Lana finally completed her mom's list of chores, which, once again, she'd managed to do by switching her mind to autopilot. Normally she would have objected considering the events of that day, but she didn't need any more speeches from her dad about how wrong and immoral it was to add insult to injury. But Lana was starting to wonder whether it was her or her mom getting more insult added to their injuries lately. 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGh3iyXq6mk
After cleaning her and April's cats' litterbox, unloading the dishwasher, and dusting the ceiling fan blades, Lana desperately dialed the number of someone who technically wasn't a friend, but maybe an occasional acquaintance that she hadn't talked to in a year. In any case, Joline wasn't half the friend Cassidy had been, but she was the only one Lana personally knew who might know something about Cassidy that she didn't. 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIA42vljbrJ
Lana recalled that ever since Joline had failed 9th grade while she'd managed to pass they hadn't seen much of each other, but hadn't bothered trying to catch up with her since she'd been so focused on helping Cassidy and making sure she was happy. She hoped they hadn't moved or anything and that the number was the same. 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPI5HqL63fc
"Hello?" came a laid-back female voice. Lana could imagine Joline flipping her black hair behind her back and making a duck face, like she'd often seen her do when she was in a relaxed state. 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuyVxMjk9aD
"Joline...?" 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTPLNpfPcDK
"Lana! 'Sup? You haven't called in a while." Lana was too lost in her own desperation to notice the possible accusing undertones in Joline's voice when she'd said the part about not calling in a while. 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEUSmkQiJrl
"Yeah, sorry about that," Lana replied absentmindedly. "Look, have you seen Cassidy? Cassidy Myers? They say she's missing and I just feel really sick about the whole thing--"737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1PseN0QJSo
"Look Walden, I have too much on my plate already without trying to keep up with that weird chick you call a friend. Ever since my dad took off my mom hates me, my boyfriend is constantly standing me up, and you never even talk to me anymore unless you want something, like now."737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjYBvrVfq4Z
"Joline, this is important!" Lana said in a furious whisper, pushing back a second set of waterworks. "Please, just tell me...have you seen her?"737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeN3Zs1MhZR
"Alright then. NO. Happy? Look, I'm sorry she's gone and all that, but I can't help you with the way my life is going."737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAqILH0S4Xc
"She's not dead, Joline!" Lana shrieked into the phone. All she got back was shocked silence, so Lana added before hanging up, "Thank you, Joline, for being such a great friend," in a tone that said the exact opposite of what the words themselves did. 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡze7F6f6XIr
"Lana! April! Is somebody hurt? I heard yelling." Mrs. Walden rushed into the room, nearly running her arm into the bookshelf. All she found was April staring at Lana, who was staring at the phone. "So I guess that yelling I heard wasn't for a good reason?" She gave both her daughters a warning look. 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0sPTLkK6WN
"No," April answered immediately. "But Lana's been on the phone hollering at people." 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMMIGg1h6M0
"So that's what I heard!" Again, the nails-on-the-chalkboard voice. "Lana, who did you call?"737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6raIIdYiPY
"Joline," Lana said, not meeting her mom's eyes. 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCgJ833tuOK
"Why were you calling her? I thought you promised me you would never interact with her again. She's a bad influence!"737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbuZD5U8pqz
"I just wanted to know if she knew where Cassidy was!" Lana snapped. "But everyone refuses to help me! I won't stand around and listen to this. I don't have to listen to it." With that, she turned on her heel and marched down the hall into her room. 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYd293yLp0F
"Lana!"737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkXHNbHeRNF
Lana responded by slamming her bedroom door behind her. 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuOEfBfN7Yh
"Alright. That's it. I can't get any rest with your dramatics! You'll certainly hear a speech from your dad tonight." Her mom could be heard marching down the hall toward the door, but didn't attempt to open it. "This may sound cruel, but the world doesn't stop turning even after someone loses someone they love. They still have responsibilities and people who need their help!" With that, the shadow of two feet under her door disappeared. 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ66kDkpEcPf
Lana wondered how her life had gotten this way in a matter of hours. So her attitude had contributed to some of it, but out of all the kids that could have gone missing today, why did it have to be Cassidy? That she couldn't control. She actually looked around and thought what all she could give up just for Cassidy's safe return--if she wasn't already dead. She'd gotten to the point where she could process the thought, but that didn't mean it still wasn't painful. 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRoki4xIuoK
She spent about an hour laying on her bed, fading in and out of restless sleep from exhausted worry and reliving how they'd first met during lunch on Cassidy's first day at their school. 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsOKSJWKgXd
Cassidy had been crying alone at a table. 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjIXrojZlYT
Concerned, Lana walked over. "What's wrong with you?" Her words were blunt, but her voice was gentle. 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡasv5DsisOA
"Oh...hi." Cassidy quickly wiped her eyes. "I'm sorry. It's just that...no. Never mind." 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3UxSZILpOT
"What? Are you scared I'll laugh or something? Because I won't." 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlyqDaKlqzo
She sniffled. "Well...you remember when our writing teacher gave us an assignment today to spend the week writing an essay about our happiest memory? I don't really know what to write." 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzaqusjogvA
Lana was unsure why anyone would cry about something like that, but then again, she could kind of relate; she wrote alright on her own time, but essays were another story--literally. I need to stop, Lana thought. She's not your friend; and even if she was, my parents would probably try to find some reason why she's a bad influence. "Well, I hope you find something you can write about," she said aloud, starting to walk away with her tray. 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpeXYlHCGVM
"No...wait. Please, don't leave me." 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1PQPQE53yL
