Chase
By Tracy Au
I have to find Lachlan. It’s become my mission, an obsession. I tried to report him missing to the police but they told me I had to find his family first.
I got the phonebook and called all the Chases there are. A girl picked up the phone and I asked, “Hi, may I speak to Lachlan Chase? The girl answers, “No, he doesn’t live here anymore.” My ears perked up. I called thirty Chases, and this is my strongest lead. “You mean Lachlan Cameron Chase?” I asked. “Yeah, I don’t know him, but I think I know of him,” she replied. “Did you go to school with him?” I asked. “I don’t feel comfortable answering that.” “I’m sorry. I’m Corrine. I’m looking for my boyfriend Lachlan Chase because he was supposed to go on vacation for three weeks in Banff and Medicine Hat and now it’s been three months. I called his job and his employer doesn’t know where he is and they can’t give me his address.”
“If he’s missing, you should go to the police,” she said. “I did, but the police will only help me if I can find his family who will tell me if he’s okay or not. That’s why I’m calling all the Chases there are in the phonebook,” I told her. “You probably don’t want to hear this, but maybe he doesn’t want to go out with you anymore. He’s just ignoring you, until you forget about him” suggested the girl. “I know Lachlan. He has more respect for me than that. He would have been straight with me,” I said.
“Eventually you’re going to have to accept the fact that you can’t find him. I can’t help you. Bye.” She hung up.
I slammed the phone down. I decided to cool off at a bar. I heard a familiar voice say “Corrine.”
I turned around and Lachlan appeared. He pulled me out of my seat and we started walking towards the door. “I knew you would be here.” Someone shouted “Hey Lachlan!” A huge guy stood in front of us and blocked our way. Lachlan turned around and a tough-looking guy was there. He says, “Where’s my money?” Lachlan pulls out his wallet, “Here’s some of it, but that’s all I got for now-” The guy punches Lachlan in the face.
I picked up my drink and threw it on the crotch of the guy’s pants. “You wet yourself!” I told him as he looked down at his pants. I pushed him and he fell into a group of people. Lachlan and I ran out of the club and got into his car. I buckled my seatbelt and asked, “Who are they? Where were you for the past three months? I was really worried,” I told him.
“I was in Banff, and Medicine Hat. Those guys at the club are drug dealers that I owe money to, so I left town so they would cool off. You know the girl that you called today?” asked Lachlan. “Well she called me about how Corrine was asking for me,” he said. “I flew from Medicine Hat to Edmonton. I wanted to say goodbye to you face to face. I have to catch a flight to Colorado to go to rehab,” says Lachlan.
“How about I fly to Colorado to visit you? We can be in a long- distance relationship” I told him. “I don’t feel like I’m mature enough to be in a relationship right now,” he said. “Why not? You’re twenty- three years old, graduated out of college, and you lived on your own for a few years. Wait, this isn’t the whole ‘It’s not you, it’s me’ line right?” Lachlan says, “We are too different from each other.” “We like the same TV shows, movies and music. You met my family and they like you. I don’t see anything wrong between us,” I argued.
We entered the airport and he drags his suitcase out. “I can’t stay in Edmonton; it’s too dangerous for me. My place has been broken in twice, and I had lived in two different apartments. I got addicted to drugs here and there are drug dealers after me. ” I asked: “Do you know how long and hard it was for me to find you? I tried to report you missing to the police. I put up fifty posters of you all over your school campus, trying to get some tips that would lead me back to you.”
“You know, I really do appreciate the effort you put in trying to find me. I’m going to rehab and counselling. I care about you, but I can’t do this. I really need to focus on me. You should focus on yourself.” He walked through the terminal and waved and I waved back. I embark on a lengthy and difficult search to only lead me to heartbreak. At least I got an ending. I was upset, but I had to deal with it. I didn’t chase after him anymore.
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