Pacific Bell High

> XXIX <

Mia had sat up and rubbed all sleepiness from her eyes.

Somebody was here.

She uncovered herself and, carefully, swung her legs over, then grabbed her crutches and stood up. She cautiously went over to the door of her room and opened it to a slight crack.

The couch's cushions were overturned, books were misplaced and even the paintings on the walls were out of place.

Were we just robbed? She thought to herself as she balanced more on her crutches.

"Mom?" She called out, her voice weary. She could hear something move in her mother's room and her heart began to beat through her chest. She took a step back as fear coursed through her veins.

But, her mother came right out of her room and, without noticing Mia, went straight to the kitchen.

This time, Mia raised and eyebrow and entered the living room, relieved that it was actually her mother who was in the house and not...

She shook her head and hobbled over to the kitchen, where her mother was looking through drawers and picking up utensils, looking under, then dropping them again.

"Mom? What are you doing here?" Mia asked as she stood at the entrance to the kitchen. Her mother still didn't notice her.

"Mom!" Mia let out a little louder, causing her mom to snap into consciousness and look at her daughter. She brought a smile to her face and stood up straight, but Mia could see her leg twitching immensely.

"Mia! Hey baby, what are you doing here?" She asked as she laid on the counter. She tried to give her daughter the best casual impression, but it was failing. Quickly.

"I live here, mom." Mia pointed out. "And, I should be asking you that question. What are you doing here? I mean, I don't mind you being here, but... You weren't supposed to come until later this month?"

Melissa's jaw slacked open and right after, she bit the inside of her lip. "I-I left something here. I can't find it—maybe it's in the airport. I probably left it there." She rushed up to her daughter and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

"You sure you don't need my help?"

"No!" Melissa rushed out, before closing her eyes and sighing. "No. It's fine. You get some rest, OK?"

Right then and there, her mother rushed right out of the house, leaving Mia as confused as ever.

Mia frowned slightly and turned around, going over to her mother's room instead of her own.

What her mother lost, she had yet to know, but she was going to help—it wouldn't be the first time her mother came back to look for something.

Although, I do really wish she would stay here just a bit longer after finding what she needed. Mia thought to herself. She gone into the room to be greeted with more madness—which really isn't like her mother. She wouldn't let it get this bad.

"It has to be something really important, then." Mia thought to herself.

She had looked all over the room, just to see if she could spot anything peculiar or out of order. She didn't find anything.