Stuck In Paradise

Knife

Kel was laying on the ground with a few bruises marked against his face.

“Teaches you to mess with us loser!” Kim bragged as she picked up the candy bag.

“Please, Kim! We need to know where Aubrey is! She stole something really important for all of us and we need to get it back!” Kel begged, hoping to some god out there that Kim listens.

Kim and Vance both stopped moving and Vance turned around to look at Kim. Kim let out a sigh and turned to Kel, “She is at the church.”

“Huh?” Out of all places Kel was expecting her to be, it definitely was not the church.

“Shut up, you wanted to know so there!” Kim grumbled, “If she asks, I didn’t say anything! Say it was Mikhael or something.”

“Kim we gotta go before mom gets mad ya know?” Vance began walking ahead.

“See ya losers!” Kim walked away as well leaving Sunny and Kel alone.

“The church? Why would Aubrey go to church?” Kel pondered aloud, “Whatever, as long as we get the photo album back for Basil I don’t care if she was in Mexico. Let’s go Sunny!” Kel grabbed the teen's hand and began walking towards the church.

~~~~~~

A bad feeling swirled in his gut, he felt awful as he laid on top of his bed.

He didn’t know why but it felt like something awful was going to happen.

Maybe Kel is right, the sun was messing with them.

Everything is going to be okay...isn’t it?

~~~~~~

“Alright, we’re here.” Kel sighed to himself. He saw Aubrey’s scooter was parked next to the side of the church and they watched as four people walked inside, “This is honestly the last place I would have pictured her at.”

Sunny walked forward to the door and opened it just a crack. Kel decided to look through the crack as well.

It looked like a normal sermon to them. Everyone was sitting quietly with their heads down. Aubrey was easy to pick from the crowd with her bright pink hair.

“...We should wait outside, I would feel bad interrupting- and you walked right in. Okay then.” Kel sighed as Sunny walked past him into the church.

Sunny and Kel walked inside, their feet only making the floor gently creak. They managed to nab a seat right behind Aubrey.

“Psst Aubrey, we need to talk,” Kel whispered behind her ear, causing her to slightly jump.

“What the- didn’t I pay you ten bucks to leave me alone!” She whispered back.

“Yeah, that was before I found out about his photo album that you stole,” Kel muttered.

He heard Aubrey take in a deep breath before she turned around to face him. Why does everyone he knows today seem so exhausted?

“Look, I know that you like playing the hero and everything, but this is personal.” Aubrey sighed.

“Well, it is personal to me as well. We have photos of everyone in there, plus our memories!”

“Kel, I am only going to say this once. Stay out of this. If Basil wants it so badly, he will come to me.”

“We both know he won’t! Have you seen him lately? I may be stupid but I am not dumb! He looks anxious all the time and I just want to help him.”

“Sometimes people don’t need help Kel. Did he ask you to help him with his problems?”