Chapter 22: Chapter 22

"What? What do you mean? If she isn't here, she must be in the room, or around somewhere, duh." Jameela replied, obviously frustrated for being interrupted in her thoughts.

"Well, we searched everywhere. Ade even went outside the gate. She's just not here. I think she might have gone to the cliff."

Her heart stopped, "really? Now that I think of it, I haven't seen her since yesterday night."

"Yep." He let out an exasperated sigh. "I just hope she comes back before the guides notice."

And he was right. As soon as it was evening, Mr Cameron ordered them all to get inside, for what he called 'tea time'. They didn't want to, but well, he had another valid point. The clouds had turned dark and lightning began striking hard. "So is that all of you?" Mr Cameron asked when they all trooped in the main room.

"Yes." They answered in unison.

"Hmm. I feel like this is not all the faces I know. Sana, will you come here for a moment please?"

"Yes, Cameron."

"Are these all our students?" Her eyes roamed around the solemn faces staring back at her.

"No. I think two are not here. Adriana and Peyton."

"I knew it. I hope they haven't been left in this storm." He gritted his teeth.

Just then, Adriana entered from one of the girls' bedrooms.

Mrs Sana asked, "is Peyton in the room, Adriana?"

"No. She isn't. I haven't seen her since morning." Adriana answered.

"I hope she hasn't been caught up in the storm. Check the rooms and the kitchen. Alessio, Graham. We have to look for her outside." They took an umbrella and went outside.

The students were all tensed. No one wanted the teachers knowing that she wasn't there, but they had no other choice but to pretend they were not nervous. The guides didn't come back until after the rain had subsided. Jameela silently prayed that Peyton hadn't been caught up in the rain. A rain like this was sure to make Peyton catch cold.

"She isn't outside. When did you last see her?" Mr Cameron asked with an angry f

ace. His clothes had been soaked from the rain. Alessio was also soaked but he looked incredibly handsome, like a model, without even trying. What the hell was wrong with her? She scolded herself immediately for staying off-track. This wasn't the time.

Joe stammered and told him that since morning, no one had seen her. That definitely angered Mr. Cameron. "What kind of people are you? Your friend isn't seen since morning and you have not even thought of looking for her? Let alone tell us! You are a disgrace. Really!" Just then, Miss I-Too-Know chirped in. Jameela felt like melting. But also felt bad for not having noticed Peyton not back in time.

"I think she went to the cliff," Adriana said. Murmurs filled the room.

Mr Cameron was about to leave, when he heard her and turned back, his face red. "What did you say?"

Carrie nudged her, but she still spoke oblivious to the glares everyone was sending her way. "Well, yesterday night, she told us that she would be going to the cliff. To be honest, since we arrived. She's obsessed with IG and YouTube."

"And none of you thought of telling us?" Alessio asked. Even though the question was directed at all of them, he looked at Jameela who quickly ducked her head down, ashamed to even look at him.

They were all quiet for a while. At last, Mrs Sana spoke up. "We will have to go there when the rain stops. But you students should have told us. Don't repeat this ok?"

"Yes, Mrs Sana," They answered. The guides went to their section leaving them in the main room, looking like some bunch of hypocrites. Jameela removed her veil and fluffed on the couch. Nina sat beside her. Both was quiet, each running up horrible thoughts involving Peyton. Maybe she ducked to a nearby shade when the rain began. Jameela hoped so.

"Peyton's gonna kill us if she knows we told where she was," Drew told Jameela and Nina.

"Anyway, it wasn't us. It was the one who couldn't keep her mouth shut." Jameela glared at Adriana.

"So what? I couldn't be blamed for what wasn't my fault. I'm not stupid like you." She shot back.

"Don't you dare call me stupid, you jerk. If there is any stupid one, it's you. Just because you think you are rich, you can boss people around. Well, news flash you ain't the only rich one here. So stop that arrogant, ill-mannered attitude and come down to the real world." Jameela furiously replied.

She stood up and Jameela also did the same. They sized each other up, each with anger and hatred in her eyes.

"Don't talk to me like that. You are not my class," Adriana huffed.

"Yeah. I'm not. Because I'm not some narcissist, foolish, person who orders her minions around so that they obey her and steps on others in order to get what she wants, by hook or by crook." Jameela answered back.

They continued picking words at each other until Miss Anna peered in and shouted at them. Apparently, she and Joanne stayed behind as the guides went outside again, and heard the bickering from their room. They did as they were told and kept quiet. Jameela was talking in hushed tones with Ibrahim when they heard the front door unlock. Alessio, Graham, Mrs. Sana and Mr Cameron came in, a puzzled look on their faces.

"She wasn't there." Alessio announced.

They were surprised, because they were certain the teachers would find her probably hiding behind a tree with her camera, trying to protect herself from the rain but still adamant on Vlogging.

"But how?" Carrie asked in a tiny voice.

"We searched everywhere, but couldn't find her." Mr Cameron shook his head, a dreadful look on his face. "Instead, we found this."

And he brought out a small pink ribbon with red stripes, which Peyton always pinned on her hair and a flashy light blue phone cover which was definitely Peytons'. Gasps filled the stiff air.