Cruel

Lovely

      Mia joins her group of friends under the bleachers. They're all talking with heated expressions, their shoulders tense. She taps on Natalie's shoulder, "Hey, what's wrong?" she whispers. Natalie flinches and lowers her voice, "You didn't hear? Jane went missing."
       
        She gulps and thinks about Jane. Her place in the school, where she ate lunch, her presence. Mia was that kind of person, a problem-solver.
  
       Natalie notices Mia's concerned expression and says, "Hey don't worry. I'm sure they'll find her. They already have a lead." Mia lifts her head, "Oh. What is it?" Natalie coughs and leads Mia away from the crowd of girls. "Her boyfriend says they were together last night and that she walked home through the forest. The police searched the grounds there and found her phone. It was unlocked and recording. The police won't tell us anything about what she captured though."

         Mia wasn't surprised. Jane was always on her phone—during class, football games, hangouts. Mia unzipped her bag, grabbed her notebook and headed for class.
        
        She noticed a new guy was standing near her locker and smiled lightly. He said, "Aren't you scared?" Mia creased her eyebrows,surprised and asked,"Why would I be scared?" He chuckled. "Well, you're a girl. And one just went missing. It could be any guy in the school. Could be me even." Her heartbeat accelerated and her hands became sweaty, "What's the worst you could do in a lobby full of cameras and freshmen?" He lifted his eyebrows and smirked, his green eyes glinting. "Make a plan for when you're alone,of course."

        She grabbed her books and slammed her locker, thinking to herself what kind of guy would say such a thing when a girl is currently missing. "You're sick." She walks away and he whispers, "You're lovely." His laugh fades into the voices of students.