The After Party

A Brand New Day

Getting up I feel normal again. I don't initially think of the insanity and drama that is not my usually boring life. Before everything with, well whoever it was and Maria, things were not nearly this exciting or scary. On an average week the most exciting thing to happen to me is a really great school project idea. I wanted excitement like the popular kids have, but not if it is at all like this. I decide I want to not really think about everything that is happening. I am aware of it, but I don't want all of the horrible things that have happened recently to be what controls me. I am going to go back to being focused on school. I have college applications to fill out. I have a real future to think about and that is no competition on the recent past.

As I get back from the bathroom I am feeling positive about not letting anything else get to me. I know that there are some things that I cannot just ignore, such as the situation with Maria, but that is what the police are for right? I will tell them anything I can that may actually help, but that is all. I have to be happy. I know I told myself this already, but this time I am going to try harder to mean it. Maybe a good night's sleep is all I needed.

I throw on comfortable shirt and a pair of yoga pants. After a quick glance at myself in the mirror I decide this is not going to work. I put on a baggier shirt and loose unflattering jeans , grab a belt that's not at all flashy and tie it tight.

Grabbing my book-bag, I head down stairs without any thoughts of giving so much as a grunt to my parents on my way down. I feel good now and I want to hold on to this feeling. It seems to never last too long.

I check my phone as I walk to the end of my neighborhood to catch the school bus. I'm so lost in my own thoughts that I don't notice the police car following eerily behind me.

"Hello there Ma'm." It's Officer Saks who is working on Maria's case. So much for not thinking about it.

"Officer Saks." I sound more startled than I mean to. "Is everything okay?"

"Well, considering." He is referring to the fact that Maria is still out there somewhere. I shutter at the thought of the conditions she could be living in.

"I just came by to check and see if you folks heard any news." He says with an edge in his voice that I can't quite describe.

"No. Nothing yet. What about you?" I ask.

"No. Uh – what do you mean yet? You haven't been playing detective have you?"

"No sir. I just meant that we don't know anything. If something came up I have your card." Now my heart is racing because I am afraid that I sound a bit too sassy.

"Right. Of course. I just want to check in and make sure you are reporting anything you may have found. Anything going on?

"I'm sorry Officer, but is there something you know or that you think I know?" I am getting afraid and annoyed, but I try to back track on the back-talk. "I honestly don't know anything that could help. Believe me I want my sister back just as much as anyone."

"Oh yes and I understand that. It's just protocol to check in with close relatives in these situations. You never know what you may have seen or heard that could help."

I realize that my pace has slowed since this conversation has started, and I try to walk just a little faster, because I am getting kind of freaked out right now. I'm sure I'm just overreacting though. He is an officer of the law. He is here to protect and serve. I'm sure there are no ulterior motives with him. Right?

"Yeah I guess. I just hope she gets back home safely. Let me know if I can do a anything to help."

"I sure will Miss." He nods his head as a southern gentleman would. "Just be careful. You never know who could be lurking around out here."

I jump a little as if I felt a cold chill creep up my back. Officer Creepy gives a smile that makes me slink back and drives off without another word.

I swear if it's not one thing freaking me out it's another. Getting to the bus stop without anymore weirdness I notice a police car sitting across the street. It wouldn't be such a big deal if Officer Saks hadn't just freaked me out, but he had. I boldly stare to see if it's him or not. He gives a wave of his hand out of the window the way people do when you let them get in front of you on the road.

Not that I would actually have the galls to walk over there but the bus comes up as soon as I think of reacting. Leaning my head against the window I let my mind drift around everything and nothing at all. No matter how much I study that never seems to be hard to do.

Being so wrapped up in my own thoughts I am shook out of my own thoughts when the bus stops forcefully and I get slammed into the back of the seat in front of me. Everyone else does as well and you can hear quick screams and groans of being banged around. I'm so freaked out by what happened that I don't think to look up to figure out what caused this.

I hear a loud banging on the side of the bus. My heart is pounding so hard I swear I can almost hear it beating. The bus driver gets up. He is an older man and he appears to be fairly disoriented himself. There is a small line of blood on the side of his head and he seems to wobble a bit. I groan at the feeling of all the aches that I am positive will only get worse. But that ceases to matter once I see someone get on the bus angrily.

He looks like an average guy that is possibly packing some muscle under that father like Hawaiian shirt. It's wrong but I begin to feel a bit excited. Our school bus just got into a wreck or something and now there is about to me a shouting match and some real live action. I'm just glad I cannot think about the pain I'm in or any of the crap in my life right now.

"You come with me." The man in the Hawaiian shirt says. He points to someone on the bus. They must be near me because everyone is looking over here. I look around as well. "Kayla get your ass up."

Me? Aw hell, why should I be surprised at anything crazy that happens to me anymore?

I stand weakly. The bus driver must have really did a number on those breaks because I am feeling the impact. I take a few steps before I get to the man, but it feels like I'm walking the green mile. He looks me in my eye for a harsh few seconds without saying a word. Something about him makes it so that he doesn't need to. With that simple look I feel like a scorned animal who has to look away and I put my head down as if I have something to be ashamed of. I don't even know how to explain what's going on right now. He walks off the bus and I know he wants me to follow him. What I don't know is why I am actually doing it.