Charlie Hoffman ate another spoonful of Dino Peebles flipping through the pages of her latest Nacy Drew novel. Already on her fourth one of the month and still predictable as ever. "Charlie honey! Your fathers taking you to school today, he's waiting in the car for you. I have to take Daniel to the doctor." Gross, Daniel was her 6-month old brother who she loathed, all he ever did was cry. She shoved the novel into her backpack and tossed her empty bowl into the sink. "Bye mom"She called over her shoulder as she picked up her backpack and headed towards the front door. She faintly heard the phone ring and her mother pick up the receiver, "Oh hi, Sarah -". The conversation died out quickly as Charlie opened the door and sprinted across the lawn to the blue Volkswagen, hopping into the passenger door.
"Audrey! You can't be in there forever!" Luke yelled pounding on the bathroom door rather aggressively. God, I hate sharing a bathroom with a girl He thought practically sulking to his parent's room. His mother, Maura, was still in bed flipping through the pages of a Good Home magazine. "Mom, Aud's hugging the bathroom again" His mother chuckled setting her magazine on the bedside table, amused by her son's puppy pout. "Honey, she's a teenage girl, give her time to get ready. You can just use my bathroom" She gestured to the bathroom door already propped open from his father. He awkwardly tapped his foot, mumbling slightly under his breath. His mother raised an eyebrow and leaned up in the bed, "I'm sorry what was that?". Luke let out an frustrated sigh, crossing his arms. "Mom, my Drakkar Noir is in that bathroom". Maura couldn't hold back a snort and Luke's face flushed a deep red. "Honey, I think you and the girls can do without your fancy cologne for a day". Luke just responded with a quiet and angered breath and stomped into his mother's bathroom.
Charlie rocked back and forth on her heels, as she stood outside Hawkins Middle School her eyes scanning the crowd for her friends. Luke was the first to show up, and - well no one else. "Hey do you know where Christopher and Wes are?" A sudden pang of worry made her feel a bit off. "They're probably just late Char, come on we're going to be late for History"
As soon as the two entered the class together they were met with the rather questionable stare of Sherriff Crawford and their teacher. The two stopped in their tracks looks of dread written of both of their faces, Luke was the first one to speak up out of the two of them. "Uh, is everything alright?, Crawford glanced at each of them as if contemplating whether or not to reveal anything. "Charlie Hoffman and Luke Fletcher?" The two locked eyes before nodding cautiously. "I'm going to need you two to come with me".
Wesley busted right out of his science class as soon as his test was handed in. He'd never run in the halls, but he was doing it now, reading glasses and all. Swinging open the office door, his blue eyes immediately fixed on his two friends seated together both looking nervous, facing what must have been the sheriff. So his fears were right. This was about Christopher. Clearly still out of breath (Wes was defiantly not the most athletic kid you'd ever meet), he sat himself next to Charlie giving her a concerned look before saying to the cop, "this is about Chris, right? He hasn't been to school all day and his brother called my dad this morning asking question an-" "Kid, take a breath," the cop cut him off. Wesley nodded his head frantically, taking in a much needed air of breath. Okay. He was fine. "I'm Chief John Crawford, and yes, we just want to know where Christopher is. Any idea?" Wes shook his head no. Charlie's eyes widened slightly her face growing pale, "Wait, Christopher is missing? B- but we just saw him last night" She frantically looked to Wes for help. "The last time I saw him, he was riding his bike home last night. He was the last one to leave before PJ, our uh- baby sitter." Crawford nodded his head, before leaning forward a bit. "So no idea where he could have gone to? Any favourite spots of his?" Wes glanced over at his friends briefly, before looking back. "No, I have no clue. It's not like him to run away, something must have happened to him." Luke nodded along with Wes, "yeah, out of all of us, Chris is the least likely to just up and run". Crawford let out a sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose, "So you have no inclination to where he is?" The three shook their head 'no' in unison. Crawford scribbled on a piece of his notebook and ripped it out handing it to Wes, "Listen, if he contacts you or you remember anything about what could've happened just call the station alright?" The three nodded and shifted in their seats uncomfortably. There was a slight pause in the room before Crawford broke the silence, "Well, what're you doing here sitting like logs. Go back to class". Charlie was the first to stand, grabbing Wes's wrist and pulling him up with her. "Yes sir, have... a nice day" Her sentence was rushed and all too suspicious. Luke got the point and the three of them rushed out of the office. "Guys this is a huge, this is bad. What do we do?"
This called for an immediate meeting for the AV Club.