Chapter 3

We had just finished dinner when there was urgent knocking at the door.

I opened it to find Sophia's parents, looking extremely anxious.

"Alex, do you know where Sophia went? She just sent us a message and now won't answer her phone. The SATs are tomorrow, where could that child have run off to?"

My mom chimed in, looking at me expectantly.

"Alex, you're always with Sophia..."

"I don't know," I cut my mom off and looked up at Mrs. Rodriguez to answer her.

"Alex, do you at least know where she usually likes to go?"

I gave an awkward smile.

"I really don't know, Mrs. Rodriguez..."

Mrs. Rodriguez shook her head helplessly and left, having gotten no leads.

As soon as the door closed, my dad poked his head out from inside.

"Did you and Sophia have a fight? How could you not know where she went?"

I just smiled at my dad and went back to my room.

Of course I wasn't going to say anything. Let her enjoy her wonderful night with her dear Chad!

My mom was on the PTA,

So early the next morning she dragged me and my dad to volunteer at the test center.

As soon as we got to the entrance, I saw Mr. and Mrs. Rodriguez looking frantic.

When they spotted me, they rushed over.

Mrs. Davis hurried over as well.

"Alex, Sophia didn't come home all night. Weren't you two together at school yesterday? Did she tell you where she was going?!"

Mrs. Davis asked me too:

"Alex, you know how important these tests are for Sophia. They're about to start and there's still no sign of her. Please think hard, where could she have gone?"

I looked at Mr. and Mrs. Rodriguez's panicked faces and felt a pang in my heart.

But the image of my parents' tragic deaths in my previous life flashed through my mind.

I gritted my teeth and looked up at them.

"I really don't know..."

Seeing my expression, Mrs. Davis sighed and patted Mrs. Rodriguez's shoulder.

"Alex's an honest kid. Maybe he really doesn't know. Let's think of other ways to find her..."

But I knew they wouldn't find her...

Chad never intended to let Sophia take the test.

She was probably passed out in some hotel bed right now...

Sure enough, the exams started and Sophia still hadn't shown up...

Mr. and Mrs. Rodriguez were ordinary working class people.

To let Sophia focus on her studies,

Mrs. Rodriguez had quit her job to take care of Sophia full-time.

Mr. Rodriguez worked three jobs, sleeping only 3 hours a day.

They had worked so hard for over a decade to give Sophia this opportunity,

But their usually obedient and sensible daughter had disappeared before the most important test...

The moment they closed the test center gates, Mrs. Rodriguez completely broke down.

She collapsed to the ground, wailing hysterically...

"Mom..."

Finally, just as the first exam was about to end,

Sophia appeared at the entrance, disheveled and stumbling.

Mrs. Rodriguez sprang up from the ground and rushed over to Sophia.

She slapped Sophia hard across the face.

"You ungrateful child! Where on earth did you run off to...?!"

I was sitting with my parents in the shade nearby, about to stand up, when Sophia spoke:

"Mom, it was Alex! Yesterday at school he confessed his feelings for me but I rejected him. He was angry and drugged me, taking me to a hotel. I only just woke up. Alex has ruined my life..."