The Roman Project: The Wronged

Chapter 1

Jeen didn't know how long she'd been walking in the pouring rain. It felt like hours. She tried not to think of what trouble she would be in when she got home.

When she reached her neighborhood the exhaustion finally caught up with her. She walked up to her house, knowing it would be locked when she tried to open it. She reached for the doorknob, and to her surprise it opened. Isabella, her mother, always locked the house before bed. Jeen walked in, closing the door quietly behind her. She looked around, expecting to see her mother somewhere in the house, waiting for her. She was nowhere to be found. She looked over to her mother's bedroom door, expecting it be open - but it was closed.

She sat on the couch as quietly as she could and began to unlace the black slinkers from her feet. She took them both off with a tug, pulling her damp socks off next. Leaving the shoes on the carpet, she tiptoed to the stairs.

Once she was in her room she yanked her wet jacket off and threw it on the floor, but feeling too exhausted she collapsed into bed instead of changing out of her wet jeans and long sleeved shirt. Before her thoughts could reflect on the long day she had, her eyelids became heavy and she fell into a long and deep sleep.

When Jeen woke up she could tell it was late in the morning by how bright her room was.

A moment later she lifted her head from the pillow with a frown on her face. Reluctantly she forced herself out of bed and over to her door. She walked down the stairs. She looked around the empty and quiet house.

"Mom?"

No answer. She walked to her bedroom door and knocked. Still no answer. She pushed the door open, not sure what to expect.

What she saw was her mom's usually tidy bedroom, the bed made, her work notes and sketches neatly piled on a desk, her clothing perfectly folded in the closet. The curtains were drawn back and the windows open. The only thing missing was Isabella herself.

Jeen stood in the doorway with her eyebrows knit together. She walked in, going to the desk in the corner where her mother always placed her silver framed glasses.

They were nowhere to be found.

She walked out of the room, and as she passed the living room she noticed someone had put the photo on the foot table face up again. Ignoring the picture she ran up the stairs and opened Roman's door and waltzed into his room.

He was still asleep when she began to shake him awake. He turned and looked at her with a tired and annoyed expression.

His sandy blonde hair was uncombed, and across his cheeks were a few blemishes and fading freckles.

"What're you doing?" He asked.

"Do remember when Mom came home last night?" She said, standing up straight now that Roman was awake. He rolled back over.

"I dunno."

Jeen inhaled deeply in exasperation.

"When? Did she come home at all?" She asked, not hiding the urgency in her voice anymore. Isabella was the most organized and responsible person she knew. She wouldn't just disappear without telling anyone first.

Roman rolled back over and looked at her with a slightly more awake face.

"Why?" He asked.

"I don't know where she is. She's not in her room, or anywhere in the house." Jeen said as calmly as she could.

The look of annoyance faded from Roman's face.

"I heard her come home last night, it was late, but I'm sure it was her." He said as he sat up.