A Faded Memory

3//Day One of Searching

I wake up in Shae's grasp still and I'm confused at first but last night comes back to me quickly. Her heads resting on the white headboard, her head must be killing her. I get up and try to move her head to the pillow but she wakes up in the process. As I had predicted her hand shot up to the back of her head.
"I'll go grab some painkillers and a glass of water," I say before getting up to go grab them.
"Thanks, your a real life saver," Shae replies as a shut the door behind me.

As I'm getting the water, Mackenzie tries to talk to me but I ignore her, I'm still not over the fact she and mum don't care that Madalyn's gone. I stare at her for a few seconds with a ginger look before heading back up to my room.

"Thanks Mae," Shae says as she gulps down the water for dear life.
"Anytime," I reply as I search through my closet for something to wear today. I pull out some acid washed shorts and a black and white stripped crop top before heading to my bathroom to get changed. When I come out Shae is changed too and is going through her normal makeup routine at my vanity. While she does that I get my usual makeup out and go back to the bathroom to do mine. I come out to see Shae climbing back out the window with her stuff.

Shortly there's a knock on the front door, I instantly know that it's Shae.
"Maisie, can you get the door please," mum shouts from the kitchen.
"Yep," I reply, walking down the stairs.
As predicted, it's Shae. I give her a quick hug as if I hadn't just seen her minutes ago and let her in.

We go up to my room and go through the plan a few more times before going back downstairs to tell mum we're going shopping. I know it's bad to lie so keep your lectures to yourself, but it was the only way out.

We set out on our mission to find Madalyn.
"I say we check where she usually goes first," Shae suggests.
"Good idea," I agree as we set off to our first destination, the shops.
We combed through every last inch of the shopping centre that we had access to a couple times before going to the next place on the list, the park in the middle of town.
"Any luck?" Shae asks.
"Nope," I say upset.
"Where are you Mads?" I cry to no one in particular.
"We'll find her Mae, I'm sure of it," Shae says in a soothing voice, she knows me best, excluding Madalyn of course. We sit on the park bench until my tears ceased once again. Gosh I'm emotional today.

We spent the rest of the day combing through the town before going to Shae's house. I sent mum a text letting her know I'd be staying at Shae's tonight and she gave it the all clear. I had stuff here so I didn't need to get anything. I paced around the bedroom whilst Shae went to go shower. I had already removed my makeup at her vanity and changed into more comfortable clothes for the evening.

Not long after Shae had come back had her twin come up to tell us that dinner was ready. We went down the three flights of stairs to the ground level for dinner. Light conversation was made over the meal and the news played quietly in the background but was loud enough for me to hear that Madalyn's disappearance was on the news. I excuse myself from the table and Shae follows as she realises why I've gotten up.

We make ourselves comfortable on the leather sofa until the story is over before going back to the table to finish our meals before stacking our plates in the dishwasher and going back up the three flights of stairs to Shae's room again.

"Why does your room have to be right at the top?" I whine as I crash onto the bed.
"Because this is the only soundproof level," Shae replies as she scrolls away on her iPhone X.
"Right," I reply as I grab mine off charge.

We scroll away until out hearts are content until our eyelids give way.

I wake up to Shae shaking the life out of me.
"What is the meaning of this?" I complain, half asleep still.
"You wouldn't stop rambling in your sleep, and you've always said if you start talking to wake you up," Shae replies.
"What was it about this time?" I ask.
"You were talking to Madalyn I think because you were saying stuff like why did you leave?" she explains.
"Okay, can I go back to sleep now?" I ask.
"Yep, goodnight, well good morning since it's almost three in the morning," Shae rambles.

"Rise and shineee!" Shae sings.
"No," I state pulling the blanket over my eyes.
"More waffles for me then," Shae teases.
"Okay, I'm up!" I announce.
"That's what I thought," Shae replies as she struts out of the room.
I pull myself out of the nice, cozy bed and straighten myself up before heading down the three flights of stairs to eat breakfast.

"Morning sleepyheads," Shae's twin says.
"Morning Zac," Shae and I say in unison.
"Morning girls and Zac," Susan, Shae and Zac's mum says as we all walk into the dining room.
"Goodmorning mum," we all say. Shae and I have been friends for as long as I can remember so her mum is basically my mum too now. The table is almost dead silent as we all eat, I swear I can hear the birds down the street chirping.
I guess everyone now knows about Madalyn's disappearance.
"I'm so sorry to hear that Madalyn has gone missing," Susan says breaking the silence.
"Yeah it's real bad to hear Mae," Zac butts in.
"Thank you, I hope she's found soon," I reply.
"We do too," they all reply.
We take our dishes to the dishwasher in the kitchen that's adjacent to the dining room before going back to our own lives.
Shae and I get ready for yet another day of searching. Shae pulls out two matching outfits in different colours and hands one to me. Mine is a pastel green t-shirt that in the corner reads first of all, no second of all, no with a pair of black shorts, hers is the same except it's a baby blue colour instead. We go though our daily makeup routines before grabbing our bags with our phones, portable chargers, earphones and cash before setting out on day two of our mission to find Madalyn.