Aurora winces against the bright sunlight streaming through the large windows, confusion momentarily washing over her when she rolls over and the other half of the bed is empty. Sitting up, she can't help but to laugh as her gaze lands on Zach and Jonah cuddled together in the other bed, remembering that she argued about wanting to have the bed to herself last night.

Her smile doesn't last long as the memories of the past two days settle in, instantly putting her on edge as she remembers why they're in this situation. She's unable to focus on it for too long though, because a persistent knocking at the door resonates throughout the room.

"Who's here?" Jonah mumbles, moving to press a kiss to Zach's temple before he realizes he's not his girlfriend.

"Voldemort, most likely," she snaps, her exhaustion seeping in as she throws the door open. Here for our daily cup of tea."

"Are you kids ready?" Mrs. Elliot asks, standing in the doorway, fully dressed and with her purse in her hands. "Jessica is expecting us."

"Yeah, of course," Aurora blatantly lies, ignoring the fact that she's still in Gryffindor pyjama shorts and a t-shirt as she slides on her tennis shoes she had discarded by the door last night. Truth be told, she had completely forgotten they all agreed to leave for Jessica's at nine. "Just waiting on Zach and-"

Her sentence falters as Zach and Jonah appear behind her, already dressed and looking as though they've been awake and ready for hours.

"Never mind. Let's go."

××××

"Can you please stop fidgeting?" Jonah pleads with Zach, climbing out of the backseat of the rental car and holding the door for Aurora as Zach steps out of the front passenger seat. "It's going to be okay."

Aurora presses against Jonah's side and wraps his arm around her shoulders, too cold to argue with his optimism as the freezing autumn air whips around her bare legs. Staring up at the large white house only a few feet away, she can't help but to feel as though Zach's anxiety is rubbing off on her. Along with the gloomy weather and dreary sky, it begins to feel like the perfect setting for a horror movie.

"What if Jessica doesn't know where he took her?" The younger boy questions, running his fingers through his messy hair for the thousandth time. "What if we're just wasting time we should be spending looking for Carmen by-"

"Chill, hun," Carmen's mother reassures him, pulling her purse onto her shoulder. "Jessica knows Jackson like the back of her hand."

The front door opens as the group is walking up the porch steps, revealing a petite woman wrapping a shawl around her frail shoulders. Aurora found it hard to connect this tiny woman to her asshole of a son.

"Alyssa?" the woman questions, almost disbelievingly. "Is that you?"

"It is, Jess,"Mrs. Elliot confirms with a sigh. "We need your help. Are you aware that Jackson came to Beverly Hills?"

Aurora furrows her eyebrows at the question, having thought she had already spoken to Jackson's mother about Carmen's disappearance.

"Jax told me he wanted to see Carmen," Jessica answers, appearing confused. "Why? Is he with you?"

"No, and neither is Caramel," Aurora snaps, shoving Jonah's arm off of her and glaring at the woman as her patience disappears. "Your psychotic son took our Caramel!"

"What?" Jessica asks, looking to Carmen's mother.

"Carmen went missing two days ago," Mrs. Elliot explains. "That was three days after Jackson texted her this."

She hands Jessica Carmen's phone just as Zach's phone begins to ring. Aurora's head whips around at the sound and she stares at the boy expectantly. He frowns, glancing up at her and Jonah.

"It's a private number, Zach informs them before answering as the two parents continue their conversation, oblivious to the teens. "Hello?"

"I see you're in Oregon," a boy chuckles from the other line. "And you're at my mother's house. Face it, Zach. You won't find her."

"Jackson," Zach mutters, his jaw clenching tightly. "What do you want?"

Aurora moves closer to the boy, annoyed that she can't hear the other side of the conversation and all but pressing her ear against the other side of the phone.

"I just wanted to inform you on her current state," Jackson says casually. "Carmen is actually okay, aside from a few . . . bruises."

"If I find another scar on her, I'll-"

"You'll what? Kil me?" Jackson demands. "Sorry to burst your bubble, but Carmen has already moved on from your little circle of friends."

"What do you mean?" Zach questions.

"Put him on speaker!" Aurora pleads, tugging on his arm in protest when he doesn't seem to hear her. "Please!"

"I mean that she's already over you. After leaving her alone last night, she got enough time to think about her situation. And surprising enough, she's debating on whether or not she wants to stay in Oregon."

"You're lying," Zach states. "She wouldn't do that. I know Carmen."

"She's been beaten for a full day, Zach. She's been put through so much torture that she can't physically move anymore. Yet no one has come to save her. She's given up on knights in shining armor."

"But I am here!" Zach argues. "She has to know that! I lo-"

"What? You lover her?" Jackson smirks from the other end. "She's done with love. You see where it's gotten her? Give up. It's better this way."

"Let her go," Zach pleads, stressing as tears fill his eyes. "If you have any sanity left, you'll let her go. I love her, and I can't live without her."

"You don't know a thing about pain," Jackson says firmly. "Carmen does. And now she's realized that staying here is what's best for her. Face it. She was never good enough for you. You're a famous guy in a boy band, and she's a broken girl from Oregon. It never would've ended well."

"But-"

"I'm helping you here, Zach," Jackson sighs. "Because love hurts. Especially when it ends faster than it starts."

Zach's argument is cut off by the audible click of the line going dead. He pockets his phone with a heavy sigh asa few tears spill.

"It was Jackson," he mumbles weakly, sounding more broken than ever. "He says Carmen has given up on us coming to save her."

"He's lying," Aurora growls, beginning to pace the porch angrily. "Caramel knows damn well that we're rescuing her."

"Aurora," Jonah calls out, straining to be the voice of reason and to get her to listen. "We can't get anything done with you pacing like that."

Aurora stops and nods, causing him to sigh in relief - until she spins on her heel and storms up to Jessica, nearly knocking Mrs. Elliot out of the way.

"Where has your filthy excuse of a son taken our Caramel?" She demands, ignoring Jonah's protests.

Jessica glances worriedly at Mrs. Elliot, taking a step back from the angry girl before answering.

"I can't say that I know."