go out with someone? I don't know anymore, to be honest. He let me borrow his jacket, I talked to him like he was one of my friends.
“He didn’t realise what he had. There's nothing wrong with you trying to find love.”
Memories kept coming back. Wait, he gave me a pep talk. Wait again, he said ‘he didn’t realise what he had’. That’s like one of the movie moments where the boy says that and then later on in life the person he said it to and him get married and have twenty children. Jesus. I know he likes me, but he doesn’t know me. He doesn’t even know my last name. Oh wait, I introduced myself to him with my last name…
He doesn’t know my middle name! Haha, I win.
I kind of flinched when he put the jacket on my shoulders, and I gave him a weird look. “You’re cold aren’t you?” He asked.
He seriously gave me his jacket. Why would he do that? “Jamie?!” I heard Amelie shout.
“What?!” I shouted back.
“You’ve been in your room for three hours since breakfast! Are you thinking about shit?!” she asked.
“Maybe!” I responded.
“Don't think about it too much!” she replied.
“Do you get that feeling with me?”
“Too late for that.” I said, quietly so only I would hear. What else had Zayn done? He gave me one of those smiles that said ‘I’m hurt but I don't want you see it’.
“I need to go outside, but no one will go with me. Or talk to me in the first place…” I stated. He just gave me a blank stare.
“I’ll take you, if you want.” I looked up at him. I could tell he was inspecting my body, but I just continued looking at his eyes. They looked so beautiful under the lights. And he did look good in that tuxedo. “Come on, you need too.” He put his hand out, and I gladly took it.
He pulled me up. “You don't have too.” I told him.
But he did anyway. He took me for a walk anyway. Matt had just ditched me, and my friends were too busy. But he took me. He took me outside, and he seemed happy to do it. Why was that? Wait wait wait. I was happy he did that. Why was I happy about that? I should have been running away from the offer. I should have just gone by myself. I should never have done it. I shouldn't have because now I’m overthinking it.
Way overthinking.
“You aren’t stupid.” He stated.
“Try telling that to that idiot of a boy back in there.” I said, kicking another rock. I then decide to take my heels off, walking barefoot on the pavement.
Why couldn’t I take the awkward compliment? I just rejected it. I just ignored it. He tried to make me feel better. God damn it. I covered my face with my hands and then ran my fingers through my hair. Life was too hard.
And confusing.
***
“What?!” I shouted through the phone. It was the third day since the party, and now Codie had apparently run away. Right now I was on my break from work. They sprung a shift on me, the little bitches. Well, I’m getting paid, so I don't particularly care at the moment.
“Could you keep calm and think of anywhere she might be?” Louis asked me.
“I don't know. I would’ve thought she would come to my house. But she didn’t. Wow. Okay, just give me a few minutes and I’ll call everyone else, we’ll find her Louis, don't worry.” I said.
“Hey, you know you can call me ‘Lou’ right?” he asked.
“Alright then Lou. We’ll find her.” I said again, using his now existing nickname. I hung up the phone and dialled Amelie’s phone number. “Hey Amelie…” I trailed off as she picked up.
“Yessss?” she asked.
“Is Codie at our house?” I asked her.
“Nooo…” she trailed off. “Why?” she added on the end.
“Uhm, she kind of ran away from home. Not that I’m panicked that she’s been kidnapped already, I just wanna know where she is.” I answered.
“Okay, well, I’ll keep an eye out.” She said.
“Okay, thanks.” Okay, two more to go. The next one I called was Elysse. “Hey, have you seen Codie?” I asked her.
“No, why would I?” she asked.
“I dunno… but she’s run away, so if you could keep an eye out that would be fab.” I told her.
“Okay, will do.” She hung up. Okay, only one more. If she isn’t there, I will be calling Codie myself.
“Hey Clarisse.” I said first.
“Hey, if this is about Codie, I don't know where she is. Liam told me.” she explained.
“Oh, okay then. Yeah, it was about Codes. Alright, well, if you see her let me or Louis or someone know.” I told her.
“Alright, will do. Bye.” She said.
“Bye.” I hung up and stared blankly at the table. God damn it. I was wearing a typical waitress dress, with the black skirt and shirt and white apron. I suppose I forgot to tell you I had two casual jobs. The one I was doing today was at the restaurant, and they let me wear black Converse, because they like me and know I won’t drop a knife on my foot… well there was a small chance I would drop a knife on my foot. I was currently buying some food from McDonalds, because I was starving. I called Codie’s phone, but it rang out. I left a message for her to call me back as soon as she could.
