Kian doesn't come back. I wait for him at the park, but he's gone. All week at school, I sit alone. Kian never shows up. A few people ask me where he is, but I simply say I don't know. And I don't. I don't know why, either.

Hayden still doesn't talk to me. I'm just alone. But I'd rather be alone than with anyone but Kian.

On Thursday, I decide I need something to do. So I tell Caylen that we'll run to the orphanage.

For the whole run, neither of us says anything. I'm sure he can sense my uneasiness. Will I ever see Kian again? I wish I'd learned something about him. I had gone to the grocery store and asked if he was there, which he wasn't, and asked for a phone number, but he didn't have one. It's killing me.

At the orphanage, Jill and Caylen sit down to talk, and I excuse myself to speak Cathy.

"What is it?" she asks once we're in her office.

"I don't know. I think I know how those gangsters got killed." My voice is so hollow, so tone deaf.

"How?"

I tell her how they tried to cut up Caylen and I on our last trip, and her eyes just about bug out of her head.

"I think The Red hired them to kill me," I say. "But they failed, and we got away. They were probably going to get killed anyway, to keep The Red's identities safe. But getting killed was kind of like a punishment for them."

"I think you're right."

I don't speak for a minute.

"Is there anything else?"

"Yes.... I have a friend, and I told him how my parents were killed." Cathy looks at me in astonishment. "After that, he ran away. He hasn't come back."

"Natalie! Imagine if he'd asked why they were killed! You almost gave away the agency!"

"Well, I'm a little worried as to why he ran away."

"I have no clue, Natalie, but you can't tell that to anyone ever again! If that information goes to the wrong hands, the agency can't function."

"Fine."

"You should go see Jill. She probably wants to see you."

"I'm really not in the mood."

"Just go. And remember, don't tell anyone."

"Got it."

I travel into the room where Jill and Caylen are. They seem to be deep in conversation, so I just sit in a nearby chair and put my head in my hands.

Why did Kian go? Where could he have gone? Why would he do this to me? Is he even coming back for the dance next week?

So many questions. No answers.

I let Jill and Caylen converse until half past four o'clock.

"Caylen," I say, "we need to get back for dinner."

On the way back, I hardly have it in my to run. I just want to sit down or something. I just want to be with Kian.

How will I survive if he never comes back?

---------------------------------------------

In the middle of the night, I can't sleep. So I go outside and watch the stars from the park. I can see the star that represents me, and the one that represents Kian. They're so far apart, but they're still shining brightly.

Your still shining, Kian.

I hope he really is still out there. What if The Red randomly decided to kill him? What if...he decided to do it himself?

Stop. He's still out there. You'll see him again.

I can only hope.

__________________________

Author's Note:

Wow this chapter was actually really short. Sorry about that.

THREE MORE CHAPTERS!! Holy wow! I've never finished a book before. Too bad I have two more to go after this, huh?

Anyway, I know this book totally went like downhill. FORGIVE ME. I so plan to edit it and make it longer and cooler in the future. ;)

Shoutout: Extremely Lovable by @aj_roza

If you like books about witches, read it! I like books about witches. :)