Finding April (gxg)

Part 3

I met Ava my second day of freshman year of high school. I missed my first day- I was in a mental hospital and wound up coming back the day before my first day of high school. So I rested that day, and then started high school one day later than everyone else. I came into my first class, History, and the only open seat was in the front- much to my dismay, next to Ava.
In true Ava fashion, she turned to me and said, "Hi. I'm Ava. You weren't here yesterday, were you?"
"No. I wasn't. I'm Josephine." I said back.
"That's a pretty name." she smiled at me. I remember thinking her long, blonde hair was very pretty.
"You think so? I was named after my grandmother. I think it sounds like an old lady name."
"I don't think so. I think it's pretty. Josie is a cute nickname though. Does anyone call you that?"
"Just my older sister, April. It's like that nickname is reserved for her."
And even 6 years later, April had been the only one to call me Josie. I missed her calling me that. I know it sounds weird, but all my other siblings I love and care for- but I can go days, weeks, even months without wanting to talk to them. But not April. So it was killing me to not have her to talk to. 
April is one of those people that you just want to be around. She makes you feel important. She listens intently to whatever you have to say. And she has this energy that makes you want to be around. She makes you feel like you're one of the "cool kids".
The weekend ended and I woke up Monday morning after only two hours of sleep. I found that most of us in my family could barely sleep. I hear my sister Kylie, whose room is next to mine, up at all hours of the night. And I knew she must be exhausted because she had to go to school, she was a senior. My mom was still making her go to school, which I found to be cruel. She had the option of doing it online, but my mom said she wanted "normalcy" for Kylie.
Thankfully I was able to take my college courses online. I've been going to a local University, Arcadia University and studying Psychology. What do I want to do with the degree? No idea. But my parents made me go to college.
I could barely concentrate on my online classes but the thought of having to go in to school this semester made me feel physically sick. The thought of basically doing anything did. Except hanging out with Ava.
I still couldn't quite believe she had stopped living down at school this semester. She had to wind up taking the train three days a week down into the city to take her classes and I knew it stressed her out.
Monday afternoon my mom went to go meet Candace and Kenny at the police station.
Kylie had come home from school an hour before. She was in the kitchen eating some carrots and hummus. She looked exhausted. Kylie loved fashion and dressing nice, but lately she just wore leggings and hoodies, and put her long hair up in ponytails. She couldn't be bothered- and I understood that.
"I don't understand why mom, Candace, and Kenny are going to the police station. It's not going to accomplish anything." she said to me. Kylie and I were never super close before April went missing. But I knew now she leaned on me for comfort.
"Me neither. I warned Amira they were coming down."
Kylie looked at me, "You did? What did she say?"
"That the cops are doing all they can do right now. And I believe it. There is nothing they know that we don't."
"I text her every day. None of my messages get delivered." Kylie said, staring off into the distance. She then looked at me, "I just hope she's alive, Josephine."
Anytime the mention of April possibly being gone came up, my stomach churned. "I know she is, Ky. Don't say that."
About an hour later my mom, Candace, and Kenny walked into my house. My dad was still at work. As always nowadays.
"How did it go?" I asked them. We were crowded around the kitchen.
"The usual. They insisted that they are working on it. But I want answers." Kenny said, leaning over the kitchen counter. His tousled light brown hair was hanging down in front of his face.
Kenny Adams. April's boyfriend of two years- she met him in college and it seemed like they fell instantly in love. And I actually did like Kenny. He seemed to be a grounding force in April's life. He graduated with his degree in Chemical Engineering this past May along with April. They were planning on moving in after this first year out of college. Who knows if that would happen now. Kenny had been very serious throughout all of this. Sad. Angry. All warranted.
"They weren't the most helpful." Candace said.
"They are working on it, guys. They can't do anything if they only have limited information." I said.
My mom shot me a look, "All we can do is try to ask them what they know."
"It's not like they are going to withhold information from us." I said back.
"I hope not." Candace said, "I don't know what to think."