I sighed at the fact she had run away. Especially from the fact I couldn’t drive around to find her. I doubt she would still be in Adelaide, and that she would be in a motel or a hotel. For her they feel too much like home. She’s probably in a caravan park somewhere a distance away. Probably further than Mount Barker. Probably Murray Bridge or Strathalbyn. Maybe with one of our old friends from school in Woodchester.
God damn. I called Louis again, but instead got a different voice. “Hello, you have reached Louis’ phone. He’s a little busy at the moment, so you are speaking to the fabulous Zayn.” He said.
“Hey Zayn, would you be able to get Lou for me?” I asked.
“Why do you need Lou?” he asked.
“Zayn, if I needed you I would have called Codie’s home phone. It’s Jamie. So please do as I say.” I stated.
“Oh, hey Jamie! How you going?” he asked.
“Yeah, I’m good thanks. Uhm, seriously though, could you get Louis?” I asked again.
“Okay, but he might be starting to calm down. Well, he never really got nervous. Anyway, give me a minute, I’ll call him here for ya.” I think he covered the phone, but I could still hear the shouting. “LOUIS! GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE NOW!! JAMIE IS ON THE PHONE!!!” Zayn shouted at him.
“GIVE ME A SECOND WOULD YA?!” I heard Louis respond.
“I ALREADY HAVE!!!” oh Jesus.
“GIVE ME A COUPLE MORE!!!” oh my god.
“Alright, would you be able to hold on for a while longer and Mr Tomlinson will be here any second now.” Zayn told me.
“Okay Veronica.” I mocked him. Uh-huh, I know about that.
“Uuhhh…” he trailed off.
“Yes. I know about that.” I said in the creepiest tone I could.
“How did you-”
“Sweetie, I know everything.” I cut him off.
“But… how?” he asked.
“That… is an excellent question.” I quoted Wilbur from ‘Meet the Robinsons’.
“Can you answer the excellent question?” he asked me.
“I have my ways.” I kept it mysterious.
“What are these ways?” why so many questions?
“These ways are for me to know and you to never find out. Is Lou there yet?” I asked him.
“Just about.” He said. “Seriously, how did you know?”
“All I can tell you is that you make a fabulous woman.” I answered. I heard heavy footsteps and I told Lou the news. We still had no idea where Codie was.
***
Louis had texted me last night, saying that he knew where Codie was and he was going to her. He was the only one she had responded too, so something must have happened. Whether it was bad or not was a different story. She usually ran away when she argued with her parents, so they must have brought something up about Charlotte and Melanie. For Codie to not respond to her friends, that must have been it.
I sat on the couch, watching some random morning talk show. Wait, why is there breaking news? More importantly, why is Codie on the breaking news??? In her pyjamas? Why she at Woolworths, in Murray Bridge, in her pyjamas and on the T.V.? I kept watching and the story was kind of explaining itself. Some crazy lunatic shot someone in the leg, and then kissed Codie, then she kicked their arse in self-defence and here we are watching the television.
I called Codie’s home phone, because I was bound to get one of the boys. “Hello, this is not Zayn Malik…” Zayn lied and trailed off.
“Veronica?!” I shouted.
“Yes…” he paused for a minute. “Wait, what?”
“That is your new name, Veronica.” I explained.
“No, why did I respond?” he asked.
“I dunno, but have you seen the news?! Codie was freakin-”
“Shh, I know. I’m trying to make food, so you’re on speaker. When you shout it’s pretty damn loud. The other boys are still sleeping.” He told me.
“Oh, I am so sorry Veronica.” I said sarcastically. “But seriously!! In her pyjamas!! Why?!” I started shouting again, ignoring what he just told me.
“I know as much as you do! For f*cks sake man, I don't know anything.” Wait, did he just swear at me?
“If you swear at me again, I’m gonna shove your toothbrush so far up your f*cking ass you’ll be able to brush your teeth.” I said sweetly.
“Wow, one way to tell someone to stop f*cken swearing is definitely by f*cken well swearing at them.” He said.
“Did you just swear at me again?” I asked.
“Maybe… but why the f*ck would you care?” he responded.
“Oh sweetie, I am definitely coming over there to stab you in the eye with a ping pong ball.” I said nicely.
“I’m sure you will.” He said sarcastically.
“You should be sure, because it will happen.” I said threateningly.
“Doubt it.” He replied.
“It will. Look, can you call me when Codie and Louis get home? I want to talk to her, and him. At the same time. Very nicely.” I said the last two words sarcastically.
“Of course I will. Bye.”
“Bye.”

Notes