Lana stopped and turned around. Why was this girl acting so clingy and trusting to someone she didn't even know? "Well...I guess I could help you for a while," she said hesitantly, setting her tray down with Cassidy's at the table. "Surely there's some happy memory you have," she said thoughtfully. "Everybody has at least one."737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUAOlfJZuoq
"Not really," Cassidy said quietly. "I don't have that many hapy memories."737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPOhKliiapT
"Oh..."737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHrHf2Z3Bqn
"I don't want to talk about it."737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrSmiWL2D3S
Lana rolled her eyes internally, thinking, Then why did you bring it up, much less ask for my help? "Then you'll have to think hard. And when all else fails, just make something up like I've had to do," Lana said with a hint of humor. 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXErZ1FePaK
Cassidy smiled meekly. "Well...there was the time my parents took me to Cony Island. I was two at the time though and barely remember it. All I remember is being on the beach with the rides in the background, and I was trying to crawl towards the water and my dad had to keep chasing after me. But we never really did anything fun after that." 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXSIDwEOonF
"Hmm. Well, your dad or mom would probably remember the details of the trip, wouldn't they? You could ask them for help."737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM1nvQfmSVa
"I guess, but they've just been so..." She sighed, letting the words trail off. "You're right. They'll probably help me." 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM6r8PzVVdG
Lana nodded. "I'm pretty sure they will." 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPzN1OQnjmG
The bell rang just as they finished eating, making Cassidy nearly jump out of her skin. 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBMiFJnlHqL
"Well, good luck on the essay," Lana said as she put her tray and garbage away, never execting to talk to her again. 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjLz5tfABk6
But as it turned out, Cassidy was her shadow the rest of the day. It felt somewhat strange having someone follow her around, much less look up to her (since she'd never exactly been a role model, and Cassidy would have known that if she hadn't been new), but soon she came to embrace it. 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWP6TQMzQaL
And that was how it had been for almost 4 years. 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm93BIWip1W
"Stay in there, okay?" came her dad's voice suddenly. She must have been asleep, or at least half-asleep, because the voice had felt so sudden. At first she had trouble understanding, but then she realized her mom must have told him about her earlier outburst. "Your mother and I have agreed that you won't leave this room until tomorrow, except to brush your teeth."737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSeHa0Msfhe
"That was the plan," Lana shot back. She felt a somewhat pleasurable pain breifly course through her stomach and chest as she sat up and braced herself in case her dad wanted to start some sort of verbal fight; her dad was very sensitive under all that manliness, and though he never admitted it, Lana thought he enjoyed having the last word. The way she felt right now, she would welcome a good conflict. 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN2Ne5yhPzn
"Don't try and pick a fight with me," her dad warned with a steady voice. It was scary how he so often seemed to read her mind. "Because I won't have it. Neither will your mom. She told me all about what happened today." 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHoQAASV0Kb
"Oh, about how everybody has decided to hate me and won't help me find my best friend?" 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWX5B89LSEg
"No more, Lana!" her dad said, his voice rising. "It was you who didn't tell us about her. Maybe we could have helped her, too. Now, if you're too depressed to at least give your mom some peace, then you're too depressed to eat tonight." 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcHfH1TfqQF
"Okay, so you got it out. Now will you please just go away?" she asked, feeling more and more like an airless, deflated baloon with each breath. 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVCYFUHlRsJ
Mr. Walden softened his voice after a pause. "Alright. I understand this is a difficult time for you, but I want you to think tonight about how you could treat the people around you better than you have been."737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp4Lay26EAE
This time Lana held her tongue so he would just leave. Her dads' words had made her feel as if she was the cause of her friends' disappearance and possible death. 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl04lwwo4pP
She went to her computer, surprised her parents hadn't taken it hostage, and tried to find out anything she could about Cassidy Myers. What would we do without you, internet? It was there for her at least, as silly as it sounded. And her cat Whiplash of course, whom she let in after she heard his meowing outside the door. Something tugged at both sides of her mouth when he meowed at her. 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXeb5Tirp0b
After giving Whiplash a few strokes, she turned back to the screen. Cassidy had usually kept a low profile; like Lana, she didn't really have any other friends, but unlike Lana, she'd also been very shy, except to Lana when they'd first met. So naturally, Lana found several results about people named Cassidy Myers, but only a few that actually concerned her friend. There was, of course, a few news sights that had brief details about how she was never seen that morning and that if anyone knew anything they should call police immediately. 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyf7HqEBqRf
Lana clicked on one of the sites for the local news channel and read their short, vague paragraph over and over, as if that would make more details appear--or better yet, make Cassidy herself appear. 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiOIvGRoFr8
With not much to go on, she spent the rest of the night reading Batman comic books that her dad had handed down to her from his childhood; they served as a wonderful distraction. Lana felt just as confined and misunderstood as those Arkham Asylum patients in the comics. All I'd need is a straightjacket and I'd fit right in with them, with the way things are going, Lana thought with a cheerless laugh. 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdNv7SoCrCg
She couldn't really care less that she had to skip dinner since the thought of trying to eat anything was a bit nauseating under the circumstances, but it made her seeth listening to her family laugh and talk at the table as if she didn't exist. 737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1xwE6M5eUL
At first she thought about not even brushing her teeth or changing into any pajamas, but figured that she'd feel the best if she kept things as routine as possible. The less things were different, the less reminder that something was wrong would linger.
737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGsmDwLJYJk
737Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwoGYWHo9j0
