The After Party

Missing

She smiles with one eyebrow raised. "Don't you worry babe. I am always up for action."

After spending a couple of hours in my room trying to do homework and being distracted by the constant flashing lights outside my family finally gets home. I run downstairs bursting with emotion.

" I have to tell you guys what's going on over there."

"Hey, munchkin," I say to my little brother, Harrison.

He's a good kid, and I hope that he doesn't end up like the jocks at my school when he gets older. He is definitely into sports and that's the only thing I fear for when it comes to him. My parents dote on him so much so that they forget they have me. Then again, they are the same way with my older sister Maria. I guess it is just that they don't care for me too much.

My parents continue taking off their jackets and shoes as they get settled in from a long day of work.

"I'm glad you had a good day at school honey. Did you check the mail on your way in?" My mom says.

"The police want you guys to contact them so they can question me about Ms. Harrison's daughter."

That is apparently a definite way to get them to stop and focus a few of those brain waves on me.

My dad looks to my younger brother. "Good game tonight. Why don't you go upstairs and get your homework done champ."

Once we hear him get to the top of the steps their eyes bore into me and intensify.

"What did you do Kayla?" My mom says to me.

My dad clenches his fists as his arms slightly shake while he walks towards me and shouts. "Tell us everything now, before we walk over there. What have you done now? Why do you insist on being such a headache for your mother and me?"

I tried to sound unbothered, but my voice came out so small. "I didn't do anything. The officer said he wants to ask me a few questions and he specifically added that I'm not in any trouble. Chill."

"Chill?" I just poked papa bear. "This is how you talk to your parents now. First, you are being called down to the police station and now you are talking to use like some type of street hoodlum."

My mom calms my dad down just by her touch on his shoulder. "Alright. What I'm trying to say, Kayla is that I will ask one of the officers to come by and speak with us. Do you have anything to tell us before I do so?"

"No, sir." I put my head down and say it like a meek peasant would. "And you have to ask for Officer Saks."

My dad grabs his coat and walks outside to get officer Saks, but not before giving me a disgusted look.

My mom puts a tea kettle on the stove like the 70s housewife she tries to be.

"Mom. I'm a good kid. I have always been an honor roll student. Why can't you support me for once? I'm your daughter."

"And he is my husband." She looks like she wants to say more, but goes back to preparing tea.

My dad and Officer Saks walk inside together, seeming pleasantly chatty. They promptly sit down on the couch and get straight to it.

"Hello, ma'am. Your neighbor's daughter, Layney Harrison, is missing. We believe she may be with your daughter whose whereabouts are also unknown."

"Well, Kayla tell the kind officer everything he needs to know." My dad can barely keep from gritting his teeth together as he speaks to me.

"No, sir." Officer Saks says. "Your daughter Maria was seen with her last. We wanted to speak with Ms. Kayla to see if she remembers anything from a party thrown by Jessie and Matel last weekend." He turns to me. "Again, you're not in trouble. But I need you to tell me everything you saw even if it doesn't seem important."

"I wasn't there long. I know that Matel knew I was Maria's sister. I'm not sure how. I didn't see my sister."

"It all started at the after-party." I begrudgingly tell them everything that happened. I leave out my fears of my secret admirer. My parents are more concerned about where Maria is and assure the officer that they will deal with me accordingly for being at that party. They ask me to go into the other room while they speak privately and then I'm invited back into the lion's den.

"Thank you for your honesty. Usually, the younger ones are harder to get through to because they're afraid of being in trouble." He gets up to leave and turns back towards us. "Your daughter, Maria, is not someone in danger. She is someone that is dangerous. Kayla, she may be after you next. Trust no one and keep my number on speed dial."

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Author's Note: Thanks for reading. Please vote comment, follow and add this to your library for updates. So, tell me what do ya'll think is going on with Maria? How do you feel about Kayla's parents? I'll