IN YOUR MIND. fezco

vi. questioning

vi. QUESTIONING

"So, you're telling me your mother has left the house a week before Christmas," the officer repeated, "Is that right?"

Lulu was in an interview room at the police station —as Zahia was in an another one, trying to calm her bouncing leg under the table, "Yes."

The officer frowned, "Why did you wait so long before coming out here?"

Now... Lulu had plenty of reasons not to go to the cops. First of all, she didn't have an ounce of faith in the legal system.
Can't blame her for that.
She also happened to be dating a drug dealer who lived right next door and she didn't want the cops snooping around her house.
But she had another reason.
Zahia.

"No! We're not doing that!" Zahia shouted angrily in the living room.

"Well, I don't know about you but I'm not a freaking detective," Lulu spat, "There's no way we're gonna find her on our own!"

"We didn't even try that hard!"

"How? Uh?"

Zahia shook her head, "I-I don't know, we could still use—"

"We've looked into her diary a thousand times, Zahia," Lulu interrupted, "It's been a week and she still didn't come back!"

Zahia let out a pained noise, sitting on the couch, "Please, let's just wait a little longer. 'Cause you know what might happen if we go to the cops."

She did. She knew that if they went to the police station and said they didn't have any of their parents at home, they would probably want to bring Zahia to their other legal guardians. Their grandparents who lived in New York.

"But I'm eighteen now," Lulu said softly, "I could ask to be your legal guardian. At least until they find her."

Zahia scoffed, "What if they don't? Did you think about that?"

"Of course I did! I'm trying to find a solution, here," Lulu bursted out, "I'm sorry but we can't keep on going like this. We need help."

"They're never gonna let you be my legal guardian," Zahia muttered, "You got school, you got a goddamn career, I'd just hold you back."

Lulu glared at her, "You're my sister, don't ever say you're holding me back."

Zahia tried to control her tears, "Please, let's just wait a little."

It broke Lulu to see her sister into so much pain. She couldn't believe what both of her parents had put them trough in the last three years. Sometimes, she wished she could see them one last time to tell them not to have children.

"Two weeks," Lulu said firmly, "Two."

And two weeks later, Lulu didn't give a chance for her sister to back out and they went to the police.