You start to look around, hoping to find any clue or sign of Paige's whereabouts. As you scan the area near the rails, you notice some graffiti on the side of a nearby building. Curiosity piqued, you walk closer to examine the artwork.
The graffiti is a vibrant mural depicting various skateboarding tricks and vibrant colors. You recognize the style as one of Paige's favorite local artists. As you examine the mural closer, you notice a small tag near the bottom corner with Paige's initials. It seems like she must have been here recently.
Feeling a glimmer of hope, you check around the rest of the area. You notice some discarded skateboards and a scattered pile of empty energy drink cans near the rails. You remember Paige's love for skating and her penchant for energy drinks.
You decide to follow the path of discarded skateboards and empty cans, assuming it may lead you to Paige. As you walk along, you catch a glimpse of movement out of the corner of your eye. You turn your head and see a familiar figure sitting on a bench a little further ahead.
Relief washes over you as you recognize Paige, slumped over with her head in her hands. You rush over to her, calling out her name. Startled, she looks up, appearing drained and distraught.
"Andie, I'm sorry," Paige mutters, her voice shaky. "I just needed some time alone. Something happened, and I didn't know how to deal with it."
Concerned, you kneel down beside her, putting an arm around her shoulders. "What happened, Paige? You can talk to me."
Paige takes a deep breath, struggling to hold back tears. She explains that she received an email earlier from the local skate shop, informing her that she didn't make the cut for sponsorship. Skateboarding has always been her passion, and she had put so much effort into improving her skills, hoping to get recognized.
She tells you how devastated she feels, as if a door to her dreams had been firmly shut. You listen empathetically, assuring her that sponsorship doesn't define her worth as a skater or a person. You remind her of all the progress she's made and the joy skateboarding brings her.
After a while, Paige's tears subside, and she manages a faint smile. "Thanks, Andie. I needed someone to remind me of why I love skating. I guess setbacks are just part of the journey, right?"
You nod in agreement, offering her a hand to stand up. "Absolutely, Paige. You're talented, and I believe in you. Plus, we'll always have each other's backs."
Together, you leave the rails behind and head back towards town, ready to support Paige as she processes her disappointment and works towards new goals. As you walk, you can't help but feel grateful for the little landmarks and strange stories in Burnbridge that have led you to your best friend in times of need.
You drop your board on the ground and head straight to Paige’s favorite place to grind rails. There are some old ones behind the town recycling center, left over from a building that was torn down because the people doing the demolition swore it was haunted. Burnbridge has a lot of history like that: partially run-down buildings, little landmarks that have strange stories behind them.
You call Paige’s mom on the way, and tell her you can’t find Paige.
“I don’t know, Andie. She left an hour ago to meet you. Have you tried calling her phone?” her mother says, but before you can explain, she hangs up, explaining she has to be at a PTA meeting. You sigh. It’s totally up to you to find her. What if something’s really wrong and you can’t even get her mom to pay attention?
You arrive by the rails, but there’s no sign of Paige. You try her phone again, but she still doesn’t pick up. What’s going on? Maybe look around and see if you can find anything?
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