"You come over here, alone, dressed like you're going to a damn ball, looking confused as all hell and demanding to knowwhy I'm here. What the fuck is going on, Ander?"
"You texted Via. . . She's there checking on you. . . Your car was there." I run a hand over my face, instantly feeling nauseous.
Izzy shakes her head and steps toward me.
"Via hasn't been texting or calling me back, Ander. I haven't spoken to her in five days. I lost my phone for half a day, and after finding it, I haven't heard back from her. Also, my car broke down yesterday. Mav picked me up. What the hell?"
Spinning around, I rush toward my truck, pull out my phone, and call Via, but it rings multiple times before going to voicemail.
My face drops, and there's a brick in the pit of my stomach. I can feel the bile making its way up. I knew something was off, and I ignored it.
"Let me try to call her," Izzy says.
"Don't bother, I'm going back over there." Wasting no time, I'm in the truck and about to throw it in reverse when two doors swing open.
"We're coming," Izzy says, "I'll keep calling her on the way."
I nod and take off.
"It's still going to voicemail." Izzy shakes her head.
"What the fuck is happening, Ander? I swear, I never talked to Via. I've been wondering why she's been ignoring me. When I lost my phone a few days ago, I found it weird I had no missed calls or texts from her after finding it. I've been trying to call and text her, but I just figured she was busy trying to get her photography business in line. I should have known something was off."
Mav leans over the back of the passenger seat and consoles Izzy, who is now panicking and losing it in the front of my truck.
"Calm down, Iz. We don't know what's going on yet." I try to keep my voice calm, but it's shaky.
"FUCK!" I scream as I slam the break, sending us all jolting forward. I'm driving way too fast, swerving in and out of traffic, and misjudging the distance between me and the car in front of me. I was a little too close to his ass, and the asshole decided it would be the perfect time to break-check me, but I'm not in the mood for this shit.
"Are y'all okay?" I look over at Izzy and Mav.
"Yeah, man, just… slow down a little. I'm sure she's fine." Mav chimes in from the back seat, and I shoot him a warning glare. There's absolutely nothing right about this.
"Wait. . ." Izzy says, leaning over and picking something up off the floor, her voice low and barely audible.
"Ander! Isn't this hers?" Izzy says as she pulls out Via's phone. She must have forgotten it when she got out.
I nod, swallowing with an audible gulp. I am pushing down every fear that's rising to the surface.
"Should I—" I know she's debating going through it. Typically, I would say no. I don't believe in invading someone's privacy. Something isn't right about this. Not at all.
"Just do it," I say, turning my head, trying to keep my thoughts and emotions at bay as best I can.
Izzy wastes no time; I can see her fingers swiping a mile a minute in my peripheral vision.
"Ander, these texts between her and I. . . these aren't from me. Not for the past five days, at least!" Her voice is shaky, but she's screaming through the tears.
The panic is setting in for all of us.
"What the fuck? How is that possible?" Maverick asked firmly, his tone fierce.
"I don't know!" Izzy shouts back at him.
"What about her emails? Look and see if there's anything there," Maverick suggests.
Five minutes away, and still, it feels so far.
"Okay," Izzy's fingers shuffle around on the screen, swiping, clicking and pressing away.
