Friend Forever

The Call

"Police and citizens are in complete disbelief over this entire case. Exactly three years since local Tampa girl Carly Hall was kidnapped in front of her house, another girl was violently snatched while she slept at a friend's house, only a few blocks away. Twelve year old Amber Callaway was kidnapped a week ago, as she was having a sleepover with her close friend, Mallory Philips. Many remember Philips from three years earlier, for she was the only sole witness to her best friend Hall's abduction, desperately helping the police recover a sketch of the abductor. Citizens are stunned to hear the news of yet another one of Philips friends having been abducted, for police are beginning to wonder if she is the real target by the perpetrator," the news played on the radio as we drove in the car, my Mom quickly switching it off as the silence only filled the air next. Nothing but the quiet noises of the turn signal flashing on, or the sound of other cars whipping by us on the road. The slight breathing from my parents, as if they were tensed by something although I knew they weren't. It was nothing I tried to blow it off as.

"This is huge. Everyone's going to be surrounding her again. All eyes on her," my Mother spoke up, as revealed she was a bit tense, and my Father who was driving only glanced at her as his dark hair moved slightly away from his eyes.

"Well, maybe that's a good thing," he tried deliberating with her, however that didn't seem to work well as she shot him a glaring look right away.

"What do you mean a good thing? No it's not. Do you want our daughter being harassed by the media? By reporters? Don't you remember how bad it was a few years ago? We had to have the police here to keep everyone away. We could barely leave our house. And with her going to school, that was awful as well. They just followed her everywhere!" My Mother seemed very passionate against the media, for she did have every right to be. It was crazy a few years ago, as I had almost forgotten how bad it really did become. With the press pretty much surrounding our house, trying to peak into every open window. Following us everywhere, as they only wanted to speak to me, ask me questions about my missing friend. The times I couldn't walk to school for they would surround me further on the street, surrounding the school as well. It was indeed crazy, and I for sure did not want a repeat of that. For our small town didn't have big news occurring, and this had become the greatest—not greatest—biggest news story for years. Terribly big.

"Well no, I remember that and I know that wasn't a good thing. But think of it this way, the press and reporters are always around, which will keep her more safe from that man. She won't be alone, there will always be people around."

"Yeah, people around to take pictures of her and videos, putting them on the news and in the paper for that creep to see her even more!" My Mom rose her voice, still fighting with my Dad as if he couldn't get his point across for my Mom to listen, until he finally just let out a deep breath of exhaustion, continuing to only drive as we chugged down the road.

The last week had become a complete mess. I was excused from school on the Monday, spending majority of the day at the station speaking to officers Harold and Michaels, although that was all. Spending the other half of the day locked up in our house, surrounded even more by press and people who wanted to speak to me, to my parents, to Carly's parents and Amber's. However it seemed I was even bigger news than years ago, with the police proving their theory that I was a target, the press seemed to want to eat that right up. Wanting a great story, for me to comment on at least something related to the case, however I wouldn't. I couldn't.

School was hell the next week, people staring at me wherever I went, for the principle had told my parents the teachers and him would try their best to keep the press away, as well as police vehicles being stationed just near the front doors, in case any problems seemed to break out. I didn't want to think of any problems, for that worried me more than before. Teachers walking on egg shells around me, as well as students while people I had never spoken to had came up, apologizing as they stuck around me more. I was instantly brought back to years earlier, the memory of everyone wanting to be my friend, feeling sorry for me as they surrounded with stares, their apologetic expressions, as well as unwanted attention. I was the popular one now—again—however not in a good way. I couldn't get away unfortunately. It was the same everywhere I went.