"Amira was there." my mom looked at me, "She seemed agitated."
Knowing Amira, she might've come off that way. But she was blunt. To the point.
"Yeah, you'd think she would have more sympathy for people whose loved one went missing." Candace said.
I was getting annoyed. I knew they were most likely trying to tell the cops they weren't doing their job right. And Amira was probably saying exactly what she told me and all she was able to say- they were doing all they could.
"She does. You're just trying to get answers that aren't there." I said.
Candace then shot me a look. "Excuse me for being concerned."
Was she serious?
"You're right. I'm totally not concerned about my sister or anything." I said, and then decided I had enough. I stormed out of the kitchen. Part of me wanted my mom to follow me, but I knew she wouldn't. And she didn't.
The door to my house opened as I was about to walk up the stairs. It was my dad.
"Hey, Josephine." he said. He was dressed nicely in a black button down and dress pants. His dark hair was slicked back. If you're wondering where I get my black hair and olive toned skin from, it's my dad.
"Hi." I said, pausing,
He looked at me. "Are you okay?"
"Just kind of pissed. But I'll be okay." I said.
"Alright. Well...you can talk to me if you need to."
"Thanks." I said, knowing he didn't mean that. Since April went missing he had checked out. It seemed like work was all he cared about, even though I knew it was just a distraction.
I ran up to my room, frustrated. How dare Candace act like I don't give a fuck about my sister. She was my sister.
I was laying on my bed when my phone rang. I looked at it, it was Ava.
"Hey." I picked it up.
"Oh good. You're okay." she said over the other end.
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"
"I texted you a few hours ago and you didn't answer. Just wanted to make sure you're alright."
"Oh...yeah, I'm sorry. I didn't look at my phone." I said.
"You sound stressed out."
"I am. Candace is here she is just pissing me off."
"Do you want me to come pick you up?" Ava asked.
"Would you really want to? You're not busy?"
"Never too busy for you." Ava said sweetly.
I felt my heart skip a beat. "See you soon?"
"You know it."
I wasn't sure why, but I had a feeling this night was going to be special in some kind of way.
Ava picked me up in her Jeep twenty minutes later.
"Want to just get some snacks from Wawa and hangout in the car? Keep it low-key." she said.
"That sounds great."
She drove to the nearest Wawa, which is a convenient store only in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. We grabbed an array of snacks and then drove back to my house. Ava parked on the side in front. We both knew no one would be coming out at this hour.
"I will still never understand how you can like sour candy so much." Ava said to me as I opened up a pack of sour straws.
"I don't know how you can not." I ripped off a piece of one with my teeth.
"Twix and Kit Kat's are where it's at." she grinned at me.
"I appreciate you coming after you had class all day." I said.
"I could tell on the phone you were upset. What did Candace say?"
I told Ava about how Candace insinuated I wasn't concerned about April. She nodded, taking in what I was saying.
"I think she's just frustrated. And she's taking it out on you." Ava looked at me.
"I know that's the logical explanation. But I can't help but to feel this resentment toward her."
"And that's you taking it out on her." Ava said. Then she got a joking glimmer in her eye. "You sure you don't have a crush on Candace or something? Sounds awful lot like a friends to lovers story."
"No way in hell." I laughed, "I do not like Candace in that way."
"I wouldn't blame you if you did. She's very pretty." Ava said.
"Yeah...not as pretty as you." I said, and then realized after the fact what I actually said.
I could've sworn I saw Ava slightly blush. "That's not true."
"Please, it's beyond true."
Suddenly I felt tension in the air of the dark car as Ava looked at me. Her eyes were gazing into mine. It was almost like she was asking me, begging me to kiss her.
And so I started to lean in. I followed my instinct. "Is this okay?" I asked Ava.
She simply just nodded, still looking at me intensely.
It was the sweetest kiss I've ever had. It felt like coming home. It didn't feel like an awkward kiss with my best friend. It felt like a kiss with someone I wanted to care for. Love. And I wondered where it was going to go from here.